Living

When I was last in any sort of sustained individual treatment, I worked with Dr. Lev*, a psychiatrist who specialized in borderline personality disorder. She utilized a treatment called transference-focused...

Step 1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol, and that our lives had become unmanageable. For many of us, depression has a deadly consort: substance abuse. There's no use...

My friends and family often ask me why I don't go out more often. They know, after many years of knowing my mental health struggles, that I feel uplifted and...

When you have had major depressive disorder for as long as I have, it becomes easier to recognize the signs when things are going in the wrong direction. I like...

It is raining outside, which means my body physically hurts. So, I am sitting on the couch with my dogs. Unfortunately, I feel completely overwhelmed. The phrase "when it rains...

Depression chooses its victims. The condition will rob them of their joy and steal every moment of their happiness. As a young teenager, I could not understand why I could...

Between my diagnoses of major depressive disorder with psychotic features, the anorexia, and the borderline personality disorder, I've worked with a lot of psychiatrists. Not to mention the multiple admissions...

My mother is a Tibetan Buddhist and has been studying meditation and mindfulness for about 50 years. Nowadays, she tunes into online workshops with "Dharma teachers" – usually Tibetan monks...

Content Note: This article describes suicide. If you or a loved one are struggling, consider reading our mental health resources page. Much like a UFC fight, I have gone more...

I knew I had severe mental health issues before I knew that major depressive disorder (MDD) existed. When I was a newly minted teenager in 2014, I started noticing some...

I have battled major depressive disorder, known as MDD, for years. It is a daily challenge affecting everything, from relationships to sleep to productivity. With this diagnosis, I have learned...

Like with any illness, it is difficult for people to always know the "right" thing to say. So how about we flip things around and focus on the not-so-helpful words...

I've had depression and anxiety since I was a teenager, so I knew as I was contemplating motherhood, I would have to make adjustments. I thought I was ready. I...

Editorial Note: Nominations for 2024 are now closed. We are very excited to announce the launch of the 2024 Social Health Awards program! The Social Health Awards is an awards...

When I was first diagnosed with depression almost 20 years ago, I thought it was no big deal. Of course, I was 20 years old and in college, so what...

The first time I thought about my sexuality was during my first year in high school. I was pitching on the softball team and about half the girls on the...

While several health conditions face problems related to stigma, the stigma around individuals with mental health conditions is some of the most prominent. Those of us living with depression have...

In my work as an independent consultant, I have a love-hate relationship to LinkedIn. On the one hand, it feels like a giant exercise in futility, with millions of frantic...

Content Note: This article describes eating disorder thoughts, behaviors, and symptoms. It also mentions sexual abuse. If you or a loved one are struggling, consider reading our mental health resources...

The majority of my depressive episodes have been severe major depressive episodes, in which I'm barely able to function, if at all. Almost all of them are accompanied by suicidal...