Raising Awareness | Erasing Stigmas

This blog aims to raise awareness about the many types of mental illnesses that exist, and further attempts to eradicate some of the common stigmas associated with them. Please use the links below to contact us. (Note: we are not mental health professionals.)

[positivedoodles]

[a-disgruntled-jedi-deactivated2]

[lunar-bunnie]

Mine is mostly cognitive.

[prllnce]

I have all three. Well oops.

[too-much-tribble]

Dammit! So do I!

[inactive1346597623595641352]

No one has said this yet, so I feel I must.

THANK YOU FOR THIS.

So many people don’t seem to understand that social anxiety can manifest itself in multiple ways. Some people will just dismiss that you have social anxiety if you don’t fit into what they perceive it to be, and that lack of understanding can be really hurtful. So thank you for this.

(And as my personal comment, I fit into behavioural and cognitive.)

[mondaynightswithcupsofcoffee]

This is a sculpture project I recently finished. The assignment was called shelter, so I decided to show how I felt in mine. I took over 1000 pill bottles and relabeled them to say things people have said to me to cause me to take these pills. I wanted people to realize what bullying does to people. Let me know what you guys think.

[sohapppily]

You’re gonna need a pep talk sometimes. That’s okay. For now, remember this: You’re awake. You’re awesome. Live like it.

[justablueumbrella]

IT’S OKAY ABOUT ALL THE MESS UPS

[edwardspoonhands]

Our friends at Thought Cafe made this amazing thing about mental health.

[raisingawarenesserasingstigmas]

Chrissy Teigen Opens Up for the First Time About Her Postpartum Depression

This post originally appeared here.

by: Chrissy Teigen

When Glamour first told me I was going to be on the cover, I was freaking thrilled. Seriously. As a longtime reader, I couldn’t believe it. I’d always assumed that wearing swimsuits (or half a swimsuit) or having the occasional nip slip (or bit slip) wouldn’t make me the go-to choice for a women’s magazine I not only love but respect.

Yet here I am! Next they asked me to write an essay. I was super into it, but then cringed every time I opened my laptop. Topics? I quickly realized I have truly talked about everything possible. I guess that’s the dilemma one faces when they…well…can’t shut up. I’ve been a chronic oversharer since birth. So I decided I’d talk about something no one really knows about me, mainly because I just learned about it myself. What is it? I’ll get there.

Let me start here: To a lot of you, I think, I seem like the happiest person on the planet. I have an incredible husband—John and I have been together for over 10 years. He has seen my successes and failures; I’ve seen his. He has seen me at my worst, but I will say I don’t think I have ever seen him at his. He’s exactly as compassionate, patient, loving, and understanding as he seems. And I hate it. OK, I don’t hate it. But it can certainly drive you nuts sometimes when you’re as cynical as I am. If I weren’t me, I would politely excuse myself to make the most epic eye roll of all time if a woman talked to me about her significant other the way I just did to you.

When John and I got together, I found my love for cooking. On one of our earliest dates, I took him to Daniel (four dollar signs on Yelp, ahhh!). I drank a $40 margarita, ate salmon rillettes (fancy salmon spread), and prayed my card wouldn’t be declined. I couldn’t afford to take him out to more dinners like that, so I started cooking more and more at home for us. I started with my own version of that salmon spread, then roasted whole branzino, osso buco, chipotle BBQ chicken. When my first cookbook came out, I finally felt proud of my work. I feel that same pride in Lip Sync Battle, where I get to work with LL Cool J and watch Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan go head-to-head as Beyoncé and motherf-cking Paula Abdul. My job, essentially, is to have the best time humanly possible.

And a year ago, in April, John and I started our family together. We had our daughter, Luna, who is perfect. She is somehow exactly me, exactly John, and exactly herself. I adore her.

I had everything I needed to be happy. And yet, for much of the last year, I felt unhappy. What basically everyone around me—but me—knew up until December was this: I have postpartum depression. How can I feel this way when everything is so great? I’ve had a hard time coming to terms with that, and I hesitated to even talk about this, as everything becomes such a “thing.” During pregnancy, what I thought were casual comments about IVF turned into headlines about me choosing the sex of my daughter. And I can already envision what will be said about me after this admission. But it’s such a major part of my life and so, so many other women’s lives. It would feel wrong to write anything else. So here goes.

I had such a wonderful, energetic pregnancy. Luna sat inside me like a little cross-legged Buddha facing toward my back for nine months. I never saw her face in a sonogram, just her butt or the back of her feet. Every time we kinnnnd of saw a nose, she would quickly dodge, and I was left guessing again. John, my mom, and my sister were all in the delivery room. John was DJ-ing. Luna, fittingly, popped out to the song “Superfly.” The first lyric is “Darkest of night. With the moon shining bright.” I immediately put her on my chest. And she had a face! I was so happy. And exhausted.

After I had Luna, our home was under construction, so we lived in a rental home, then a hotel, and I blamed whatever stress or detachment or sadness I was feeling at that time on the fact that there were so many odd circumstances. I remember thinking: “Maybe I’ll feel better when we have a home.”

I went back to work on Lip Sync Battle in August, when Luna was four months. The show treated me incredibly well—they put a nursery in my dressing room and blew up photos of Luna and John and my family for my wall. When Luna was on set, they lowered the noise levels. They turned down the air so she wouldn’t be cold. Only the most gentle knocking on the door. Pump breaks. I mean, there was no better place to get to go back to work to.

But I was different than before. Getting out of bed to get to set on time was painful. My lower back throbbed; my ­shoulders—even my wrists—hurt. I didn’t have an appetite. I would go two days without a bite of food, and you know how big of a deal food is for me. One thing that really got me was just how short I was with people.

