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Mental illness puts thoughts in your head. The fact that mental illness puts thoughts in your head is pretty much the definition of most mental illnesses. If it wasn't for the unhealthy thoughts and feelings that we have, we wouldn't be sick. And just like everyone, we tend to judge our own thoughts and feelings -- even if they're illness-generated. Moreover, the judgment of our own thoughts and feelings often gets translated as a judgment of ourselves. For example, if we judge our thoughts and feelings as unacceptable, then we may feel that we are unacceptable. So, let's take a look at mental illness putting thoughts in our head and how we judge those thoughts.
When I am very stressed out, I tend to watch a lot of quiz shows. This has been a constant in my life since I was very young – I remember watching episodes of Jeopardy when I must have only been two or three years old.
In today’s hustle culture, we pay less attention to work-life balance than perhaps we used to. Instead, we laud entrepreneurs that spend their waking moments putting effort into reaching success. We applaud those who have side gigs and celebrate the tenacity of those that go-go-go for their careers. In those situations, work tips the scales so that life is barely a blip on the radar, and in celebrating them, it suggests that’s what we should all strive for. If not, we’re not doing enough. Consequently, we ignore how tipping the scales of work-life balance leads to burnout and suggest that the state of our mental health doesn’t matter.
As an infant, I was adopted by two warm and loving parents. They provided me with a wonderful childhood, good morals, a safe home, and a great life. But I faced some issues that my adopted family did not fully understand. Having never met my biological family, I wondered if my mental health challenges were genetic. Last year, I decided to dig into my biological roots and meet my birth family. In this post, I discuss my reasons for starting my journey recently and how finding my biological family has affected my emotional health thus far.
Schizophrenia and self-harm aren’t always coupled, but it can be a dangerous situation when they are. For example, triggers from hallucinations can stress you out and make you think self-harm is a good idea. It’s never a solution, but it is often turned to as one. Some studies suggest that one in five females and one in seven males engage in self-harm, and about two million cases are reported each year.
Full disclosure, I was very nervous to begin writing on alcohol abuse and addiction. I have many friends who only know me as a heavy drinker and others who may be unaware of just how much I struggle with this drug. I have felt nervous because I am writing on alcohol abuse and mental illness, yet I would not consider myself an alcoholic, nor would I ever use this term lightly.
College can be an exciting time to try new things and make connections that will hopefully last a lifetime. But for people who struggle with mental health issues, pursuing higher education can be a daunting feat, in part due to mental health stigma. And although some universities work to prioritize the mental health of students, in 2022, many institutions still fall short in providing students with adequate resources to promote mental wellness.
Sometimes, I feel I have to either be vigilant about not contracting COVID or be vigilant about my schizoaffective disorder/mental health. I have to be vigilant about both, of course, but this can be a struggle.
It can be extremely tough to talk about mental illness, especially for individuals who suffered abuse and self-stigma, who may not feel comfortable being vulnerable. When you start the conversation about emotional wellbeing and mental health treatments, unfortunately, many individuals still prefer to avoid the subject entirely. Being open and honest with others outside of my close circle about my mental health is still a struggle for me most days.
It can be tempting to self-harm to escape from something you feel otherwise unable to cope with. It's not an uncommon trigger, one many of us struggle with frequently. But it is a temptation worth resisting; there are better ways to cope.
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