fabiochiu/medium-articles huggingface dataset:
Yes, I have BPD. No, I’m not toxic.
By: Lauren Whitesitt
Tags: Mental Illness, Relationships, Mental Health, Borderline Personality, Bpd

Borderline Personality Disorder is notoriously stigmatized in the world of mental health. It’s not depression and it’s not anxiety, so therefore, it’s not acceptable. People are comfortable talking about mental health until it gets messy, until it gets uncomfortable. Yet, that’s right where BPD lies. Borderline Personality Disorder is a disorder characterized by intense emotional swings and interpersonal relationships. While it is highly complicated, some symptoms people with BPD may experience extreme feelings of depression, impulsivity, and a fear of abandonment.

BPD is confusing. It is complicated and misunderstood — sometimes even more so to people suffering with this condition than those who are not. Emotions are high, everything seems to be all good or all bad, and everything is constantly on edge. Everything is felt so deeply. When this comes to relationships, someone with BPD is all in. They love hard and will give themselves completely for that person. That person is their everything. If you date someone or are friends with someone with BPD, know that you are intensely loved by them. This comes with an intense fear of abandonment, a staple of BPD. This person is terrified of losing you — petrified — because you are just that important to them. You fill them up, you are their happiness.

There is a phenomenon in BPD known as splitting. They may love you in this intense way, but the moment they think you may be the slightest bit disappointed in them — there seems to only be one option and that is to cut you out so they don’t feel abandoned. I once texted a friend and asked to simply borrow something for a class. She replied and told me that she felt as though I had only been asking for favors recently. In one simple text, my whole life was turned upside down. She must hate me. This wasn’t like a momentary upset — this rocked my world. I was so desperate that I self-harmed and started planning my suicide; half absolutely fuming, half providing an ultimatum to that friend so they wouldn’t abandon me. All because of a chemical imbalance in the brain.

If I can make so bold a claim, people with BPD are some of the most loving people, not toxic. They desire to give love and receive love with everything they have. That doesn’t mean it’s easy. We know it’s not easy to love us. Trust me — we get it and we hate it about ourselves. We are constantly pouring ourselves out although we are already empty. Give us grace. Give us patience. We are already giving you everything.
Free-dumb! How an octopus set me free.
Tags: Mental Illness, Christianity, Anthropology, Poetry, Bipolar Disorder

Eenie

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Medium readers & righters,

if

readers

read

your

poem

on

the front page

without clicking 2enter

the article or poem

, does the hardworking

writer get paid?

Does the

AI know that

you

are

reading

on the

front page

without clicking?

Remember,

writers

get paid

less than

10

cents

per

piece

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Peace

No man’s land

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Get.

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Set….3..

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G.

O.

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Go!

K?

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Thanks for ewer patience:

Hear goez….

Free-dumb! How an octopus set me free.

What I learned from an octopus

H’w 2 set your word<wolf-childe free

How 2shut ewer trap, switch th’changeling

Mowgli, I return 2the veil of words

Tentacles reaching thru my tame film

Subjugating alphabets & Han-ghoulz

os2.Silence words, but not language.

Let’em go including belov’d vowels

There R’know con’sonants in life

Octopus & dogs bitten by Vikings & wolves

A’lfa 2 Omega, Jeez, Wash on wash

Off, teacher, d’feet? How dew ewe turn

This wordy machine off?

2b free ass a bee!

So, w’how can I teach ewe how2 sing

Ass octo-pie dew holding on2 moments

W/out words with a byte while P.J. Sh…

Arcs? Torn out fr. Ur fav’arm, I meant..

Sharks, sew‘’long my arm, no.8 &a hArt

H’ide! Find a crevice ore chasm 2 heal

In’silence, look @that, #8 reincarnated

1mo’CA mar’E 4the predators of nurture.

Freed requires imagination

‘reedumb was watt made the cell ur in

Barred i.t. w/faithful Words

Imagin’d as Lenin did off th’Marx,

Skeleton keys, ever off key 4his’tory

Alisha can’t soar or bee wilder

Than’n ass an octopus &미 dew

A bitch called Umunih Beck’nz.

Silence & sir’render

O!S? Only a hand’fool of octo-pups

Surf’vive the feeding frenzy

A thimble half-full 4the runts

개자식
I Live In A Place Of Worship
By: Ria Talken
Tags: San Miguel De Allende, Mental Illness, Spirituality Growth, Bipolar Disorder, Covid Diaries

Photo by Author, Ria Talken

It is Christmas time and in this crazy, whacked-out year of 2020, many are thinking about their place in the world, their beliefs, and their god.

My parents raised me Catholic, I went to Sunday school, first communion, and confirmation. And then I stopped.

I have never been religious, but I have definitely felt connected to something bigger than I am. I kind of have to, being such a small part of everything. I have reigned in my Bipolar disorder and no longer feel I am the anointed one. But more often than not now, I feel a spiritual connection to that which surrounds me.

