For those of you who haven’t heard, there is a new controversial show on Netflix, 13 Reasons Why.  The show has garnered a lot of attention, and much of it has stayed away from the objective of the show: to talk about suicide.  Many have criticized the show and book as something that glorifies suicide, and teen suicides rate may be impacted.  I watched the show, and after 20 years of hiding, I am here to share my story with you all, thanks to 13 Reasons Why. 

(more…)

Dear Alex,

If I had the chance to visit you, my younger self, a self who was just beginning to struggle with mental illness, what advice could I offer? What wisdom could I impart? I don’t know how long I’ve been struggling, to be honest, but I do know how long I’ve been formally diagnosed with severe depression, anxiety, and adult ADHD and have been seeking help. And if I were to go back to visit Alex before his first doctor’s visit, here are a few pieces of advice I would share.

(more…)

Worry versus Anxiety

Everyday life presents stress, fear, and worry for everyone, but when you experience anxiety your brain experiences stress in a different way. Although it can be overwhelming, it can be managed and does not have to control your life. In previous articles, I have addressed other mental health issues. This article, written in collaboration with my adult daughter, Kelsey, addresses anxiety.

I will always remember my paternal grandmother as a worrier and there was not much you could say or do to convince her it was okay to let some things go. In her day, resources were limited and she would not have asked her family doctor about her worrying. Now, so much more is known about symptoms and how to treat anxiousness. There is a difference, however, between ordinary worrying and clinical anxiety.

(more…)

A hilarious genius, Robin Williams would verbally shower us with his brilliance as we laughed until our bellies ached. We marveled at his boundless energy and his ability to be extemporaneously funny. Robin Williams’ mind improvised stand-up comedy routines which he delivered flawlessly. He was a comedic tour de force. The USC film school has established a Robin Williams Comedy Chair. “Robin was a comedy genius with a boundless talent,” Lucas said. “He was singular in every way, yet had great respect for the genre and for the dedication it took to succeed. His talent was only matched by his work ethic. That’s why he made it to the pinnacle of comedy success, and why his legacy will be to motivate and inspire young storytellers.” [1]

Lewy Bodies

(more…)

Dear Outpatient Clinic,

I won’t be coming to my next appointment; please transfer my medical records to the address below. Judith Lewis Herman, who first characterized complex PTSD, calls it a “shame disorder” [1]. The inability to act when the self is at stake causes a person to doubt, even to loathe, herself. Trauma is shame; complex trauma is shame that lasts long enough that there is very little ‘self’ left by the end. Trauma is one type of loss of self. Depression, anxiety, and many others – often in tandem – also chip away at the self-worth of your clients.

(more…)

One more thing to worry about

As a mother of three and now grandmother of one, I worry what has passed on genetically to my offspring. We don’t have a family history of bipolar disease and as far as I know, no particular gene is identified for the condition in any case. However, I did grow up knowing that my maternal grandmother was clinically depressed. Losing a child to Leukemia took its toll on her. I was quite young and obviously have no memories of Grandma from that time. I do know she additionally suffered the loss of her father during her teen years along with living through wars the Great Depression. I have often wondered whether I received hereditary mental health predispositions.  How much of her bout(s) with depression were passed on to her children, grandchildren, great and now great, great grandchildren is unknown. I am unsettled by this lack of information.  What does all this mean for my family? What does your family history of mental illness look like?

(more…)