I would be in my dressing room, sitting in a robe, getting hair and makeup done, and a crew member would knock on the door and ask: “Chrissy, do you know the lyrics to this song?” And I would lose it. Or “Chrissy, do you like these cat ears, or these panda hands?” And I’d be like: “Whatever you want. I don’t care.” They would leave. My eyes would well up and I would burst into tears. My makeup artist would pat them dry and give me a few minutes.

I couldn’t figure out why I was so unhappy. I blamed it on being tired and possibly growing out of the role: “Maybe I’m just not a goofy person anymore. Maybe I’m just supposed to be a mom.”

When I wasn’t in the studio, I never left the house. I mean, never. Not even a tiptoe outside. I’d ask people who came inside why they were wet. Was it raining? How would I know—I had every shade closed. Most days were spent on the exact same spot on the couch and rarely would I muster up the energy to make it upstairs for bed. John would sleep on the couch with me, sometimes four nights in a row. I started keeping robes and comfy clothes in the pantry so I wouldn’t have to go upstairs when John went to work. There was a lot of spontaneous crying.

Anytime I was seen out, it was because I had already had work or a work event that day. Meaning I wouldn’t have to muster up the energy to take a shower, because it was already done. It became the same story every day: Unless I had work, John knew there was not a chance in hell we were going on a date, going to the store, going anywhere. I didn’t have the energy.

Before, when I entered a room I had a presence: head high, shoulders back, big smile. Suddenly I had become this person whose shoulders would cower underneath her chin. I would keep my hands on my belly and try to make myself as small as possible.

During that time my bones hurt to the core. I had to go to the hospital; the back pain was so overwhelming. I felt like I was in an episode of Grey’s Anatomy: These kids were around me, asking questions. Maybe it was a kidney infection? No one could figure it out. I saw rheumatoid doctors for the wrist pain; we thought it might be rheumatoid arthritis. I felt nauseated all the time, so I saw a GI doctor. I wondered: Am I making this all up? Is this pain even real anymore?

By December I had started my second cookbook. With the first, I was in the kitchen the whole time. I stirred every pot, tasted everything. Had genuine excitement for Every. Single. Recipe. This one came at the height of my losing my appetite, and the idea of having to test and taste recipes actually made me vomit. I was still on the couch a lot.

Before the holidays I went to my GP for a physical. John sat next to me. I looked at my doctor, and my eyes welled up because I was so tired of being in pain. Of sleeping on the couch. Of waking up throughout the night. Of throwing up. Of taking things out on the wrong people. Of not enjoying life. Of not seeing my friends. Of not having the energy to take my baby for a stroll. My doctor pulled out a book and started listing symptoms. And I was like, “Yep, yep, yep.” I got my diagnosis: postpartum depression and anxiety. (The anxiety explains some of my physical symptoms.)

I remember being so exhausted but happy to know that we could finally get on the path of getting better. John had that same excitement. I started taking an antidepressant, which helped. And I started sharing the news with friends and family—I felt like everyone deserved an explanation, and I didn’t know how else to say it other than the only way I know: just saying it. It got easier and easier to say it aloud every time. (I still don’t really like to say, “I have postpartum depression,” because the word depressionscares a lot of people. I often just call it “postpartum.” Maybe I should say it, though. Maybe it will lessen the stigma a bit.)

I wanted to write an open letter to friends and employers to explain why I had been so unhappy. The mental pain of knowing I let so many people down at once was worse than the physical pain. To have people that you respect, who are the best in the business, witness you at your worst is tough. Even though this was something I shouldn’t have to apologize for, I did want to apologize. Because on a set, people depend on you. A lot of people are coming together and all you have to do, Christine, is put on a unicorn head and shoot a money gun. Editors are wondering what the f-ck happened to the girl they gave a book deal to. This shit was flying through my head and I felt horrible.

I actually did write my executive producer on Lip Sync Battle, Casey Patterson. She is one of the most amazing women in this universe and I never doubted she would understand. She told me she had noticed and was always here for me. I had to postpone my second cookbook, but my editor, Francis Lam, and publisher couldn’t have been more understanding. To go from discussing layouts and recipes and shoot days to a complete “off” switch was, I’m sure, not a great thing to hear. But, again, I cannot overstate how lucky I am to work with these people.

Before this, I had never, ever—in my whole entire life—had one person say to me: “I have postpartum depression.” Growing up in the nineties, I associated postpartum depression with Susan Smith [a woman now serving life in prison for killing her two sons; her lawyer argued that she suffered from a long history of depression], with people who didn’t like their babies or felt like they had to harm their children. I didn’t have anything remotely close to those feelings. I looked at Luna every day, amazed by her. So I didn’t think I had it.

I also just didn’t think it could happen to me. I have a great life. I have all the help I could need: John, my mother (who lives with us), a nanny. But postpartum does not discriminate. I couldn’t control it. And that’s part of the reason it took me so long to speak up: I felt selfish, icky, and weird saying aloud that I’m struggling. Sometimes I still do.

I know I might sound like a whiny, entitled girl. Plenty of people around the world in my situation have no help, no family, no access to medical care. I can’t imagine not being able to go to the doctors that I need. It’s hurtful to me to know that we have a president who wants to rip health care away from women. I look around every day and I don’t know how people do it. I’ve never had more respect for mothers, especially mothers with postpartum depression.

I’m speaking up now because I want people to know it can happen to anybody and I don’t want people who have it to feel embarrassed or to feel alone. I also don’t want to pretend like I know everything about postpartum depression, because it can be different for everybody. But one thing I do know is that—for me—just merely being open about it helps. This has become my open letter.

