In my opinion, the current emergency response system often overlooks the complexity of mental health crises. First of all, every mental health crisis looks different. One of the biggest misconceptions on mental health as a whole is that idea that there is one standard look to each mental illness. For example, society (and the DSM)…
Top 10 Powerful Women of 2021
The power play between men and women has been unfair against women, to say the least. Women have to fight and engage in several movements before they’ve had the chance to assume niches in society. Before, men were the only ones who held power or owned businesses, but now, we have women presidents, businesswomen –…
Opening Up About Mental Health to A Partner
Do I have to open up about my mental health to my partner? No, you do not. When you share information about your mental health and who you share it with is entirely up to you. My rule of thumb is to share when you feel comfortable enough to receive their response. It is not…
Why is taking a mental health day important?
Stress is inevitable. The world contains billions of stressors, many of which we will encounter within our lifetime. How we navigate and respond to life’s stressors is directly coordinated with our mental and emotional health. Thus, it is important to offer ourselves time and space to relax and revitalize.
Let’s talk about Emotional Support
My loved one is going through a tough time. I want to be there for him/her/them, but I have no idea how to provide the support they need. What do I say? What do I do? How many of you can relate to this? The truth is that most of us are afraid of witnessing…
Why there should be a minimum standard of care across all psych wards
Psych wards are designed to be a place where someone struggling can feel safe. Whether the person is having thoughts of suicide, struggling with self-harm, experiencing drug or alcohol abuse, attempted suicide, or just needs a safe space, a psych ward is supposed to be the place. Yet, people discharged from a psych ward are 100-200x more likely to die by suicide upon release.
How Do I Create A Safe Space?
A safe space is essential for an authentic and supportive mental health conversation. One of the primary reasons that individuals struggle in silence is the stigma associated with mental health. Essentially, we fear our loved one’s reaction. Will I be judged? Will I be invalidated? Will they not love me anymore? What if they do not understand? What if they do not care? What if they do not believe me? These are just a few of the questions that play on repeat through someone’s head when they want to reach out for help.
Are you content with life or is life about producing content?
We are constantly telling ourselves that we have to do more and be more. Our life is consumed by how much we produce. It is not what we can do for ourselves, it is all about what we can offer to everyone else around us. But, in the midst of running ourselves empty trying to live up to society’s expectations, where does that leave us?
How is self-esteem tied to mental health?
Self-esteem is defined by Oxford Dictionary as “confidence in one’s own worth or abilities; self-respect.” In other words, self-esteem is how you feel about yourself. When someone has high self-esteem, they have positive feelings about themselves. On the other hand, someone with low self-esteem has negative feelings about themselves. For example, someone with low self-esteem may believe they are not worthy of love or happiness.
Your mental health crisis is not your fault.
You are not alone.
You deserve help and support.
Your mental health crisis is NOT your fault.