I have felt it in the great outdoors, in the cathedrals of Europe, at the Taj Mahal and the Pyramids of Giza, and settling in at the beach with a good book on a summer’s day.

I’ve said before that I spent a long time searching for my right place rather than my right things. I spent four years in homelessness and many others in places where I existed rather than thrived.

But now I have settled in safety, with a who and a where.

I gazed out at another spectacular sunset last night. One of so many over the almost three years we have been in San Miguel. When we flew into Mexico in April 2018, my shoulders dropped, and I felt home and slowed my scattered mind and frantic pace.

I have become the me I always wanted to be.

In San Miguel’s cobbled streets, I find the aisles of my own great cathedral. The bougainvillea and jacaranda are the flowers on my altar of creativity. There is a congregation of beautiful people to be a part of day after day, while bells ring.

And in my husband, I have a solid foundation and a relationship we build on as we move through life.

This year has put a strain on everyone. Glenn and I should be in South East Asia right now. We had planned our six-month return to the area for years and had to cancel because of COVID. We had the next five years calendared out for travels, and we are definitely more than bummed, wondering when we can return to our partially vagabond life.

But oddly, the year has made me feel more grounded than not. It has forced me to be quiet and given me time to connect with writing groups and authors I never would have had access to. I’m working on memoirs and being offered encouragement and camaraderie that I never had before. And I am letting people see me, the whole me when I haven’t before. If I feel the need to find a silver lining, it is that.

We have plans for the upcoming year. Who knows how many we will accomplish.

If we need to stay in San Miguel the full year, Glenn and I will wake up each morning to light-filled days and end with stunning sunsets, a lovely glass of wine, and the knowledge that COVID has strengthened us and as long as we have each other, life is solid and good.

We are still here! We did not break!
About Me — Brittney. I’m a psychology nerd, and because of…
By: Brittney Jones, Ma
Tags: Mental Illness, Psychology, About Me, Mental Health, Psychotherapy

Psychology nerd and expert

Photo by Cristofer Jeschke on Unsplash

I’m a psychology nerd, and because of that, I’ve made it my career! I’m training as a psychologist, and every week, I learn from some of the top psychology and psychiatry experts.

I think of myself as a sponge, soaking up as much knowledge as I can. Because of my knowledge-base, I can provide you with the most effective ways of improving your mental health.

Here’s what I do have in my corner as a writer:

Years of psychology training (over 10, to be exact).

Did you know I’ve gotten 3 degrees in psychology and I’m currently working toward my doctorate in clinical psychology?

2. Thousands of hours of consuming psychological research and discourse among psychologists.

2. Hundreds of hours working directly with people to decrease their suffering and improve mental wellness.

4. Currently training a hospital affiliated with Harvard Medical School.

“What’s the point of having this expertise if people continue to suffer?”

This question drives my mission to educate and provide people with practical ways to improve their mental health. Writing provides an excellent way for me to share my expertise with you.

Clinical Training with Harvard Medical School

Every week, I learn about trauma, cultural considerations in psychiatry, psychological testing, anti-racism in healthcare, suicidality, and a host of other topics. It’s through these seminars with my colleagues that I learn the latest research in mental health today.

I have 6 supervisors, all of which are appointed through Harvard Medical School. I meet with them individually and weekly. I receive in-depth consultation and learning from them. They teach me how to help my patients better, tailoring my psychological knowledge to each person.

Most of my time is spent working one-on-one with patients, providing individual psychotherapy. This is the most rewarding part of my week, witnessing people learn about themselves, change unhelpful patterns, and interact with the world around them more effectively.

Not only do my patients learn from me, but I’ve also learned so much from them.
Depression: A Lethal Disease
By: Bushra Ashraf
Tags: Mental Illness, Mental Health Awareness, Diseases Treatment, Depression, Depressive Disorder

What is Depression?

Depression is generally a mood disorder. It may be defined as the feeling of sadness, loss of interest, or anger that affects our daily activities i.e how you feel, think and behave. Depression can cause some serious emotional and physical problems.

It is a fairly common disease and in every eight people, one most likely to have depression. People experience depression in different ways and it interferes with daily life activities resulting in low productivity. It can also influence relationships.

Symptoms and Causes of depression:

Major depression can cause several symptoms that affect your mood and body. Signs can also be ongoing or come and go. Different people experience various symptoms but the major signs include sadness, change in appetite, Troubled sleeping, loss of interest, fatigue, feeling worthless, thoughts of death, and suicide.

Depression is an extremely complex disease and there can be so many reasons. There are a number of factors that may increase the chances of depression which include Abuse, certain medications, Genetics, and some other personal reasons.

Types of depression:

Depression can be broken down into categories depending on the severity of symptoms. Some people experience mild and temporary episodes while others have some severe and disturbing experiences.

There are two main types: major depressive disorder and persistent depressive disorder.

