Take My Hand I have decided to write about some of my own experience regarding depression. I've had it from about the age of 11, but not diagnosed officially until well into my 20's and had children of my own. I can't remember a time when depression wasn't there. People who have never had it [...]
Dare to Share! My Bipolar Disorder Mood Swing Success Story By Julie A. Fast I’ve only been introduced to myself over the past few years. Up until then, it was a daily struggle to keep my constant, chronic, overwhelming and downright vicious bipolar disorder under control. From my diagnosis of ultradian rapid cycling bipolar 2 [...]
Why I do what I do. It’s a Saturday morning, and I’m sitting on a train from London headed to nearly the top of Scotland. I’m giving a talk to pre-med and psychology students at the University of St Andrews regarding mental health stigma and sex/relationships for their weekend of lectures. I look over my [...]
Three Bites Bigger Perhaps you noticed that I didn’t include my name on this article. That’s because who I am has no bearing on the value I hope to offer with it. This article is for you. If you found your way to Stigma Fighters because you want help and support with depression, anxiety, eating [...]
For a long time I felt guilty. I felt guilty for having ADHD and needing medication to feel somewhat close to “normal”. I went through elementary school and high-school being labeled “lazy” and being accused of “not applying myself”. I even had a teacher sign my yearbook- where he said I was “a nice girl, [...]
My mother. My beautiful, sweet mother took her last breath on July 31, 2013. My mother, who had loved me more than anything in this world, absolutely unconditionally. She managed to love me when I wasn't always loveable-thru my surly and difficult teenage years. Thru my highs and lows. She was there for me throughout [...]
My name is Richard and my encounter with mental health is twofold. Firstly, I was the carer for my wife for over twelve years. She has bipolar disorder that only became apparent when we were on honeymoon. At first, it started as obsessive and strange behaviour and odd conversations that seemed destined to go to [...]
I grew up in a broken home with an abusive, drug addicted father, and a mother who only held on because she knew nothing else. When she finally found the courage to leave, we were gone for good. I never saw my father past age 6 until I was an adult. Soon after leaving I [...]
When I was 12, I thought a monster lived inside of me. That was the only logical explanation my child's brain could come up with to make sense of the crushing, debilitating pain that ripped through my chest on a constant basis. The pain never ended. It completely consumed me. My every waking moment was [...]
February 14, 2013 I finally got home after a 15 hour day managing several restaurants. It was around 10pm. I fed my cats, ate something and got showered. I watched the news for a few and then got into bed and turned out the light. I guess it was 10 minutes and I had this [...]