As I’m writing this, in February, I am a much different human than I was even just in December. I’m over a month into taking my antidepressant, and I just got the name of a therapist who I am planning to start seeing. Let’s be honest though—I probably needed therapy way before Luna!

Like anyone, with PPD or without, I have really good days and bad days. I will say, though, right now, all of the really bad days—the days that used to be all my days—are gone.

There are weeks when I still don’t leave the house for days; then I’m randomly at the Super Bowl or Grammys. (This is cringeworthily unrelatable, and I am very aware of that—it’s giving me anxiety.) Physically, I still don’t have energy for a lot of things, but a lot of new moms deal with this. Just crawling around with Luna can be hard. My back pain has gotten better, but my hands and wrists still hurt. And it can still be tough for me to stomach food some days. But I’m dealing.

I’m grateful for the people around me. John has been incredible over the last nine months, bringing me my medicine and watching horrible reality TV with me. He is not the goofiest guy, but he has gone out of his way to indulge my sense of humor. When I was having a good day, he would go to Medieval Times with me and put on the crazy period hat! He sees how much my eyes light up when he does that stuff, and he knows that’s what I need. I know he must look over at times and think: My God, get it together. But he has never made me feel that way. He wants me to be happy, silly, and energetic again, but he’s not making me feel bad when I’m not in that place. I love John and Luna more than I can imagine loving anything, and John and I still hope to give Luna a few siblings. Postpartum hasn’t changed that.

More than anything, I always want to have enough energy for Luna—to run up the stairs with her, to have tea parties with her. As she gets older, she’s becoming more and more fun. Her eyes are getting so wide, and I want to be there for those wide eyes. And I will be.

Phew! I’ve hated hiding this from you. XX, Chrissy

Postpartum depression is a common medical condition and, as Chrissy notes, symptoms can vary. Click here for information on diagnosis and treatment. To read more stories from women who have struggled with postpartum depression, click here.

Photograph by: Miguel Reveriego

[twloha]

Welcome to the planet

Welcome to existence

Everyone’s here

Everyone’s here

Everybody’s watching you now

Everybody waits for you now

What happens next?


What happens next?

Between church services and recesses jumping rope. Between being bullied and bullying myself. Between the moment I came into existence and the moment I will cease to exist, my life has been imperfect. Welcome to life. Welcome to the struggles and the pain. Welcome to grade school classmates singing the oompa loompa song to you in PE, to soccer coaches telling you to lose weight, to the pressure to be a good Christian girl, and to self-made expectations demanding you live up to your unrealistic, high standards.

Welcome to the fallout

Welcome to resistance

The tension is here

The tension is here

Between who you are


And who you could be

Between how it is


And how it should be yeah

I had always been the girl with perfectionistic expectations, shoving everything under the rug and convincing myself I was OK for years on end. With my dire need to “get out,” I was finally forced to face the reality of leaving home. The reality of dreams not coming true. The reality of looking in the mirror, looking inside myself, and facing the fallout. I began self-harming the summer after I graduated and was forced to come home from the university I was attending. I had to take a serious look at my anxiety, depression, and unhealthy coping mechanisms. Growing up, I used exercise and dieting as a means to control my emotions. After high school, I used anything I could get my hands on to control what I did not want to feel, to run away from what I did not want to deal with.

I dare you to move


I dare you to move


I dare you to lift


Yourself up off by the floor

I learned the hard way that recovery never has a day off; I was told, “You’re going to have to back yourself up far enough into that corner that you are going to have to want to get yourself out of it.” That is exactly what happened. I had to hit my own rock bottom. I had to be done with my unhealthy choices. And even while surrounded by an amazingly patient community, I had to start fighting for my story.

Maybe redemption has stories to tell


Maybe forgiveness is right where you fell

Where can you run to escape from yourself?

Where you gonna go?

Where you gonna go?

Salvation is here

Someday I will have these lyrics tattooed on me. Inked permanently into my skin. Not to cover up the scars, but to live for better days, to be reminded why I matter. These words came into my life at just the right time: God’s timing. I was moved to tears, but, more importantly, I was moved to make a difference. Moved to be my genuine self, moved to be honest with myself; I was inspired to be the woman God wants me to be. I promised myself that if I were to get through my darkest hours that I would live a life rooted in passion, grounded in God’s purpose, and driven by a love for people.

I dare you to move


I dare you to move


Like today never happened

Today never happened


Today never happened


Today never happened before

This amazing life is a gift. We are blessed with every moment that comes and goes, with every breath that we receive and then let go. I am here by the grace of a loving God, the power of community, and the forgiveness and love I now I have for myself. Every day, sometimes every hour, I remind myself of these things. Depression, anxiety, and the urge to use unhealthy coping mechanisms will always remain a part of me, but it does not define who I am. I hold high standards for myself, but now I aim to make them realistic on a daily basis. “God is still in the business of redemption.” Each new day is an invitation to rewrite my story using my past, present, and future. It is all worthy, and I am WORTH IT.

- Daylee, TWLOHA Spring ’15 Intern

[refinery29]

The Rock Has An Inspiring Message For People With Depression

Johnson shares how an episode of depression eventually led him to professional wrestling, and what he learned from the experience. 

WATCH THE VIDEO

GIFS VIA.

[twloha]

“It’s going to be okay.”

[mentalillnessmouse]

41 Awesome Mental Health Resources When You Can’t Afford A Therapist

Note: Resources are listed alphabetically by type.