Major Depressive Disorder:

A major depressive disorder is the most serious and severe form of depression. It is characterized by persistent feelings of sadness, worthlessness, and hopelessness that don't go away on their own. Its signs include feeling depressed most of the day, slowed thinking or movement, feelings of guilt, fatigue, or low energy most of the time, recurring thoughts of death and suicide.

Persistent Depressive Disorder:

Persistent depressive disorder (PDD) is a mild and chronic form of depression also known as dysthymia. People having PDD feels less interested in daily activities, low self-esteem, and have lack productivity.

Treament for depression:

Depression is a serious and complex mental illness and living with it can be very difficult, but treatment can improve the quality of life. People suffering from depression have troubled thoughts and routine and they never try to open up to anyone as they feel low self-esteem and feel a lack of confidence and they feel there is no one with whom they can share their problem that causes severe problems for the sufferers.

Talking to your healthcare can solve the problem. The best possible treatment of depression is :

Medications, Psychotherapy, Excercise, Avoiding drugs and Alcohol, Learning to say no, and taking care of yourself.
I Never Thought of Ending It
By: Barbara King
Tags: Mental Illness, Mental Health Awareness, Prose Poem, Depression, Mental Health

But I knew my depression was getting bad again.

When I woke up on that fourth day of wearing the same t-shirt and grey sweatpants my boyfriend had left behind at my house the week before.

As I lay in bed with the thoughts surrounding me and the odor from that shirt.

I never thought of suicide.

I knew my depression was getting bad again.

When I lacked the energy to step inside the shower.

Instead, I washed my greasy hair in the kitchen sink with the harshest shampoo I owned to rush out the vibrant blue color I had put there on a better day.

As I watched the beautiful colors fade with the water down the drain.

I never thought of suicide.

I knew my depression was getting bad again.

On that third day of not being hungry, merely sipping at the black coffee struggling through my school work.

When my sister came and sat beside me and placed a plate of warm food beside me, patted my shoulder, and left the room knowing it would only be thrown away when she went to bed.

Still, I never thought of suicide.

I knew my depression had hit its worse, on that day I joined my family for dinner, drinks, and a silly card game.

Surrounded by my family, laughing and smiling, eating more than I had during the week. Looking to everybody that I was out of my slump.

That was the day I thought about suicide.

When within their smiles I could still see the sideways glances at me whenever I took a bite of food.

When the night was over everyone hugged me and told me they loved me.

When I realized it hurt too much to keep the fake smile glued to my lips when all I wanted to do was curl within my darkness.

Depression is exhausting, but for me manageable when I am allowed to be as I am.

When forced to pretend that I am not sick is when the seeds of doubt become poisonous climbing ivy threatening to twist itself around my throat and draw me to the dark where her roots thrive.

When forced to wear a painted face covering the nights where sleep ran from me as if it were a wolf hunting down the moon. That’s when the face beneath it began to crack.

The mind can be a terribly torturous place, but it is my home.

I am happiest when allowed control of my own curtains.

When forced to let in the sunlight is when I am most in darkness.
Mental illness became my superpower
By: David Guerrero
Tags: Mental Illness, Mindset, Growth, Happier Life, Personal Development

Everything happens for a reason, and I hope by sharing my experiences it inspires others who have struggled to reflect on their experiences in a healthier way.

I think one of the best advantages of struggling for so long is that I had this burning passion to work on myself. I’ve seen multiple counsellors and psychologists, and I’ve read a lot of personal development books. And after years of soul-searching things started to click. Happiness hit me like a ton of bricks and my mindset has never been stronger.

There are a lot of hard-working people in this world. I believe I am one of them, however distinctively I work hard on myself. To become the best version of myself. To become happier, healthier, smarter, stronger. And I encourage others to do the same.
How to Keep Our Mental Health Good
By: Golam Moinuddin Chisty
Tags: Depression Treatment, Mental Illness, Mental Awareness, Mental Health, Psychological Well Being

Our Best gift to our family is our good mental health.

Work hard to maintain good mental health. Good health means being healthy, both mentally and physically. In many cases, even if the body is subtle, mental health is not an issue. It is essential to focus on mental health to lead our daily lives properly. You can make a small change in your life and push away all the mental problems and make your mind happy. You can follow a few simple rules.

Make a rule of daily work. Do the work on time. Following the directions, waking up or going to bed is essential for maintaining good mental health. Research has shown that those who follow the rules have a higher rate of psychological and physical well-being.

Do some exercise; It is also essential to be physically healthy to be mentally sound. Exercise according to your ability to keep the body active. Happiness hormones are released when you exercise. Practice regular exercise to feel mentally light or to keep a sound mind.

Eat nutritious food, Eat healthy and balanced nutrition. Put more fruits and vegetables on the food list. Eat foods that stimulate the brain, especially nuts or spinach.

