Stigma: Domestic Violence, Mental Illness, and Addiction

recent mental health

Am I Scared or Is It Grief? – Uncovering the Sad Feeling

18 Jun 2022

I used to feel this sad and heavy pain in my gut all the time. At times I could name it, pinpoint where the sad ...

Shame, Alcoholism, Stigma, and Suicide

29 Apr 2022

In addiction treatment circles, conventional wisdom suggests we have to let people hit rock bottom before we can help them. But what happens if rock ...

Stop Blaming Mental Illness for Gun-Related Violence

29 Apr 2022

It's a perfect scapegoat: if mental illness is the issue and healthcare is a privilege, the solution must be a stronger police state and more ...

Childhood Trauma, Body Dysmorphic Disorder, and Plastic Surgery Addiction

28 Apr 2022

Many people who have multiple plastic surgeries are looking for self-worth, not correction of a deformity. Most of the time when we talk about addiction, ...

How to Be Less of a Jerk – Part 2 – Admit Racism

09 Jun 2020

[Content warning: Racism] Just because someone doesn’t want to be racist doesn’t mean they aren’t. Contributing to white supremacy is racism. Supporting racists is racism. Excusing ...

Be Less of a Jerk 101: Racism Crash Course

08 Jun 2020

Stop getting offended when someone calls you white, part of white supremacy, a recipient of white privilege, or even *gasp* you get called racist. Instead, ...

domestic violence

How To Practice Self-Compassion in 6 Steps

24 Oct 2017

Anyone can learn to be more compassionate towards themselves, here are 6 tips for how to practice self-compassion. I am the most hurtful towards myself. ...

Cutting Domestic Violence Programs is Dangerous

27 Aug 2017

The current political climate in the United States is putting victims of intimate partner violence (IPV) and the police officers who respond to their emergency calls in greater danger. ...

Why Do People Return to Domestic Abusers?

25 Jul 2017

It never fails. Whenever a high-profile relationship goes public with domestic violence accusations, the internet will buzz with people who withhold sympathy for the alleged ...

Why I Didn’t Try To Lose Weight For My Wedding

10 Jul 2017

Photo Courtesy of Adrian Herrera of Victor Herrera Photographers To take care of myself in the months preceding my wedding I had to make a ...

Retracting Allegations of Abuse is Not Proof – Trauma and Memories

20 Jun 2017

Retracting an abuse allegation is not proof that the abused is lying or that the alleged abuser is innocent. Rape is amongst the most underreported crimes. ...

Stigma Punishes Victims, Helps Perpetrators

30 Dec 2016

Over the holidays, I got into a heated debate at the dinner table over the most effective way to combat racism. This interaction shed light ...

addictions

Shame, Alcoholism, Stigma, and Suicide

29 Apr 2022

In addiction treatment circles, conventional wisdom suggests we have to let people hit rock bottom before we can help them. But what happens if rock ...

Childhood Trauma, Body Dysmorphic Disorder, and Plastic Surgery Addiction

28 Apr 2022

Many people who have multiple plastic surgeries are looking for self-worth, not correction of a deformity. Most of the time when we talk about addiction, ...

Long Term Effects of Overdoses on the Brain

28 Apr 2022

Despite what we know about how overdoses can kill, there is scant literature regarding chronic health outcomes for people who have survived multiple overdoses. Drug ...

No, You Aren’t a Drug Addict If You Take Antidepressants

28 Nov 2019

If you’ve read the L.A. Times recently, you might have come across an op-ed by journalist David Lazarus, who conflates his dependence on antidepressant medication with ...

8 Super Relatable Songs About Addiction and Recovery 2014-2019

25 Nov 2019

Drug-fueled parties, overdoses, stories of survival and despair. These songs deal with all that and more. There are so many songs celebrating the party lifestyle ...