Mental Health Apps

1. ACT Coach

ACT Coach teaches users how to tolerate negative thoughts and feelings by virtually guiding them through awareness exercises and giving tips on how to ditch self-doubt. With an extra focus on mindfulness, this app also provides a log to track your progress. (Free; iOS)

2. AETAS

Designed by therapist Rosemary Sword, this app uses Time Perspective Therapy, a method developed to unglue us from unhelpful or obsessive thoughts.

Chockfull of visual aids to encourage relaxation and self-soothing, AETAS also arms users with a time perspective inventory that helps them understand how they view the past, present and future will either help or hinder their happiness. ($4.99; iOS)

3. Breathe2Relax

Sometimes, all we need to de-stress is take a few deep breaths.

Created by the National Center for Telehealth and Technology, this app teaches users how to do diaphragmatic breathing. Features include educational videos on the stress response, logs to record stress levels and customizable guided breathing sessions. (Free; iOS and Android)

4. DBT Diary Card and Skills Coach

This app works as a daily mood and thought diary. But it also has a coaching module that gives tips on sticky emotional situations, like how to ask for what you need without drama or how to successfully resolve conflict.

And users get positive reinforcement when they’re consistent with their entries. The app also includes a super helpful DBT reference section for more info on coping skills — all backed by research. ($4.99; iOS)

5. Depression CBT Self-Help Guide

Need help managing the blues? Monitor dips in your mood, learn about clinical depression and treatments, try guided relaxation techniques and learn strategies to challenge negative thinking with this app. It’s all just a few taps and swipes away. (Free; Android)

6. eCBT calm

Implementing some of the many strategies of cognitive behavioral therapy, this app helps users assess their stress levels, practice mindfulness and relaxation skills, and connect their thoughts to feelings and behaviors.

The end result is more calm in your everyday life and more awareness of your actions and emotions. ($0.99; iOS)

7. Happify

Want to kick negative thoughts, nix worry and dial down stress? The array of engaging games, activity suggestions and gratitude prompts makes Happify a useful shortcut to a good mood.

Designed with input from 18 health and happiness experts, Happify’s positive mood-training program is psychologist approved. Even cooler? Its website links to bonus videos that are sure to make you smile. (Free; iOS)

8. How Are You

Tracking your moods can help you fight the blues and teach you to tune into positive things. That’s the premise behind this app.

But, as a bonus, it also allows you to compare your mood with worldwide averages, see which emotions you feel the most and export your mood tracking data so you can share it with a mental health professional or trusted friend. ($9.99-$12.99; iOS and Android)

9. MindShift

This straightforward stress management tool helps users re-think what’s stressing them out through a variety of on-screen prompts.

At the same time, the app encourages new ways to take charge of anxiety and tune into body signals. (Free; iOS and Android)

10. Operation Reach Out

This mood tracker and resource locator was designed by Emory University researchers to aid in suicide prevention.

The setup is simple: Users create a personal profile that includes emergency contact information, current medications, safety plans and reminders for appointments or medications.

Plus, the app uses GPS to locate mental health care services nearby, should any user enter crisis mode. (Free; iOS and Android)

11. PTSD Coach

If you suffer from PTSD symptoms, this 24-hour tool that’s linked directly with support services is a valuable thing to download.

Available as an app or on the Web, PTSD Coach lets users select the specific issue they want to deal with (from anxiety and anger to insomnia and alienation), and then gives them guidance on how to lift their mood, shift their mindset and reduce stress. (Free; iOS and Android)

12. Quit It

If you’re a smoker, you probably already know all about the nasty health consequences. But that probably doesn’t stop you from lighting up.

This app’s approach is different. It shows you the hit your wallet takes every time you get another pack. Even better: Quit It calculates how much money you save each time you don’t smoke.

Think of it as extra financial incentive to kick nicotine and tobacco (and save for something far better!). ($1.99; iOS)

13. Quit Pro

Think of this as a fitness tracker for your smoking habit. By monitoring your cravings over time, the places you puff the most, the triggers that lead you to light up and the money you save by resisting a cigarette, this comprehensive app is a much better thing to have in your back pocket than a pack of smokes. (Free; iOS and Android)

14. SAM

How do you know what’s pushing you over the edge and reel yourself back in? SAM’s approach is to monitor anxious thoughts, track behavior over time and use guided self-help exercises to discourage stress.

SAM takes it to the next level by offering a “Social Cloud” feature that allows users to confidentially share their progress with an online community for added support. (Free; iOS and Android)

15. Step Away

A study funded by the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism found this pro-sobriety app helped reduce heavy drinking among users by 60 percent.

Step Away offers tips on maintaining sobriety, encouragement and strategies to avoid drinking during stressful times. You’ll also be able to plug in your top drinking triggers to prepare yourself before facing down any tricky situation. (Free; iOS)

16. Stop, Breathe, Think!

Got five minutes? That’s enough time to cultivate mindfulness, which can improve your mood, lower stress and help you feel more compassion toward yourself and the world.

Skeptical? Well, consider that mindfulness and happiness tend to go hand-in-hand. And as added incentive, this app can also improve your focus. (Free; iOS and Android)

17. Stop Drinking

Relying on the powers of relaxation, visualization and positive suggestions, this pro-sobriety app has the goal of calming your mind and getting it to a less stressed place — where you’ll be less likely to crave a drink.

Take advantage of the reminder feature that gives periodic chimes to prompt you to breathe and focus on the good throughout the day. ($2.99; iOS and Android)

18. Stress and Anxiety Companion

Sure, we know that releasing negative thoughts, practicing relaxation techniques and engaging in mindful awareness is good for our wellbeing. But that doesn’t mean we actually do it.