Limit devise usage; Nowadays, people have mobile phones in their hands or various devices that take away their attention. Limit the use of devices as much as possible to maintain good mental health. Avoid using devices, including mobile phones, one hour before going to bed at night. Elude devices as much as possible, even during the day.

Stay active, keep the brain busy with tasks like reading newspapers, matching puzzles, solving crosswords. If the brain is involved, the memory will improve, and even learning skills will increase.
Death and Finances — My 2020. A frank telling of the collective…
By: Carsen Greene
Tags: Mental Illness

To tell my 2020 story, I have to start in October 2019.

In October of 2019, I attempted to take my own life. I had thought about it for an awfully long time; probably close to a dozen years at that point. It was a Saturday. I woke up Sunday. I didn’t want to. I was miserable. I felt like I had been hit by a fucking train. I didn’t talk to anyone about what happened. Or what triggered me. Or how I got to be in such a bad way. I didn’t tell anyone that I was shitting blood or that I couldn’t look at myself in the mirror or that my body ached from the inside out.

I went to work that Monday.

On New Year's Eve, one of my best friends attempted to take his life. He woke up. He went to work on January 2. In early February, I got a phone call at 6 in the morning. Another of my closest friends had attempted to take her life. She was calling me for help. She was scared. I was, too. Instead of helping her, I went to work. The following week, my dog died of unknown causes.

All of these events were cataclysmic in setting the tone for what would continue to be a tumultuous year.

We all know what happened in March. I vividly remember having a conversation about how Wuhan has a population of 10 million people, and I had never heard of it before coronavirus. I remember thinking, “I’ve seen this in a movie.” And, “We all saw what happened with swine flu, no biggie.” And then it arrived at our doorstep. We all froze. Nothing was funny.

The night before we went to official state-mandated quarantine, I went to a show at Meow Wolf. I photographed Orville Peck and his band on stage. I shared a drink with his tour manager after Orville’s meet and greet. We talked about how the next leg of the tour might not happen. “We’ll see how this plays out, I guess!” The next day, his team announced they were postponing the tour, citing the spread of the virus.
Thanks so much for your honesty Mason.
By: Nils Von Kalm
Tags: Mental Illness, Ocd, Mental Illness Recovery

Thanks so much for your honesty Mason. I’ve recently been diagnosed with OCD and have started on Effexor which is starting to work. When I’ve had symptoms in the past, they have just disappeared. I’m hoping the same happens this time.
Why And How You Should Start Journaling.
By: Tatiana Santana
Tags: Feelings, Mental Illness, Journaling, Mental Health, Self Improvement

How To Start Journaling

Tips to help you get started

Photo by Thought Catalog on Unsplash

Try to write every day

Begin by setting aside a specific time of day or night to jot your thoughts, feelings, and symptoms down. Being fluent in your writing creates an easier way to track certain things.

Write whatever feels right

You may find it hard to start writing, you may not know what format you want to write in or you may wonder what you should talk about first. It does not feel natural to many people, but as you get the hang of it, it will come to you.

Make it easy

Keeping paper and a pen on you is something that can become a habit. Having your journal with you at all times can be helpful, if you are in need to write something down or express a feeling in privacy, your journal is there. Many people write their journals in a computer file.

Don't worry, use it as you see fit.

Use your journal in a way that you can benefit, no one else is going to see it unless you allow them too. Sharing your journal with someone in the same boat as you can be helpful, but you do not have to. This is your private space where you can express your thoughts and get things out when you need to.

Reflect

When the day comes, and your journal pages are full of your thoughts and feelings, you can start a new one. Do not forget to reflect back to your old journals though. This can be therapeutic and can help you realize things you did not realize before.
I live in a world of fantasy where I’m the victim of my own consciousness 
Where the villain uses…
By: The Youshii
Tags: Mental Illness, Morning, Depression, Mental Health, Poetry

I live in a world of fantasy where I’m the victim of my own consciousness

Where the villain uses my fears to distract me while they chip away at my will of existence

I live in a world of fantasy where prince charming worked in correlation with my anxiety

Where love was only there for me when i was on the throne

But once I fell off the wagon, all that I was and that was cherished vanished into insanity

I live in a world on fantasy where birds sing me sleep while the nightmares awaken me

where magical fog sweeps me off my feet into ecstasy

so I laugh and cry and hope, in between the notes of my melody

I live in a world of fantasy where everything is grey other then the bright red sign

Asking me to stop with my delirium of disorder, of disobedience, of chaos

I live in a world of fantasy where there’s no curtsey

No trace of common sense or sympathy

I live in a world of fantasy where no one can ever survive

and that makes a hero of me.
Cognitive Assessment Technologies Necessary More Than Ever
By: Pegah Hafiz
Tags: Wearables, Mental Illness, Digital Health Technology, Covid 19, Cognitive Computing

More than a year has passed since the outbreak of COVID-19, affecting our daily lives and work performance. Mental health disorders have been always imposing various issues in societies. Nowadays that our social activities and careers have been negatively affected by the pandemic, clinicians are dealing with patients infected with this virus. Mental health technologies are now essential more than ever to avoid hospitalisation of patients with mental disorders, in particular depression.

