How to Find The Right Therapist For You
If you’ve decided it’s time to give therapy a try, finding a therapist that’s right for you is paramount to managing your mental health. Your therapist will undoubtedly have an impact on reaching your wellness goals, so it’s important to choose carefully...
The Dual Life of Being a Peer with Bipolar Disorder and Also a Clinician
by Andrea VassilevChair of DBSA California Education Committee I adored my peer support group. I loved seeing the same friendly faces every week, connecting with them through shared experience and helping to foster hope and well-being. I was a leader, a trainer and,...
Hug Your Loved Ones, Tomorrow Is Not Promised
We had a fairytale love story that ignited in March of 2011. After dating for a week, I knew Bryan was the one and we married on September 1, 2017. Every day with him was magical and full of love and laughter. We wanted to share that by growing our family. After a...
There Are Benefits to Bipolar Disorder”
I’m here... because I have lived a life protected from pre-existing conditions that would prevent my health care coverage. I’m here... because I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder when I was 20. I’m here... to answer the question, “What does life look like after...
I Decided I Would Never Try to Kill Myself Again
By TINA CRUIKSHANK It's been thirteen years since I took two vials full of lithium and Lamictal and chased them down with a bottle of wine. I felt I had gotten the "go-ahead" from Jesus, with whom I was conversing at the time. We had been having regular conversations...
Which Is It, Governor?
Governor Newsom, as most people have heard by now, has proposed a vast new program called CARE COURT. In this proposal, individuals with mental health challenges or substance use disorders are forced into a new Court system instead of treatment. And those who are...
Do Drugs Affect Moods?
By Jonathan D. Raskin, Ph.D. Drugs can change mood. Just ask your pot-smoking friends. Marijuana often results in worried people worrying less! This doesn’t mean that cannabis “cures” anxiety or that those who smoke weed and feel calmer had anxiety disorders to begin...
Realizing I Was Not on CNN
By Sally Littlefield My story begins after the most stressful work meeting of my life. I drove home after the meeting and parked my car at around 10:30 am outside my San Francisco apartment. I paused to collect my thoughts for a few minutes, but when the sun started...
Causes of Depression
What Causes Depression? Depression is a complex disease. No one knows exactly what causes it, but it can happen for a variety of reasons. Some people have depression during a serious medical illness. Others may have depression with life changes such as a move or the...
4 Ways Not to React To Someone With Depression or Crisis – Healthier Alternatives
Written by Sky Lea Ross Through my experiences as a mental health professional, what I hear from my clients as well as within my own conversations, as a person who lives with episodic depression, it has come to my attention that many people don't know how to provide...
My Mental Health Story By Greg Vogt
By the time of my 17th birthday, I had been diagnosed with major depressive disorder and anxiety, placed on two antidepressant medications, and was sent to local psychiatric hospitals four different times. At this point, my brain became convinced that suicide was a...
I Thought The Words Mental Health “Meant I Was Crazy”
My name is Abraham Sculley and I was diagnosed with major depression during my freshman year of college. Growing up, I had no idea what mental health was. I grew up in a devout Christian family and Jamaican-American household with not one but two Jamaican parents. At...
Holiday Stress is Here
But you can prepare to minimize it as much as possible. Practice Deep Breathing It may sound simple enough, but one of the biggest causes of stress is that we forget to breathe correctly. So whether it's taking deep breaths or practicing breathing...
Sleep – and Emotional Wellness Month
October is Emotional Wellness month, and sleep and mental health are two key factors in everybody’s well-being. We put together a list of highly recommended tools, apps and products to help people with their overall emotional wellness that you can see here:...
Butterfly – A Personal Story
By an anonymous contributor I’m 27 years old and too young to understand what trauma is, I’m too young to know what depression is, and I’m too young to possibly understand what true struggle is. These are things I’ve been told for most of my life. I’m just too young....
Helpful Tips for Managing Depression and Anxiety During COVID-19
Get A Good Night's SleepKeep A RoutinePractice Gratitude and MindfulnessSeek Social Support - And PEER SupportUse Contactless deliveryConnect VirtuallyFinancial Difficulty StrategiesShop AroundCall Your Insurance CompanyGet a 90-day SupplyAsk for SamplesUse...
Different Types of Depression This Winter
Get ready for regular depression plus corona virus depression plus seasonal depression. Oh, and election anxiety. Be sure to attend regular support groups to help get you through the seasons. Read article