This app can help make the process a lot easier by guiding you through proven techniques to reduce those off-kilter thoughts and emotions while cultivating a much more present mindset.

Additional features allow you to identify anxiety triggers to make sure they don’t catch you off-guard. ($4.99; iOS)

19. Talkspace

Bet you didn’t think you could chat with a therapist for just $25 a week. Well, Talkspace makes that possible.

For that low fee, you can text message with a trained professional every day of the week, as many times as you want. They also offer services for individuals and couples. Oh, and the best part? You can do it from your couch. ($25/month; iOS and Android)

20. Worry Watch

We all get anxious only to realize later our anxieties were overblown or irrational. The idea behind Worry Watch is to nip these moments in the bud.

This app enables users to track what kickstarts their anxiety, note trends in their feelings, observe when the outcomes were harmless and keep tabs on insights to stop future freakouts.

To lower your anxiety even further, Worry Watch is password protected, so whatever you divulge in the diary feature is safe and sound. ($1.99; iOS)

Websites, Online Support and Forums

21. Body Dysmorphic Disorder Foundation

People with Body Dysmorphic Disorder have a damaging preoccupation with their appearance and an obsessive focus on their physical flaws. If that sounds familiar, you might find some relief on the BDD Foundation’s website.

Resources for better understanding the problem, seeking treatment and spreading the word about the disorder are all laid out here.

22. Center for Complicated Grief

Hosted by the Center for Complicated Grief, this long list of resources gives people a ton of alternative outlets, social support groups and organizations to connect with when healing from the loss of a loved one.

23. CenterLink: The Community of LGBT Centers

Founded in 1994 as an alliance to promote and maintain LGBTQ community centers, CenterLink’s helpful services have now moved online.

Check out all they have to offer — from links to health centers across the US to advocacy groups and educational services.

24. GLBT National Help Center

A great resource for folks identifying all across the LGBTQ spectrum, this site includes information on everything from support to education to community organizing.

One of the center’s best resources is its online volunteer-run chat room. All chats are confidential (read: no transcripts or recordings are saved). Chats are open 1 pm to 9 pm PST during the week and between 9 am and 2 pm PST on weekends.

25. Healing From BPD

For anyone with borderline personality disorder, this peer-run chat is the perfect online space to ask questions about BPD and its treatment, especially considering that mental health professionals often chime in.

It’s also a place to share experiences, discuss progress and challenges, and potentially make some new friends who get where you’re coming from because they’re right there with you.

26. IMAlive

If you’re in a place where picking up the phone seems too daunting, you can still access support through IMAlive’s virtual crisis chat.

Staffed by a network of trained and supervised peer volunteers around the country, IMAlive’s goal is to empower individuals in despair, address their situations and help them navigate the darkest and most difficult emotional times.

27. International OCD Foundation

An invaluable space for those struggling with obsessive compulsive disorder, this site has many links, resources and opportunities to get involved in the ongoing fight to preserve mental health.

Find help, learn more about the illness and even apply for grants here.

28. MentalHealth.gov

The main goal of this government-sponsored resource is to educate as many people as possible about the realities of mental illness in America while offering resources to those seeking help.

Consider this your go-to site for a rundown on what mental health disorders look like. It also includes information on how to get help, support someone you love, or start a dialog about mental health in your community.

29. National Alliance on Mental Illness

From education about mental illness to updates on insurance coverage, NAMI offers a slew of resources. People who want to get informed about the workings of the mind and our government’s recognition of mood and behavioral disorders will get the full scoop here.

But arguably the most helpful resource is the heart-wrenching and hopeful personal stories from individuals across the country sharing their accounts of living with mental illness.

30. National Center for Victims of Crime

This impeccable resource enables victims of all types of crimes (think: bullying, physical abuse, stalking and even terrorism) to secure the specific type of help they need.

Individuals in need can plug in their desired assistance, from case advocacy to counseling, along with their state and county for immediate, local help ASAP.

31. National Eating Disorder Association of America

A pioneer in the education and treatment for eating disorders, NEDA extends a wide range of support services, learning tools and opportunities to advocate on behalf of those with an eating disorder.

You can also get involved with the association’s sister program, Proud2BMe, and join a community geared toward promoting a healthier relationship with food and weight.

32. National Institute of Mental Health

One of the most comprehensive and trusted sources for information about mental illness, the National Institute of Mental Health’s site is packed with educational tools designed to promote awareness and provide funding for research.

It serves as a hub on a variety of topics: the latest news on a range of disorders, updates on new treatments and reports on insurance coverage. And, yes, you can also search for support via NIMH’s site as well.

33. OK2Talk

Designed for teens and young adults with mental illness, this site offers an online outlet for people to come forward with their own stories, find support and discuss the diagnoses they may have received.

OK2Talk comes with plenty of motivational posts and mantras as well. One quick look at the site will tip you off that, whatever you’re struggling with, you’re most certainly not alone.

34. Stalking Resource Center

You probably already know stalking is an extremely serious issue. But you may not know what type of help to seek if you or someone you know is a victim. Here’s where the Stalking Resource Center can help.

They present a number of options for anyone struggling with endless unwanted attention or obsessive behavior. From a brochure explaining what stalking is (and how to tell if you’re being followed) to tips on developing a safety plan, this site should be the first stop for anyone in need of assistance.

35. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

This government-sponsored resource is chockfull of data, research insights, grants and educational tools about substance dependencies and mood or behavioral issues. SAMHSA also offers many resources for people suffering from these issues.

