The Anniversaries of My Parents' DeathsThe days of my parents' deaths came about a month apart, years apart. The grief I feel on the anniversaries of my parents' deaths takes on different forms. My mother...Reactions0reactions
Do You Talk About Your Depression?Recently, I was thinking about the question: How much do you say about your depression? If you are like me, the answer is "not much" or maybe "it depends." Yes...Reactions0reactions
Depression and Dealing With Medical ConditionsMy psychiatric diagnoses are anorexia and borderline personality disorder, which are currently resolved, and major depressive disorder, which in the past was been recurrent, severe, with psychotic features, but now...Reactions0reactions
Searching for Joy Amid Treatment-Resistant DepressionLiving with major depressive disorder (MDD) is a constant daily battle. One method of coping with MDD is to find your joy. While it is not an easy assignment, it...Reactions0reactions
Depression: My Constant Companion?We all know someone like depression. She resembles a person you might meet at a party who follows you around the room, latches on and sticks with you until the...Reactions0reactions
I've Got The Music In Me: Finding What Helps Me CopeMy parents raised their kids on music from a very young age. Mom sang old washing songs for us as she rinsed shampoo out of our hair. My dad made...Reactions0reactions
Thriving with Major Depressive Disorder: 3 Essential Coping StrategiesMajor depressive disorder (MDD) can be challenging to manage, but there are a variety of coping strategies that can make management easier. This article considers 3 coping strategies that make...Reactions0reactions
The Impact of Depression on My CareerI'm a licensed clinical social worker practicing in the New York City area for almost 24 years. I also have lived experience with severe mental illness. Social work is my...Reactions0reactions
MDD-Related FatigueThe question of how I'm doing is usually met with one of the following quippy sayings, "I'm hanging in there," or "livin' the dream," or "one foot in front of...Reactions0reactions
The Depression Cloud... It Always FollowsDo you remember the commercials featuring a depressed drawn figure with a cloud and rain depicted overhead? I sometimes feel like I'm trying to outrun or outwalk my depression and...Reactions0reactions
My Journey to Find "Dr. Right"My healthcare providers have been all over the place through the years. I have seen a host of different physicians for my depression and comorbid anxiety. If you are starting...Reactions0reactions
Suicide Loss Survivors: Coping With Grief and DepressionLosing a loved one is always hard. When that loss is related to suicide, it can be especially devastating. The loss can create a range of emotions, including grief, anger...Reactions0reactions
Birthdays and Anniversaries: A Prescription for DepressionSeveral dates cluster together over a few months of the year that I anticipate bringing up difficult thoughts and feelings. I know I'll get through them. The question is, will...Reactions0reactions
Have You Ever Received Bad Advice in Therapy?Following my diagnosis of depression and generalized anxiety disorder, I began seeing a counselor for treatment about 12 years ago. Despite being diagnosed several months earlier, I started counseling only...Reactions0reactions
When The Laundry Keeps Piling Up: Finding Hope (and Motivation) in Small PlacesMajor depressive disorder (MDD) forced me to reshape the way I think about the world in so many different ways. If I'm too tired to make food? Then I have...Reactions0reactions
Qualities I Look for in a TherapistOver the years, I have seen a variety of therapists in hopes of treating my major depressive disorder. Through this trial and error, I have found a variety of qualities...Reactions0reactions
Anticipating Depression: Preparing Ahead For A Difficult DayWhat constitutes a difficult day? Everyone has their definition of a difficult day but I'm referring to days you can anticipate by the calendar's date – anniversaries of a sort...Reactions0reactions
Choosing a Semicolon, Not a Period: a Tattoo for My GrandmothersHere's the thing about tattoos – once you get one, you'll want another, and so on, and so on. Several years ago I felt that itch (not literally, that happens...Reactions0reactions
Anxiety: My Depression's Loyal CompanionWhen depression strikes and rears its ugly head, anxiety is not far behind. At least that has been my experience. Depression and anxiety go hand in hand like peanut butter...Reactions0reactions
In The KitchenOver the years, I've had many a difficult conversations about my mental health and assorted mental illnesses. Sometimes these conversations were to reassure my family that I wasn't actively suicidal...Reactions0reactions