Ashley Beatty-Pernetti
Bio
Wife. Mom. Creator.
Just a messy 29-year-old, wading her way through life, one word at a time.
Raising mental health awareness with the written word and firsthand experience.
Both fiction and non-fiction stories to nourish your soul.
Stories (40/0)
Let's Get Real
We’ve all heard the word “depression.” We’ve all known someone with “depression.” But for those that don’t suffer, it may be hard to understand. What IS “depression?” How does it work? Why does it turn our loved ones into people we don’t recognize? Why does it push people to take their own lives? Unfortunately, doctors and scientists don’t have answers for every single aspect of depression, but there is a lot of research that explains the ins and outs of it. I’m here to share some of the research I’ve compiled to help those without depression understand those with depression. The stigma around individuals who struggle with it, or any mental health illness, has created a barrier - I want to break that barrier. I also want to make it clear that I am NOT a mental health clinician, only an individual that has suffered with multiple mental health illnesses and witnessed firsthand how this stigma has affected others.
By Ashley Beatty-Pernetti4 years ago in Psyche
Life with Depression
The surface of the earth is about 197 million square miles and home to 7.6 billion people. In roughly two years, 260 million more babies will be born. Now imagine those 260 million babies as individuals of all different ages, ethnicities, and genders. Add another five million individuals to that and you have 265 million people, all over the world. That’s how many people suffer from depression. I’m one of them. My name is Ashley and I’m 27 years old. I was diagnosed with depression almost 14 years ago, but I’ve struggled with it most of my life. In my early twenties, my diagnosis shifted from “depression” to “major depressive disorder.” It has never gone away and I’ve never been “cured.” I have good and bad days. Others generally see me as a cheerful person, because I don’t want them to experience my pain or show pity. Life with depression isn’t always bad and it doesn’t always entail sleeping too much or not at all, crying every day, feeling hopeless, or having thoughts of suicide. I’m here to share my story and raise awareness of what living with depression can look like to someone on the outside.
By Ashley Beatty-Pernetti4 years ago in Psyche
Becoming a Heart Mom
Earlier this year, my family experienced one of the scariest moments of our lives. The series of events that occurred were things we never thought we’d have to go through, but that happen to hundreds of families across the globe. Before this experience, I was just a mom. My son was just a regular 7-year-old kid. Although I am still a mom and he is still my son, a few things have changed, and I’d be lying if I said it isn’t scary.
By Ashley Beatty-Pernetti4 years ago in Families
Reduce Stress During Social Distancing
With the well-known COVID-19 pandemic, it’s no secret that many individuals are experiencing higher than usual stress and anxiety levels. This is a strange time for all of us, and not knowing what’s to come can lead to feelings of hopelessness and increased stress. For some, their usual coping mechanisms have been temporarily taken away due to the widespread social distancing orders: traveling, visiting friends or family, even going to the bar for a couple drinks. Finding new ways to cope with this uncertainty can be a grueling process, but self-care is a top priority in times like this. Let’s take a look at a few different coping mechanisms that can be done from the comfort of one’s home, or six feet away from others.
By Ashley Beatty-Pernetti4 years ago in Longevity
Justin Bieber Saved My Life
We all know him. Some of us love him, some of us hate him. I’ve actually been in both of these categories. For the first several years of his career, I couldn’t stand Justin Bieber. In my opinion, he was overrated, disrespectful, and he hadn’t even gone through puberty yet. All of his songs were about relationships and love, which I found ironic since he had never held a healthy relationship at that point in his life. It was 2009, he was 15 years old, a year younger than me.
By Ashley Beatty-Pernetti4 years ago in Beat
Life with an Invisible Illness
Seven months ago, I was diagnosed with a life-changing illness. No one can tell just by looking at me. No one can tell simply by talking to me. The only way another human being would know about my disorder is if I say it out loud. Unfortunately, this disorder is extremely misunderstood, wrongfully diagnosed, and often overlooked. For years, it was considered a mental illness due to the lack of diagnostic proof available. Many people still believe this, including some doctors. I was lucky enough to be under the care of a physician that took my symptoms seriously. He listened to my concerns and addressed each one to the best of his ability -- his name is Dr. Matthew B. Presson.
By Ashley Beatty-Pernetti4 years ago in Psyche
Blazers Got a Blessing in Disguise
It’s been a rough month for sports lovers around the globe, including those of us that are fans of the United States NBA. Many major sports associations have suspended or canceled their seasons due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and it is unknown how long these breaks will last. As a Portland Trail Blazer fan, I’ve been struggling to come to terms with this season suspension; however, this team had been struggling all season long with a grueling list of injuries and unbalanced team chemistry as a result. While doing my best to be optimistic, I realized that this hiatus could truly be a blessing in disguise for the Blazers.
By Ashley Beatty-Pernetti4 years ago in Unbalanced
Purpose
What is it like to feel lost and alone and completely hopeless? How does it feel when you no longer know what your purpose is in life? Well, I can tell you. It feels like you're invisible, like nothing you do is noticed, even when it seems like you're giving it everything you've got and more.
By Ashley Beatty-Pernetti4 years ago in Psyche
Mom Groups Suck
I recently experienced a very unpleasant confrontation after I joined a mom group on Facebook. I had joined four or five different groups in hopes of finding some new rad moms to connect with. Cool, right? Well, I found one called Stay At Home Mamas and thought, “awesome, this is perfect.” HA! How wrong I was…
By Ashley Beatty-Pernetti4 years ago in Families