Attention, concentration, and recalling abilities during a day determine quality of individuals’ daily performance, which may affect their careers. But an impairment in brain functions is verified through neuropsychological tests. Traditionally, people take neuropsychological tests in the clinics using pen and paper. Thanks to the emergence of Web platforms, anyone can take neuropsychological tests everywhere — not at the clinics but at home! Clearly, digitised neuropsychological tests reduce a huge burden of the clinicians.

Cognitive test in ICAT- Internet based cognitive assessment tool

Mobile platforms have significantly contributed to eHealth. Mobile devices add a unique opportunity to support ambulatory cognitive assessment tools such that everyone can take the cognitive tests anywhere and during their daily activities such as walking, standing, sitting, etc. Therefore, mental issues of the individuals can be remotely identified through mobile devices. Wearables can also support mobile sensor data collection for knowledge discovery purposes, for instance digital phenotypes of mental health. UbiCAT is a smartwatch-based implementation of neuropsychological tests supporting digital phenotyping of human mental health.

UbiCAT- Ubiquitous Cognitive Assessment Tool [1]

Our recent study shows that features including sleep, step count, attention, and executive functions distinguish healthy individuals from bipolar patients through daily assessment of their cognitive functioning with UbiCAT and continuous monitoring of their behavioural, contextual, and physiological features [1]. As we are approaching the end of 2020 and COVID-19 is still affecting work and life of individuals, technologies like UbiCAT become more and more essential to control and monitor mental health in societies. Our recent paper [1] is a good read for everyone to understand 1) how wearable technologies can identify mental disorders and 2) how machine learning can support intelligent decision making remotely.
It's to your great credit that you continue to look after your mother, despite the abuse she…
Tags: Mental Illness, Dysfunctional Family, Life Lessons, Depression, Mental Health

There’s no straight line for neurodivergent people or trauma survivors. We have to honor the time it takes to heal and accept that some journeys never end.

It's to your great credit that you continue to look after your mother, despite the abuse she heaped on you. Having also had a mentally-ill, unpredictable mother, I remember how terrifying it was. We have a sense of impending doom because that was our lived experience. I used to dread coming home from school. Even though my mother has been dead for many years, I’m still unpacking the effects her behavior had on me and my siblings. It is indeed a lifelong process.
A Letter To Those With Schizophrenia
By: Nicholas Myers
Tags: Mental Illness, Mental Health Awareness, Schizophrenia, Schizophrenia Treatment, Mental Health

It’s been 19 years and this journey of mine hasn’t gotten any easier. There is a lot that has changed, I’ve had a lot of ups and downs, and the more time passes the better I am equipping myself to cope with my illness. If you are like me and struggle daily with certain symptoms, know this, you have the ability in you to find peace and happiness, despite your current situation. Things for me aren’t easy, but they have gotten to a point where things have started to make sense. I have found strength in faith, and it has recently turned this thing full circle. I have given myself a chance to understand my higher power, to a newfound belief in Christianity. I have felt a chance to forgive myself for the actions I have taken in the past that led me down this road, and by forgiveness, I have found the courage and a better outlook on my life. To those who are struggling, try your best to find peace, try your best to overcome these obstacles. In my experience it is possible to be a better human being, it just takes time and continuous effort. I’m not saying I have been cured, it feels that way, but I still face daily struggles. Now I have found hope and things that I never understood before with schizophrenia, answers are coming. You will have good days and bad days. I suggest letting go of things that you can’t control and being aware of the things that you can. You can be happy, you can be at peace, and you can find strength and courage. Just know in your heart that things will get better, and with hope, you will gain a new sense of life.

“You’re off to great places, today is your day. Your mountain is waiting, so get on your way” — Dr.Seuss
Spewing out
By: J
Tags: Mental Illness, Relatable, Overwhelmed, In This Together, Depression

I’m 16 looking for a future in writing.
All Adults are Toxic
By: Emma Prokop
Tags: Teens And Social Media, Mental Illness, High School, Deppression, Teenagers

It’s no secret that high school is miserable. Adults always say that being a teenager is difficult, but then they go on to say that their 9–5 with no social life is far more draining. They will never understand, because even if the adult population continues with the performance of them having it harder than we do, they never will.

Their ignorance will cause them to never be able to hear us. They will never hear the sobs from all the suicidal teens comforting each other because nobody else will. They will never hear the gossip that spreads throughout social media with every minor shift in a celebrity’s life. They will never hear the self conscious worries that instagram gives us by forcing the narrative of a “perfect” body. They will never hear the disrespectful comments of 50 year old white men being made against young womxn.

