Mental Health

Open, honest dialogue about mental health is so important. These posts offer perspectives often missing from the conversation.

A pattern of of illustrated speech bubbles that have different emoji indicating harassment.

The Harms of Perpetuating “Illness Fakers”

I had not long been a part of the online chronic illness community when I discovered the Illness Fakers page on Reddit. I only saw it because someone I followed was being harassed, and their content being taken apart on…

A Black woman with short curly black hair in a light pink t-shirt, sitting at a desk using a laptop.

Self-Diagnosing: A Response to Inaccessible Healthcare

Disclaimer: this post is not intended as medical advice. Before I got a medical diagnosis for anxiety and depression, I self-diagnosed. There were many things about my mental health that I couldn’t explain. For instance, why would I, as a…

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“We Are Human”: The Harms of Placing Disabled People Under Conservatorship

Content note: institutionalization, mentions of suicidality, self-harm, sexual abuse, forced labor, physical assault On June 23, 2021, Britney Spears petitioned the courts to release her from her father’s guardianship (also called conservatorship), alleging abuse and medical coercion perpetrated by her…

Photo of Tiffany, an Asian woman with dark hair below her shoulders, leaning against a tree. She is wearing a hat and a red top. Her arms are crossed, and she is wearing a splint.

The Cultural Dynamics of Being Asian and Disabled

This year will mark 24 years of my life since becoming disabled. Through my work, my disability origin story is quite public. At the age of 9, I became disabled as a result of a car accident that also took …

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Who Gets Left Behind When We Practice “Evidence-Based” Mental Health Care?

As a counselor just beginning my career, I remember entering the session on evidence-based care for school-age students with an open mind. Of course, I wanted every intervention I used in my counseling office to be based on evidence –…

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Finding the ME in (ME)dicine

Content note: addresses mental health and mentions suicide Finding the ME in (ME)dicine. Means finding out where I got lost. Pinpointing where I was misguided to believe that my self worth and need for self care was less than that…

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How Working From Home Has Helped Me with Eating Disorder Recovery

Content note: discusses experiences of eating disorders, treatment, and recovery A few years ago, a couple of months before my 30th birthday, I left London and left my job. I was on the verge of being detained under the Mental…

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How Can We Protect Our Mental Health When Discussing Disability and Assisted Suicide?

Content note: discussion of mental illness, suicide, and physician-assisted suicide If you or someone you know are in need of support, please consider the following resources: National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 En Español: 1-888-628-9454 For people who are deaf/hard-of-hearing: 1-800-799-4889…

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“Move Your Head” – A Lesson in Conquering Doubt and Worry

“What did you say?” I asked J.P. “You heard me. Move your head! It’s in the way!” We were within five inches of each other’s face. Close enough for a kiss, but the usually dreamy blue-green eyes of my husband…