My name is Amanda Richardson and I am a new author for "Debunking Addiction" at HealthyPlace. For as long as I can remember, addiction has been a part of my life. Addiction and substance abuse have occurred in my family for at least the last five generations, so I was no stranger to it when it first took hold of my life. Read on to learn more about my experiences with addiction and why I want to write for "Debunking Addiction."

Overcoming anxiety is a lot like learning how to tie shoelaces. Both are frustrating. Both require patience and perseverance. Accomplishing them feels triumphant. Once you've largely overcome anxiety, put on your shoes and tied your shoelaces, you're ready to go places. Grab your shoes, and let's look at how overcoming anxiety is like learning how to tie your shoes.

I can't work full time, but I do work. Here’s the thing: I am an entrepreneur for the usual reasons, like passion and flexibility. But I am also an entrepreneur because I struggle to hold down a full-time job. Yes, you read that right. I am an entrepreneur because I cannot work full-time. And the reason I cannot work full-time is that I have major depression. Let me explain.

What are borderline personality disorder (BPD) and my fear of abandonment like for me? Borderline personality disorder keeps abandonment on my mind. I have a long-term and near-constant fear that the people I love are going to stop loving me. This fear of abandonment caused by BPD makes me worry that my relationships could be lost at any given moment and stops me from relaxing because I feel relentlessly on edge.

Having a baby affected my mental health recovery. I knew when my daughter was born three years ago that my life would never be the same. I had lots of support, but I still wasn't sure how having a baby would affect my recovery from schizoaffective disorder.

Beginning a mindfulness practice doesn't have to be difficult. We often hear mindfulness and meditation used together, but they are not the same thing. Meditation is one form of mindfulness, but there are many others. Mindfulness practice helps us regulate our emotions, make wise decisions, and promote good mental and physical health. Let's explore all the reasons you should begin a mindfulness practice. 

A toxic boss affects your self-esteem because, for many people, the workplace is a large area of their lives that affects their self-esteem. When you work in a healthy work environment, this can give you opportunities to build your self-esteem. If, on the other hand, you find yourself spending five days a week working with a toxic boss who tries to bring you down, then you may find yourself plagued by self-doubt and self-criticism. One of the most difficult things you might encounter in your career path is a bad boss – the kind of toxic boss who you dread seeing each day because you know those encounters will dampen your mood and hurt your self-confidence. If you’re worried that your boss is undermining your self-esteem, look out for the following tell-tale signs.

There are a lot of resources out there for how to deal with seasonal depression in the wintertime, but what about summertime depression? Coping with summertime depression is difficult because the sun is shining, the days are long, and the pressure to enjoy ourselves is high. For some of us though, summer brings with it unique challenges that can cause worsening depression symptoms.

Mental health stigma centers a lot around silent struggle. Often we think about it in terms of stigma leading to shame and people being silent in their struggles. But to further complicate it, mental health stigma also tells us there's pride to be found in silent struggle.

The importance of being anxious? Alright, I get what you're thinking -- George made a mistake in his title. Who really thinks it's important to have anxiety, right? Well, to my surprise (and likely yours too), I've realized that anxiety is the best teacher, and knowing how to learn without anxiety is actually one of the most important skills you can develop if "being anxious" is what you do.