Adults will never hear their own voices telling us that we are not good enough. If you are a teenager and you don’t cry almost everyday, you are either a miracle or a psychopath. Nothing in the world is fair and while we try to fight through it, the rest of the world pushes us down for their own reason. Teenagers try so hard everyday, starting with the simple things, like brushing our teeth. Then it’s onto the hours and hours of homework that was assigned by the teachers that are adults and therefore cannot understand.

All adults are toxic, and they selfishly control the lives of teenagers.

.
“Depression”
By: Mominah Ambreen
Tags: Mental Illness, Mental Health Awareness, Psychology, Depression, Mental Health

“There are wounds that never show on the body that are deeper and more hurtful than anything that bleeds.”

― Laurel K. Hamilton, Mistral’s Kiss

Depression is that brutal state of mind and body which is not identical even for two individuals birthed by the same parents. A monster that sucks energy, motivation and basically everything that is needed to live a healthy life. Depression can be triggered by different factors based on individual’s personal capacity to perceive and process traumatic events, stressful situations and distressing encounters.

Different individuals exhibit different symptoms therefore the standardized criteria for the diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder according to DSM-V ( Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) is as followed:

Depression DSM-5 Diagnostic Criteria

The DSM-5 outlines the following criterion to make a diagnosis of depression. The individual must be experiencing five or more symptoms during the same 2-week period and at least one of the symptoms should be either (1) depressed mood or (2) loss of interest or pleasure.

1. Depressed mood most of the day, nearly every day.

2. Markedly diminished interest or pleasure in all, or almost all, activities most of the day, nearly every day.

3. Significant weight loss when not dieting or weight gain, or decrease or increase in appetite nearly every day.

4. A slowing down of thought and a reduction of physical movement (observable by others, not merely subjective feelings of restlessness or being slowed down.)

5. Fatigue or loss of energy nearly every day.

6. Feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt nearly every day.

7. Diminished ability to think or concentrate, or indecisiveness, nearly every day.

8. Recurrent thoughts of death, recurrent suicidal ideation without a specific plan, or a suicide attempt or a specific plan for committing suicide.

To receive a diagnosis of depression, these symptoms must cause the individual clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning. The symptoms must also not be a result of substance abuse or another medical condition.

Awareness regarding mental health problems is extremely important to understand neglected illnesses like Depression. Mental problems cannot be verbalized, they cannot be accurately made understood and one of the reasons of this drawback is our lack of discussion surrounding these topics and a general lack of appropriate layman vocabulary to verbalize such states of mind.

Any kind of depression is real! It just needs more acceptance, more kindness and more understanding.
Why Mental Health Matters?
By: Mominah Ambreen
Tags: Mental Illness, Mental Health Awareness, Positivity, Psychology, Mental Health

Have you ever felt fatigued, distressed and overwhelmed but there is no evident reason behind it. The anxiously disturbing feeling does not let you focus, enjoy or even get out of bed. You choose to avoid sharing it with anyone because you are yourself unaware of why are you feeling like this and there is no evident physical symptom that can help anyone understand your state. If we look around, there is a great percentage of people every single day that goes through such state yet there is a general lack of understanding and acceptance towards such issues. That is the most simplified answer to “why mental health matters?”

Unfortunately, due to the stigmatized concept surrounding mental health, we still have to answer questions like “Why mental health matters” instead of normalizing it without having to explain just like we never explain “why physical health matters”. We know by default, it matters. We should, by default know why mental health matters!

Let me enlighten you that mental health matters more than your physical health. Because, it is the disturbances in your mental well-being that manifest themselves physiologically leading to physical illnesses. The answer to Why mental health matters is as necessary as the importance of the subject under discussion but this is so unfortunate of us as a society that is still not able to accept mental health problems.

Here is a list of possible answers to “why mental health matters”

1. Mental health surrounds our overall well-being. Any disturbance in mental health leads to a distress in overall body.

2. What our mind holds is represented in our daily life interactions, social connections and even our own energy while doing regular chores. If there is something wrong up there, everything will be wrong in daily life functioning.

3. Being aware of your disturbances, triggering thought patterns, low moods and energy, demotivation and other overwhelming feelings can help you identify the problem and better cope with them.

4. Talking, sharing and letting your feelings out can help you cope better with the disturbing situations but the stigma around mental health stops us from doing so. Mental health matters because the rising awareness can help break the stigma and normalize the concept.

5. Nothing is as frustrating as something that is intangible yet so bothering and distressing. To be able to identify what is bothering you and how can you cope with it tells why mental health matters.

No body can live a struggle free life, a life that has rainbows and silver linings without any rain. Life is full of hardships and a lot of rain but there are always some clouds with silver lining. The point is to overcome the rain and hold on to silver lining. To live a healthy life with adequate abilities to function normally, process emotions intelligently and cope with hard times smartly and efficiently is the ultimate goal and that is why awareness and knowledge about the concept of mental health is important, that is why mental health matters!
Dear school’s, look out for your students more
By: Hiba Shah
Tags: Mental Illness, Schools, Mental Health, Education, Mental Wellbeing

“You’re in the best international school in Doha!” everyone kept telling me. An excellent science and maths department with remarkable grades achieved each year. While this was enticing, there was one aspect of the school and consequently, its students were missing. Something that seemed to noticeably pattern itself within these young adults. Where, in the thirteen years of this educational institution were we taught how to take care of our mental wellbeing?

