I'm quite convinced wearing rose-colored glasses doesn't help a mental illness. In fact, I'm pretty sure that wearing rose-colored glasses doesn't help most people at all. When I watch people with them on it actually drives me bonkers. Here's why rose-colored glasses don't help mental illness and definitely don't work for me.

I suffer from schizoaffective suicidal ideation. I’ve never made an attempt on my life, and I’ve never had a plan to end my life. But I think about doing so. I think about it a lot. I think about it so much that I’ve gone to the emergency room multiple times, and have even been hospitalized for schizoaffective suicidal ideation.

No parent wants to think about their teens experimenting with alcohol. Unfortunately, it happens all too often. Statistics show that about one-third of high school students have consumed alcohol within the last month and that 17 percent of them rode with a driver who had been drinking.1 The average age that girls have their first drink is 13, while for boys, it's 11. I fit in with those teen alcohol statistics, as I had my first drink of alcohol at age 14. These facts are pretty frightening for parents of teens, who may wonder what they can do to prevent their kids from trying alcohol. But to help kids abstain from alcohol until they are older, it's important for parents to understand why teens experiment with alcohol in the first place. 

"Anxiety says everything is my fault." This is a common lament and source of great stress for people living with anxiety. Believing that you're to blame for everything bad that happens--big or small--to people you care about is an effect of anxiety that is often overlooked.This form of self-blame is closely associated with depression. The feeling that "everything is my fault" is also very much part of anxiety. Understanding the relationship between anxiety and self-blame can help you recognize it and begin to separate yourself from the erroneous belief that it's all your fault. 

Why do fall activities help depression? For many of us, myself included, our depression causes us to feel as if life is merely one long, monotonous trek we have to muddle through; days turn into weeks that turn into months that become seasons, and before we know it, another year has passed without our truly noticing or caring. One way this is evident is when we no longer enjoy the holidays or seasons that we used to enjoy. So, how can we find pleasure in favorite seasons or activities again? How can we keep depression from interfering with our pleasure? We have to actually make a plan for fun fall activities with depression.

Can a pet help with depression? Although emotional support animals are well known for supporting mental health, having a house pet also helps with mental illnesses like depression.

I’ve found that stuffed animals help with my anxiety. However, for most people, sleeping with stuffed animals is something considered appropriate only for young children. Instinctively, it does feel a bit strange to imagine an adult with an army of stuffed animals thrown about on their bed. But perhaps it’s time to condemn that instinctual judgment as inaccurate and overly bigoted –- perhaps the benefits of sleeping with stuffed animals to help with anxiety into adulthood are something we should all take seriously.

If you feel suicidal in any way, you need to talk to your doctor about your suicidal feelings. Even though suicide conversations -- with anyone -- are scary, you absolutely need to have them. I have had many I know this to be true. Read more on preventing suicides by learning how to have a conversation about suicide with your doctor.

Suicidal thoughts have been a part of most of my young adult life. Learning to cope with these thoughts has been one of the biggest challenges I've ever faced. As a young person, it's natural to seek help from the digital mediums that are such a significant part of my life. I've found support and many resources by searching online, utilizing apps, and using social media. I learned to cope with suicidal thoughts using digital media.

Are you in the gray area of suicide? Not everything is black and white, and that includes suicide. Sometimes, I feel suicidal but I also know that I won't actually give into those feelings. You may feel this way too, and you probably think that you are alone in this. September is National Suicide Prevention Month, so today, I want to raise awareness for those of us who are in the gray area of suicide.