Darkness to Dialogue: Living Well With Mental Illness

Listening to Your Body in Recovery Most people learn to pay attention to the outside world long before they learn to pay attention to what’s happening inside their bodies. That quieter space, the one where emotions show up as physical sensations, is often overlooked, especially if you grew up in stressful, invalidating, or high-demand environments. This inner awareness has a name:  interoception , and it plays a meaningful role in mental health recovery. Today’s post explores what interoception is, how it supports emotional stability, and why strengthening it can make the healing process feel more grounded and less chaotic. What Interoception Really Means Interoception is your ability to notice internal physical states. Examples include: a tight chest a heavy or sinking feeling warmth moving through your body restlessness shakiness changes in breathing pressure or tension numbness or emptiness These sensations often show up before you consciously recognize an emotion. Interoception...

  How Heightened Perception Shapes Mental Health Recovery The Quiet Power That Became a Burden I used to think I was just too sensitive. I’d notice the slightest shift in someone’s tone, a microexpression others dismissed, or tension in the room before anyone spoke. These cues meant everything to me because earlier in life, those small signals were early warnings of danger. One memory stands out vividly. When I was in maybe fourth or fifth grade, I went to a classmate’s house. Things started off fine, but I quickly began to feel uneasy. The house was dim, the blinds closed, and there was an odd heaviness in the air. At one point, the parent made a comment about my appearance in a way that felt uncomfortable. We spent a little time in her room, but soon I felt sick to my stomach. I wanted to leave, but I didn’t want to alarm my friend or have to explain why. So I tried to think of a subtle way out. I suggested we go for a walk, and when I saw another friend’s house nearby, I pr...

Summary Emotional alexithymia, a difficulty identifying and describing emotions, is a lesser-known but critical factor in men’s mental health , especially among those living with trauma and mental illness.  This post unpacks the science behind emotional alexithymia, its connection to trauma and socialization, and how healing begins with learning to recognize and name emotions. My Own Struggle to Name What I Feel For much of my life, I felt like I was swimming in emotional fog. I knew something was wrong, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on what it was. When people asked me how I felt: I often answered with vague words like “fine” or “okay,” even when my insides churned with something more complicated.  I thought maybe I was just closed off or didn’t care enough, but over time, I realized it was harder than that.  It was as if my mind had lost the words to name my feelings. So, what does this have to do with men's mental health? Well, watching men around me, family, frie...