36. Trevor Space

Are you a young person seeking support for an identity that falls along the LGBTQ spectrum? This site, an endeavor sponsored by the Trevor Project, is an excellent safe haven to connect to other young gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans* or queer people.

You’ll also pick up news about LGBTQ issues and get tips for joining in the community, wherever you live.

Hotlines and Call Centers

37. Borderline Personality Disorder Resource Center: 1-888-694-2273

If you’ve been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder — or you have a hunch you or a loved one may be displaying symptoms of BPD — the social workers staffing the Borderline Personality Disorder Resource Center’s hotline can arm you with all the information you need about local resources and provide immediate over-the-phone counseling.

38. National Suicide Prevention Hotline: [phone]

With the primary aim of keeping you going even in the darkest of times, this suicide prevention hotline is available 24/7 to offer a compassionate ear — no matter what you’re dealing with.

Pour your heart out to a skilled staffer without fear of being judged, and if you’d like referrals to local mental health care services after your call, hotline representatives can set you up.

39. Disaster Distress Hotline: [phone]

If you’ve recently been the victim of a disaster (whether caused by nature or man), this is your go-to contact for all things related to counseling and relief. The trained counselors staffing the Disaster Distress Hotline provide help to those suffering in the wake of hurricanes, floods, wildfires, droughts and earthquakes as well as incidences of mass violence or health epidemics (like the Ebola crisis).

The call center is also open to friends and family members of victims. An alternative way to connect is to text “TalkWithUs” to 66746.

40. GLBT National Help Line: 1-888-843-4564

Need to talk to someone who gets it when it comes to coming out, being bullied for your sexual orientation, or navigating same-sex relationships? Look no further than the GLBT National Help Line, run by peers and allies of the LGBTQ community.

This hotline is ready to hear your concerns and can connect you to the GLBT National Help Center’s massive list of resources for LGBTQ-friendly services and organizations near you.

41. GLBT National Help Center for Youth: 1-800-246-7743

If you’re under 21 and looking to speak with a peer counselor who really understands issues related to gender or sexual identity, this is the number to call. Similar to the national help line, this version for youth lets young LGBTQ-identified individuals dial in to talk about hardships faced in their day-to-day lives.

Callers can also access a ton of resources to help bolster them well into their 20s and beyond.

[bulbabushka]

Pretend ur invasive self hating thoughts r being said to u by a 13 y/o boy on xbox live trying to get a rise out of you like “Your girlfriend dumped you because you’re ugly” that’s nice tim isn’t it past ur bedtime

[hellfucingshitfuck-deactivated2]

also, if you have intrusive violent thoughts, pretend they’re being said to u by an annoying backseat driver

“drive into that pole” thanks karen or i could not do that

[emmmpty]

Perfect

[the-neon-pineapple]

you can also pretend that the Super Paranoid thoughts are being said by that conspiracy theorist in your history class

“maybe they poisoned you” maybe you should fuck off, geoffrey-with-a-g

[venusian--eye-deactivated201606]

OHH MAN I DO THIS SHIT EVERY DAY

[dapperpea]

My favorite for intrusive anxious thoughts is to pretend Spock’s behind you with an answer.

“did I lock the door-”

captain you have locked the door every day for over ten years, and it is very hard for most people to break even subconscious habits, so you most definitely locked the door

[zetsubonna]

I told my new psychiatrist about how I learned this from y'all and his eyes lit up. He didn’t smile but he did nod a whole bunch of times, it was great.

[merelyimmortal]

I like to pretend that my intrusive thoughts are being said to me by a super uptight religious white lady

“god hates you because you don’t believe in him” “your failures are too great to be forgiven by anyone” “everything you do is wrong and you are going to burn in hell”

thanks for the input brenda but fuck right off

[thatoneqprblog-blog]

I would just like to say that I love you all for this idea.

[disabledfeministvoice]

Reblogging this for a friend.

[liminalreader]

I’M TRYING THIS

[peaceheather]

There’s a thing called Cognitive Behavioral Therapy that basically says most of our misery comes from incorrect thought patterns like “predicting the future” and other things that we can’t really do. So taking those voices and learning how to counter them with, say, Spock, ie LOGIC, not only really works but is the entire core principle behind Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. This thing that y'all are doing here? This thing where you assign a character to those thoughts and then give yourself permission to disregard that character? YES. DO THIS. It works, it’s proven to work, plus let’s face it, it’s kinda fun and satisfying to tell brenda and karen and geoffrey-with-a-g to fuck off. You are all wonderful and brilliant and should keep doing this.

[pcdmesamidala]

Things for Anxiety/Stress

Need to talk/vent?

blahtherapy - anonymously vent (or listen, if you want)

7 cups of tea - free, anonymous chatting with trained listeners, online therapists & counselors

Player2 - an online computerized chat to help deal with interpersonal conflict, just a place to talk and sort out your feelings.

disintegratedsanity - Mental Health Support blog

Or… - you could talk to me! if you don’t want to use any of the resources above but still want to vent to someone, i’m here. I am by no means a professional or trained counselor, but i’m always here for you guys if you need it.

Need to calm down/are overwhelmed?

Soothing things:

the thoughts room - one of my personal favorites, beautiful soothing graphics, relaxing music, you type out your thoughts and watch them drift into the stars. 

Calming Manatee - literally just pictures of supportive manatees.

Stress Ball V1.1 - online stress ball you can throw around 

Headspace - simple guided meditation sessions of 10 minutes

Stress Analyst - interactive page that helps you try and figure out why you’re stressed, and assures you that it’s okay if you don’t know why

Things to make you smile:

The Nicest Place On The Internet - RECEIVE LOVE FROM RANDOM STRANGERS. okay that sounded wrong but trust me it’s lovely and incredibly hard not to smile at.