The unfortunate answer is that the majority of schools still exclude this, arguably the most important part of the education system, out of their curriculum. Instead, school’s will condense and squeeze this into a one hour class known as PSHE. As a young adult who has now stepped out of school into the real world, I can confidently say that this is not enough.

When I moved colleges, I innocently thought I left behind my abundance of mental health issues but I quickly realised that this wasn’t the case. Having battled with my eating disorder for a few years I was more aware of the support I needed during college and so I was disheartened when I failed to receive it. The first disappointing experience I faced in college was when I met my school’s counsellor for the first time. I walked in with lots of nerves, secretly clinging onto an atom of hope.
Sometimes labels are better than no labels
By: Rejuvenation Station
Tags: Mental Illness, Relief, Mental Health, Recovery, Diagnosis

How a label shed light at the end of the tunnel

In school we are taught the importance of labels. Later in life media and news tell us to stop using labels. I do agree with the fact that labels in terms of other people and their existence do not matter — at all!. In terms of that, they hinder us, they elicit our close mindedness, they hinder our equality and the list goes on.

However, the importance of labels shouldn’t be overlooked. For anyone who ever suffered from a physical injury or a mental illness knows what I’m talking about. The only relief that can be provided is a doctor’s diagnosis.

I had an experience that was certainly not a good one, until a label was introduced into my life.

After my accident, I didn’t feel well. Not physically, nor mentally. Since I took extremely strong pain medication for a long time, I blamed anything that went wrong with me and my mind on those pills. But even after some weeks, the state I was in persisted. The psychologists I had to talk to mentioned the term ‘trauma’ a few times, however I never really listened, perhaps since I didn’t know its true meaning. Not until I started to consult my good friend Google. In the first few months I didn’t dare to research anything related to my accident and my physical injuries.

After all the turmoil, I had arrived at a safer place aka back at my parent’s place. I typed trauma into the search box and was presented with many articles, personal stories and studies. Reading more about this, lit up a light at the end of the tunnel. It was small and dull, but exactly what I needed. Only the existence of a possible healing path sparked hope in me.

I stopped wondering what is wrong with me and my body, I stopped doubting myself. I gained back by learning that what I suffer from can be healed. Being able to logically disconnect my self from the label that causes me suffering allows me to understand that nothing is wrong with me, there are just things from which I am suffering.

To sum it up: What we should be taught instead is the interchangeability of labels. Yes, in many cases they are unnecessary, underrated and not needed. In some cases, however, they are life changing, maybe even lifesaving.



But now I want to learn more about you: Are there instances where a label introduced a positive change in your life? Let me know in the comments!

Check out my instagram: @rejuvenationstation
Men have a higher danger of kicking the bucket from the infection than ladies.
By: Shubham Thakur
Tags: Mental Illness, Covid 19 Testing, Womens Health, Covid 19, Mental Health

As indicated by another examination, which investigated the connection between basic patient attributes and the danger of kicking the bucket from the Covid-19 disease, men have a 30% higher danger of biting the dust from the executioner infection when contrasted with ladies of a similar age and wellbeing status.

Covid patients who are hospitalized have a more serious danger of kicking the bucket in the event that they are men or in the event that they are large or have complexities from diabetes or hypertension, the examination, distributed in the diary Clinical Infectious Diseases, noticed.

The researchers from the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) in the United States evaluated almost 67,000 hospitalized Covid patients in 613 emergency clinics the nation over in the examination, reports news organization PTI.

They said the patients who were fat, had hypertension or inadequately oversaw diabetes had a higher danger of biting the dust contrasted with the individuals who didn’t have these conditions.

The examination likewise said that Covid-19 patients matured 20 to 39 with these conditions had the greatest distinction in their danger of kicking the bucket contrasted with their more advantageous companions.

“Information is power from various perspectives, so I think understanding which hospitalized COVID-19 patients are at most noteworthy danger of mortality can help manage troublesome treatment choices,” said study relating creator Anthony D. Harris.

The scientists accept medical care suppliers could consider these dangers while figuring out which COVID-19 patients could profit the most from counteracting agent treatments that, whenever given in the initial not many days of the disease, can decrease hospitalization hazard.

Age, the strongest predictor of mortality from Covid

As per the examination, age remained the most grounded indicator of mortality from COVID-19.

It noticed that generally speaking, almost 19% of hospitalized Covid-19 patients kicked the bucket from the infection with the most reduced mortality among pediatric patients, which was under 2%.

Death rates expanded with every time of existence with the most noteworthy mortality, 34%, among those matured 80 and more seasoned.

