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The Effects of Self-Stigma on Recovery

Self-stigma comes from the shame of thinking that I cannot succeed because of my illness. "I'm too tired, I'm too unmotivated and I'm too fatigued." Self-stigma can lead to us making false assumptions about our state of mind. Even to say, "I can never get better," would be an example of self-stigma. One of the worst parts of self-stigma is that it ...

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Transitions

There is a method to my brain chemistry: the mental descents that detrimentally impact the way in which I interface and engage with the world. I did not always understand this. At first, I was convinced I had a neurodegenerative illness or a tumor, a purely physical phenomenon that was stripping me of my personality, muting my emotions, and renderi...

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With Tea There Is Hope

A strange correlation I know, especially coming from a Midwesterner far from the tea lovers of England.My reason for relating to this quote is probably quite different from that of Sir Arthur Wing Pinero, the British actor and stage director of the early 1900s, to whom those words are attributed. There was a time in my life when that cup of tea was...

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Recovery Happens

Often, when we think about living in recovery as it relates to mental illness, we look at it as an elusive point at the end of a long road. With a combination of different types of treatment, recovery becomes a journey and that journey can take individuals to a healthy and productive life. Tim can testify to the trials and triumphs of working towar...

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Get some shut eye!

I once had a physician tell me that in his opinion, if I could do one thing to avoid the cycle of hospitalization for my own mental health condition, that thing would be to establish a healthy sleep routine and get a solid 8 hours of sleep every night. Of course, getting sleep is not a magic cure for mental health conditions, but does the amount of...

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Mindfulness – Exercise for the Mind

Have you ever pulled into the parking lot at work and realized you have no recollection of getting there? Eaten a whole meal before you noticed that you had not even stopped to taste the food? In this day and age of multitasking, people are finding themselves living on auto-pilot, rather than experiencing all life has to offer. The practice of mind...

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Raising Awareness of Mental Illness: NAMI Family Support Group Facilitators

Although many individuals and larger grassroots organizations like NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness continuously work to raise awareness and combat stigma related to mental illness, many people remain in the dark as to how mental illness affects all of us. Many people do not know that in this country, as many as 1-in-5 adults are livin...

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Express Yourself

The Role of Creativity in Recovery Some say recovery is an art form. I say creativity is one of the channels that can help you to achieve recovery. Along my recovery journey, I remember acting in plays like The Glass Menagerie and Fiddler on the Roof. When I was sixteen years old I participated in The Glass Menagerie. I channeled my emotions into t...

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Exercise and Mental Health

We have all been told that exercise is good for the body, but did you know it is also good for your mind? Doctors have argued that exercise can actually be one of the most effective ways to improve your mental health and the good news is, you don't have to spend hours at the gym to reap the benefits. Even a modest amount of exercise can do the tric...

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