GoodNewsNetwork - this is literally just all the good news happening in the world, heartwarming and just …positivity is cool guys.

LIVESTREAM PUPPY CAM

Cute Little Animal Gifs - exactly what it sounds like

Pusheen The Cat - comics of a really freaking cute cat

Need to keep your mind off something? (or just really hate being bored)

Free-Rice - you answer simple questions and learn new things, and every right answer donates 10 grains of rice to end world hunger!

Looking At Something - a website with awesome graphics that lets you control the weather by simply moving the mouse

Weave Silk - drag around your mouse and leave a lovely and calming display in it’s wake, in soothing colors of your choice

Musical Squares - really simple calming music-making game

Games:

Flow - a gorgeously designed really simple game that’s insanely calming

Neon Flames - you just choose a color, drag your mouse around, click and hold, and beautiful nebulae start forming on your screen

Auralux - the most relaxing strategy game in the world

A Masterlist of 30 websites that make sure you’re never bored

Noise:

Simply Noise - just some white noise

Soundrown - audio mixer that let’s you combine and listen to your choice of relaxing ambient noises

NatureSoundsForMe - for if you prefer nature noises!

Harry Potter Noises - for if you want ambient noises and are also a gigantic nerd like me

Madeon’s Adventure Machine - you don’t need to have a launchpad or be professional in any sense to have fun with this, you just press buttons and combine and mix music samples, it’s fun and distracting!

Resources:

Erasing the Distance - a list of mental health resources and locations for specific mental illnesses

Here To Help - for if you want to learn more about various mental illnesses, eg. anxiety problems, schizophrenia, psychosis, eating disorders

Mental Health Helpline - dozens of phone numbers for specific problems (Canadian version, the helplines for other countries are further down!)

National Institute of Mental Health - assorted phone numbers that connect you to the nearest crisis center, where a trained crisis worker is waiting. Also has information for Health Care Providers and Treatment, about former service members, various publications about mental illnesses, and a live online chat.

Mental Health Association - has tons of information on mental illness, including counselling and support, relapse prevention, how to help a loved one suffering, etc.

Nothing working? (please, please call one of these if you need it darling)

Suicide Hotlines:

KidsHelpPhone.ca - where you can talk to trained counselors

A post listing the specific suicide prevention numbers for every country

IMAlive - another support/crisis network, but this one is text based, just in case you are uncomfortable with phone calls but still need to talk!

Crisis Center - 1 [phone]

I know that a lot of people are terrified of calling because of anxiety or just generally don’t know how the person on the other line is going to react, which is why i’m going to add in that i have personally called one of those numbers, the Crisis Center, when i needed to, and the woman was so nice, and helpful and calming and please lovelies i beg you, if you feel like you are going to do something, call one of these numbers

And an extra thank you to @imshrimpfriedrice, who’s list helped me when i really needed it, and who inspired me and gave me the go ahead to make one of my own, because i really, really want to help you guys in anyway i can, and if there’s anything else you think i should add here, send me an ask! also tagging: @sokxvia

[tequilamockingbird2015]

You don’t know why you’re exhausted? You’re fighting a war inside your head every single day. If that’s not exhausting I don’t know what is.

–My therapist (via tequilamockingbird2015)

[raisingawarenesserasingstigmas]

(Source)

[raisingawarenesserasingstigmas]

TED Talks /Depression, the secret we share | Andrew Solomon (Source)

[raisingawarenesserasingstigmas]

(Source)

[ithelpstodream]

[neurodiversitysci]

Forget the myths: What ADHD is actually like

This started life as a more accessible version of my ADHD list for writers, and turned into a two-part series. That’s how ADHD works sometimes.

This is part 1.

EDIT 1/1/17: New images added to point #7 and header formatting fixed. Please share this version instead!

1. We’re not all hyperactive, extraverted little boys.

We can be:

Adults

Female

Not hyperactive (this is called Inattentive type). 

Introverts

Another myth is that men have hyperactive or combined ADHD and women have inattentive ADHD. But there are men with inattentive ADHD and women with hyperactive or combined ADHD. They’re just less common.

Yet another myth is that people with ADHD lose their hyperactive symptoms by the time they grow up. Many do, but there are still adults with combined type around.

2. Some of us get good grades and behave well in school.

A common myth about ADHD is that we’re just misbehaving kids who need to be spanked more. Nonsense like this:

But actually, many of us looked more like this in school, especially if we had Inattentive type ADHD.

When bored, we can daydream, look out the window, or doodle. Teachers might not notice us, or might even enjoy teaching us.

Furthermore, some people with ADHD are smart, learn easily, and are interested in school. This lets them get good grades…until the demands to turn organized work in on time become too overwhelming.

3. We can pay attention. We just can’t regulate our attention.

Some parents and doctors claim a child can’t have ADHD if they can focus on video games for hours. Nothing can be further from the truth. If anything, we have trouble stopping!

We can focus for hours on something that interests us. Or on procrastinating.

But we’re worse than most people at focusing on things that are boring or unimportant to us.

We also have difficulty controlling the amount of attention we pay. Our attention works like this:

When we pay full-on attention, it’s called “hyperfocus.”

Hyperfocus is great when you’re writing a paper, but exhausting when you’re doing mindless tasks like washing dishes or checking e-mail.

4. We don’t always think fast, talk fast, or have lots of energy.

Some of us struggle with fatigue and slow processing speed. In fact, a new subtype of ADHD, Sluggish Cognitive Tempo, was proposed to describe this problem.

