Darkness to Dialogue: Living Well With Mental Illness

Mental Health Misinformation Online: Separating Fact from Fiction As a mental health blogger and advocate, I know how important it is to share accurate, research-backed information. With my background in research analysis and my education, I’ve learned the value of not just accepting studies at face value but researching the research itself. In a world where misinformation spreads quickly, especially online, misleading mental health advice can do real harm. I’ve seen people dismiss professional treatment in favor of viral “quick fixes” or feel like failures when a one-size-fits-all solution didn’t work for them. The truth is, mental health support and recovery look different for everyone. That’s why I make every effort to ensure the information I share is based on science, not trends. Misinformation can prevent people from getting the help they truly need, and that’s a risk I refuse to take. Honest, well-researched conversations are essential for real healing and growth. Remember, you...

What Is Mental Toughness? How to Strengthen Resilience and Protect Your Mental Health I used to think resilience meant being endlessly strong—never feeling overwhelmed or uncertain. But the more I struggled with anxiety and the weight of past trauma, the more I questioned whether I had any resilience at all. It felt like every challenge knocked me down harder than the last, and I wondered if I’d ever have the strength to stand firm. What changed my perspective wasn’t a single breakthrough but a series of small realizations. I started noticing that resilience wasn’t about avoiding hardship; it was about learning how to recover. The first time I sat with my emotions instead of pushing them away, I felt uneasy, but I also felt in control. I began finding tools that worked for me: grounding exercises to quiet my mind, journaling to process my thoughts, and movement to release tension. None of these erased my struggles, but they made me better equipped to handle them. One of the hardest ...

  Summary Always saying “yes” may seem kind, but people-pleasing can quietly erode your mental health. Discover how to identify patterns, reclaim your voice, and cultivate lasting resilience. Key Insight People-pleasing often hides unmet needs and fuels anxiety, resentment, and burnout. Recognizing these patterns and practicing healthy boundaries improves mental health and accelerates recovery. My Story With People-Pleasing For most of my life, I thought being agreeable, easygoing, and always available made me a “good person.” The truth is, it made me invisible to myself. When I was struggling with depression and trauma, I believed that saying “yes” to everyone else would make me more likable, easier to love, and less likely to be abandoned. But the cost was high. I stopped recognizing my own needs, my own voice, and even my own preferences. People-pleasing left me exhausted and resentful, yet terrified to change, because I didn’t want to disappoint anyone. “People-pleasin...

  Summary  Many of us rely on coping strategies that feel helpful but actually slow our mental health recovery. This post reveals the hidden cost of these habits and shows practical ways to shift them for lasting resilience. What You Need to Know Not all coping skills are created equal. Some may soothe temporarily, but keep you stuck in patterns that slow recovery. Recognizing which strategies limit your growth and replacing them with healthier alternatives can accelerate healing and build resilience. Learning from My Own Coping Patterns For years, I relied on coping skills that felt “helpful,” but in reality, they were keeping me stuck. When I struggled with depression, anxiety, and trauma, I withdrew from friends and family. I believed that avoiding conflict or painful emotions would protect me, but it only amplified my isolation and shame. I also turned to distractions, social media scrolling, overworking, or overplanning—to numb emotional pain. These habits gave te...

Summary  Have you ever felt fear quietly creep in, years after a painful experience, as if your body suddenly remembered before your mind did? That’s retrospective trauma, and that late-arriving fear often marks deeper recovery, not relapse. Quick Answer Retrospective trauma occurs when fear or distress surfaces long after the original trauma. Rather than being a setback, it can be a sign you’re finally safe enough to process what happened. Recognizing it as part of your healing journey empowers recovery, rather than derailing it. When Silence Speaks: Learning to Listen to the Fear That Shows Up Late In many recovery journeys, whether from PTSD, chronic anxiety, or deep mental health wounds, fear doesn’t always happen in the moment. It can show up later, sometimes years after the painful event. And that isn’t failure. It's healing. Symptoms might emerge as sudden panic, disturbing memories, or creeping dread. Instead of panicking, consider pausing. This isn’t a regression; it may b...

Mental Health in the Workplace August/September 2025 Edition Welcome to the bi-monthly Mental Health in the Workplace feature.  Have you ever felt your heart race or patience vanish during a meeting, email, or deadline? Workplace triggers can spark overwhelming reactions before you even realize what’s happening. Recognizing these triggers and applying coping strategies isn’t just helpful, it’s essential for maintaining mental health and professional effectiveness. Quick Answer Workplace triggers are cues, such as criticism, tight deadlines, or interpersonal conflict, that activate intense emotional or physiological responses. By noticing early warning signs and using grounding and self-regulation strategies, you can manage stress and respond intentionally rather than react impulsively. My Story: Navigating Triggers at Work For years, I noticed that certain situations at work: unexpected emails last-minute changes tense meetings—would leave me anxious, frustrated, or drained.  ...