stigma
People with mental illness represent one of the most deeply stigmatized groups in our culture. Learn more about it here.
72 Hours in the Loony Bin
Loony bin, nuthouse, funny farm, insane asylum, madhouse. These are just a few of the derogatory monikers given to psychiatric hospitals. In July of 2015, I was unfortunate enough to find myself in the back of an ambulance, tethered to a gurney, being transported to such a place. My crime was attempting to commit suicide by overdosing on opioids. My punishment was a court ordered 72-hour incarceration in the Spring Mountain Treatment Center of Las Vegas. Based on the name, it doesn’t sound all that bad. Let me assure you, there was nothing spring like or mountain like about this establishment.
By Tiffany "Texas Wine Woman" Proske5 years ago in Psyche
Black Men, #YouGoodMan?
The emotional stoicism of Black men is something that few doctors, authors, families or society have talked about. While there are not many published works regarding this topic, the most notable of the few is We Real Cool: Black Men and Masculinity (2004) by Gloria Jean Watkins, better known by her writing name, bell hooks. The emotional crisis that is created by the lack of love and acceptance that Black men face is a mainstay in hooks' work.
By Markus Tyree5 years ago in Psyche
Why I Write
If you’ve ever read my blogs, you know I write a lot about mental health. I write about my journeys and experiences with both my physical and mental illnesses, and it’s something I’m very passionate about. About a week ago, I sat down to write. I wanted to share my story, my whole story, but I only got a few paragraphs in before I hit a “writer’s block,” and my mind went blank. I had no idea what I wanted to say, or where I wanted to start, but after a while, I came to the conclusion that I was having a hard time continuing to write, because I was scared. I had no idea how that piece was going to turn out, or if I was really ready to unfold the chaos in my life and write it out, and that scared me. So instead, I want to write about why I write what I write about (mainly mental illness). I want to talk about why I write.
By Abbey Smith5 years ago in Psyche
Recognizing Mental Illnesses in Adolescents
An essay I wrote in high school. I was given an assignment where I could write on any subject I wanted to bring awareness to. Since a young age, I've realized teens and children’s mental health is so important, and they always need to be listened to.
By Airika Lewis5 years ago in Psyche
Mental Health Is Just as Important as Physical Health, So Why Do We look At It So Differently?
I remember being at college and thinking, "If I had a broken arm, people wouldn't question why I sit out of lessons some days." I almost wished that I had some sort of visible illness/injury instead, just so people wouldn't judge or even query why I was doing the things that I was. I wasn't ashamed or embarrassed about having a mental illness, but I felt that people wouldn't understand if I said it was the reason why I behaved in certain ways. It's sad to think that we live in a generation where it's easier to make up a physical excuse than to say that we are having a bad day with our mental health.
By Issy Woods5 years ago in Psyche
How to End the Mental Health Stigma
For a few years now, I have been a strong supporter in trying to raise awareness against the mental health stigma. In my junior year of high school, I was put on medication for anxiety, but I had been dealing with anxiety and depression long before that, and even to this day. At first, I was embarrassed about being medicated because I thought that made me weak. In reality, that was not the case. It was a few months after when I first heard the song "Bird Set Free" by Sia. Sia, who has bipolar disorder, wrote this song to show others that you can fly high even if you suffer from something that others believe to limit your abilities. Since I have heard this song, I have been trying to fight the mental health stigma that exists in our society today.
By Ishani and Shelby5 years ago in Psyche