The stereotype about ADHD is that we can’t focus because there are too many thoughts and sensations in our heads, and we keep jumping from one to another.

But those of us who fit the Sluggish Cognitive Tempo description can be distracted for very different reasons.

Imagine how you feel after getting only three hours of sleep several nights in a row. You probably feel groggy, have very few thoughts moving through your head, and respond slowly when people talk to you. You probably have trouble concentrating, multitasking, remembering to do things, and making decisions. Instead of having too many thoughts, and noticing too many things, you have too few. You just feel like you don’t have the energy to pay attention to anything. That’s what it’s like.

This experience is sometimes called “brain fog.”

We can also have inconsistent processing speed.

Sometimes, I think and talk so fast it irritates other people. Everything feels like it’s happening in slow motion and I get bored. I interrupt other people because I’ve already processed what they’re saying before they finish, and I don’t realize it’s my listening that’s finished, not their talking. 

Other times, I am just about to answer someone’s question when they irritably repeat themselves, or ask why I’m taking so long to answer. It feels like I’m thinking at normal speed, but other people’s reactions make clear that I’m going too slow.

5. We’re not all athletic adrenaline junkies.

There’s a stereotype that we’re adrenaline junkies who perform surgeries, jump out of planes, or travel round the world starting new businesses.

First of all, many of us have delays or disabilities with motor coordination. As children, people with ADHD can have difficulty with:

Using scissors

Handwriting

Tying shoes

Throwing or catching a ball

Riding a bike

Second, when you look at the people with ADHD who fit this stereotype, what do they have in common? Most are men, with high energy and either hyperactive/impulsive or combined type ADHD.

Even in mice, male and female brains react to stress differently. It’s possible that men, who tend to externalize, are more likely to thrive on stress. By contrast, women tend to internalize, and might get overwhelmed instead.

Up to a certain point, increasing stress helps you focus. That’s why some people wait until the last minute to study for exams.

But past a certain amount, becoming more stressed starts to hurt you.

And long term, living under high stress hurts both your physical and mental health.

Some people with ADHD rely on increasing their stress levels to get stuff done. A disability services counselor I met in graduate school actually recommended this strategy to me. 

She should have known better. Even if you benefit from putting yourself under stress, you will pay steep long-term costs. Having seen family and friends pay them, I don’t think the costs are worth it.

TL;DR, Not all of us benefit from stress, so we don’t all seek it out.

6. Some of us are socially awkward penguins, not social butterflies.

Another stereotype describes us as social butterflies who hide our school difficulties by playing class clown or making friends with everyone. But some of us are socially awkward.

We can come off as awkward or rude because we’re not paying attention and miss cues.

We can have poor sense of timing and inconsistent processing speed. These can make us interrupt other people, or just seem weird.

We can be annoying. We interrupt other people, talk too much, change subjects often, or zone out in the middle of a conversation.

Like elderly people, we can tell you the same thing many times because we forgot we told you.

We also often forget what you tell us. It takes heroic effort to remember, say, friends’ birthdays.

As a result, many of us have mild social difficulties that don’t meet criteria for Autism Spectrum Disorder.

People with ADHD are also more likely to be on the autism spectrum. 

7. Being diagnosed and labeled can improve our lives.

People worry about letting their child be diagnosed or labeled, because they think it will make people treat their child worse.

But when you actually talk to people with ADHD, many of them had a very different experience.

Having the label is a relief.

It gives you understanding. It gives you words to describe your experiences for the first time. It means you’re not broken. It means there are other people like you.

The title of a popular ADHD book, “You mean I’m not lazy, stupid, or crazy?” describes the feeling well.

I’ve written about how bad it is to grow up without a diagnosis, and how good it feels to get one, here, here, and here.

What it feels like before diagnosis:

What it feels like after diagnosis:

8. Stimulants don’t turn you into a zombie, but they’re not a cure, either.

If a person with ADHD gets the right medication at the right dose, they don’t turn into zombies. They just become a better-functioning version of themselves.

But stimulants don’t cure ADHD. Yes, if taken for a long time, they do create changes in the brain. But the person still has the same underlying characteristics. If they stop taking stimulants, their ADHD symptoms will become visible again.

Stimulants, like antidepressants, should be thought of like insulin for diabetics. They’re not a cure, and they need to be taken long-term. But they help you manage your symptoms and live a full life.

9. Stimulants aren’t the only way to manage ADHD, and some of us choose not to take them.

Some people with ADHD choose not to take stimulants. And it’s not just because they hate drug companies or fear that the drugs will turn them into a different person.

First of all, only 80% of people with ADHD respond to stimulants. The other fifth can try other kinds of medications. These include:

wakefulness medications (like Provigil),

medications that treat mood disorders (like Welbutrin),

Non-stimulants designed to treat ADHD (Strattera, Edit: NOT Concerta)

Non-stimulants are less powerful than stimulants, so they reduce ADHD symptoms less, but they also have fewer side effects.

Which brings me to the main reason people with ADHD avoid stimulants: side effects.

Stimulants activate the sympathetic nervous system—the one involved in the fight or flight response. As a result, you can get the following side effects:

Increased heart rate

Increased anxiety

Loss of appetite

Increased rate of headaches and migraines

Weight loss

Note: These symptoms are probably the reason for the claim that stimulants stunt children’s growth.

If we’re not taking stimulants, you might see us consuming huge quantities of more socially acceptable drugs: caffeine and nicotine.

That person who goes through a pot of coffee a day, always has a Pepsi in hand, or can’t quit smoking?

They might be self-medicating their ADHD.

Please share this information and help combat myths about ADHD.