By Lukas Klessig This personally speaking blog is an excerpt from “Words With My Father: A Bipolar Journey Through Turbulent Times“ My father was a functional manic and a despondent […]
23 February 2024Personally Speaking
by Mark Gale Our son began experiencing symptoms of mental illness, including psychosis, at the very young age of 13. At the time, we could not comprehend the possibility that […]
29 January 2024by Marla Knauss In May 2023, I rescinded the restraining order against my son, who has schizophrenia. I didn’t want him to be discharged into homelessness, and the psychiatric hospital […]
26 January 2024By Judy Sandler I will never know which came first, my son’s need to self-medicate with drugs due to an undiagnosed severe mental illness, or my son’s use of drugs, […]
19 January 2024By Dotti McKee It was a mother’s nightmare. I received a terrifying call from a hospital in 1991, telling me that Mike, our 22-year-old son, a senior at Radford University, had […]
27 December 2022By Bradley Tarr My name is Bradley Nuimano Tarr. I have been diagnosed with mental illness since I was 11 years old. Growing up, I was in and out of […]
13 December 2022By Brooke Gentry I am the first to admit that I had a wonderful childhood — more privileged than some, and full of the love, joy, support, and education that […]
28 November 2022By Kristy Crill There is a sign that hangs in the day center in the office at my church that says, “Today’s Mania, Tomorrow’s Brilliance.” Those who know me from […]
30 September 2022By Nina Robertson Like many people, I want to help others. But initially I did not know exactly how.Much of my childhood was devoted to volunteering, a trait I picked […]
19 September 2022This story originally appeared on July 27, 2022 in The Mountaineer. Reprinted with permission. By Marty Knight Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be mentally ill? Or […]
17 August 2022I used to have it all, at least that is what I thought. Like everyone else I was living day to day to chase the trappings American society tells you, you […]
15 August 2022By Karla Jones* I’ve had two severe psychotic breaks, both lasting months. They destroyed my life: I lost my house, job, car, and even friends and family. I also had […]
08 July 2022By Lily Barnstone Wells Like many families, mine has its traditions. Some families’ traditions include who cuts the turkey on Thanksgiving, lighting Chanukah candles or opening presents on Christmas Eve. […]
04 May 2022By Sabah Muhammad I conducted an impromptu survey some five or six years ago in one of the popular Facebook groups for severe mental illness (SMI) advocates. I asked denizens […]
02 May 2022By Regina Toffolo Mental illness has been present in my family all my life. My grandfather died by suicide. My mother had narcissistic personality disorder, a rare mental illness that […]
22 March 2022