“More seasoned patients actually have the most noteworthy danger of biting the dust, yet more youthful patients with corpulence or hypertension have the most noteworthy danger of kicking the bucket comparative with different patients their age without these conditions,” said study lead creator Katherine E. Goodman.

This comes as worldwide Covid-19 diseases outperformed the 75 million blemish on Saturday as a few countries around the globe start inoculating against the destructive infection.
Christmas is creeping up
By: Decompression Chamber
Tags: Venting, Mental Illness, Depression, Anxiety

I hate Christmas. I haven’t liked it in years. I wanna have somebody to love. Sure, I have my mother, my sister and her husband, and whatever, but I feel lonely.

Photo by Kha Ruxury

Today is Sunday. In the past day and a half I had some communication with my ex. It seemed like it could have a positive outcome, but with her, there is always a thorn on the rose.

She asked me why I decided to stop drinking alcohol, to which I replied telling her about the last time she and I had a fight and I said very ugly things to her. I was drunk when that happened, and when I woke up and sobered up the following day, I hated myself for it and was disgusted by my own behaviour. I told her this last night.

Today I woke up to a text from her saying that at least in that way she was able to contribute to the betterment of my life…

Prior to that she did say things that seemed positive and that could kind of imply that maybe “now we’re talking to each other again”, because fuck, who am I kidding, that’s what I want.

But also who am I kidding, I’m not a strong person. I am overwhelmed by an amount of things that others, I feel, could easily handle. I work out and meditate in order to start crawling out of my depression, but then I spend a lot of time online which drains my brain. I don’t apply for nearly as many jobs as I should. When I was working on that translation project — because I do need the fucking money — my days looked like this:

-Get some work done

-Waste some time online

-Rotate those two frequently

-Feel tired and drained, so wind down with a movie

-Realize at 3AM that I didn’t really do anything other than dealing with day-to-day bullshit, nothing to do me any good in the long run

I know, I absolutely know that I should set a schedule for myself and start sticking to it. Set up times for the different things, and no matter what, always do those things in the designated time slot. But that’s when the depressed part of my brain, or being comes in and starts fighting teeth and nails against commitment… I am sooooooo bad at that… “It’s 10AM sharp, so from now on, 60 minutes of [whatever], no apologies!” These are the thoughts that overwhelm me…
What Type of Therapist is Best for You?
By: Sadie Lee
Tags: Health, Mental Illness, Therapist, Depression, Mental Health

What Type of Therapist is Best for You?

Pexel: Polina Zimmerman

I am in the process of getting my Masters in Social Work to become a therapist. When people say go see a therapist, what do they mean? And whats a Ph.D, PsyD. and LCSW?

Pexels: Alex Night

Free Therapy, Meet Woebot!

Pros:

Free!

Uses CBT, or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.

Challenges your thoughts that lead to behavior.

He has educational videos and topics on cognitive distortions!

Woebot didn’t go to college, but his creators did!

He also has a relationship feature!

Cons:

Just an App

Struggles with nuance in your words

He should not be your only support if you’re experiencing severe mental illness.

Want immediate therapy? Download Woebot here.

Pexels: Polina Zimmerman

Seeing an LCSW, or Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Pros:

Good for LGBTQIA, BIPOC, Those with a disability, and other marginalized or oppressed populations like the homeless!

Social workers are also well versed in non-profits or other programs

Social workers also work and have knowledge in social policy!

They have great training in reflective listening and are great for talk therapy

Cons:

I personally don’t think they are the best for neurological disorders like OCD, ADHD, bipolar disorder, etc. Unless they have specialized in that area and they explicitly state it.

Their knowledge base is generally a lot broader, especially if they have only been out of school for a few years.

Pexels: cottonbro

Psy.D

Pros:

Several years specializing in the study of the mind.

Often well versed in the psychology that surrounds mental health, disorders, and pathology.

More years of school than an LCSW

Cons:

Fewer years of school.

Not as rigorous as a Ph.D.

Less of a research background compared to a Ph.D.

Much more of a focus on psychology as opposed to the broader LCSW base.

Pexels: Mathias Zomer

Psychologist Ph.D

Pros:

Wide research base.

Several years of school.

Often a specialty area.

Well versed in study and research.

Usually very dedicated and smart individuals!

Great knowledge around the mind.

Cons:

Sometimes too highly specialized.

Often a bit more expensive than other practitioners.

Cannot prescribe medications

Pexels: Gustavo Fring

Psychiatrist

Pros:

Generally, the only mental health professional who can prescribe medication.

They also went to medical school, just like every other doctor.

They can also offer some therapy as well.

Cons:

Generally hard to get in to see.

Often appointments are very quick and they are just there to write you a prescription(unless you’re paying for a higher quality clinic).

It often helps to work alongside your therapist about drugs and diagnosis to relay to your psychiatrist.

I hope this helps! May you find the therapist that works best for you!