Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash It still amazes me that I am allowed to take care of myself. The whole idea of putting on one’s own oxygen mask before helping others has been foreign to me. Or should I say that in the past it has been foreign. Recently, I have made a concerted effort to include my own needs in my plans. This can be seen in my attitude towards things I … [Read more...] about What Makes Self-Care Keep Evolving?
Facts and myths about mental illness
Is Anxiety the Reason I Can’t Let This Go?
It’s that gnawing feeling in the pit of my stomach. The feeling that should stop when the event is over. But mine hasn’t gotten the message. A trigger comes and goes. I know I should feel anxious when the event is taking place. But after it, I should be able to relax. And that is just not happening. This morning, we returned the rental car. Because we arrived right at … [Read more...] about Is Anxiety the Reason I Can’t Let This Go?
Even Without my Depression, Is the World Going to Heck?
Photo by Paolo Nicolello on Unsplash Covid-19, recession, armed conflict, severe weather events, and rising food and gas prices. All of this seems overwhelming. Each day is a new list of things we need to worry about. And I do not even watch the news. But how can I miss the events of the world that seem to inhabit every opening on my phone? All news outlets are competing … [Read more...] about Even Without my Depression, Is the World Going to Heck?
I Discovered My Life with Depression is Not a Lie
Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay It’s funny the stories we tell ourselves. “Fake it until you make it” has always been my motto. And I have always felt that there is more for me to do before I can say I have made it. As the head psychiatrist on 5 East asked me, “when is enough, enough?” Getting one more certification, one more set of initials after my name, … [Read more...] about I Discovered My Life with Depression is Not a Lie
Why Am I Obsessed with Always Being Early?
I should have known better than to rush the morning so I could leave on time. After all, this trip is a mini vacation. But sleeping in until almost 7 AM, I felt like I had a lot to do to leave the house by 10 AM. The trip to the Poconos from our part of Virginia was a 6-hour drive. I still had to push a load of laundry through the dryer, pack my suitcase, grab my computer, … [Read more...] about Why Am I Obsessed with Always Being Early?