Category: Stigma
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A Room of My Own
My friend Dyane Harwood’s recent post A Stigma of One’s Own got me thinking. Dyane takes issue with the non-profit foundation A Room of Her Own (AROHO) for describing Virginia Woolf’s suicide as “took her own life” and for not mentioning her mental illness. I support Dyane for challenging them to rework Woolf’s bio. At the same time, I wonder… Is…
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I’m Back and I’m Exhausted
I’m back from NAMI California‘s annual conference, held this year in Newport Beach (an easy commute from my home). Now I’m laying in bed completely exhausted. Met lots of great people. Younger adults and people of color underrepresented unfortunately. I’m one of the many older (mature) white folk in attendance. I alternated between volunteering at tables for…
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#BeReal – KITT O’MALLEY
Hastywords invited me to join her #BeReal series. Check out the great writing she features in the #BeReal series.
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Who Am I Really?
Who am I really? Mystic bipolar Crazy bitch Compassionate healer Mental health advocate Creative, passionate, intelligent Wife and mother Living purposefully That purpose unfolds daily As I parent my son As I write, as I blog As I connect with others As I share mental health resources As I dip my toe into volunteer work…
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Podcast Preview
Yesterday I had the pleasure of being interviewed by Adam Lennon of SeaTread Studios. Adam, like me, lives with bipolar disorder. In April of 2014, Adam had a severe manic episode after taking medication that should have been complemented with a stabilizer. This “woke up” his bipolar genes, which would ultimately have devastating consequences for his…
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Burns.
As someone with bipolar type II (turns out that ever since I was hospitalized, my diagnosis has been bipolar type I), I know that my symptoms are less severe than others. That’s not to say that I do not cycle or that I’m asymptomatic. I’ve screamed at and hit my son. I’ve flipped the kitchen table and…
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Minority Mental Health Matters!
“Once my loved ones accepted the diagnosis, healing began for the entire family, but it took too long. It took years. Can’t we, as a nation, begin to speed up that process? We need a national campaign to destigmatize mental illness, especially one targeted toward African Americans…It’s not shameful to have a mental illness. Get…
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Stigma Fighters Anthology
Stigma Fighters Anthology is now on sale on Amazon! As a contributor, I am now officially a “published” author. I am SO excited! Thank you CEO and Founder Sarah Fader, Executive Board Director Allie Burke, and all the other brave and wonderful Stigma Fighters for making this anthology possible. Ever wondered what it feels like to be ostracized from your own…
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RAND Study Results
Infographic from Each Mind Matters Study by RAND Corporation
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Marya Hornbacher’s Research about Mental lllness
What do you know about mental illness? By Gabby Abbott | Apr. 15, 2015 | 285 Submissions Author Marya Hornbacher is working on a book about mental illness. Her book will profile the lives of people who have a mental illness or who work in the field, and she’s trying to develop a deeper understanding…