Darkness to Dialogue: Living Well With Mental Illness

Understanding Dissociation: A Personal and Practical Guide to Mental Health Recovery A Glimpse Inside My Experience Sometimes I look around and feel a sudden disconnect from the world, streets that should feel familiar look strange, and memories collapse into each other. That disorienting sensation is dissociation, a symptom linked to trauma, chronic stress, and mental illness. Living with anxiety and depression means these moments can appear without warning. Acknowledging them instead of pushing them aside has become an essential part of my recovery. “Dissociation is not a flaw. It’s a signal that the mind is coping with overwhelming experiences.” The Layers of Dissociation Dissociation shows up in different ways: a sense of detachment from your surroundings, watching yourself from a distance, or losing track of time. In my twenties, after surviving early trauma, sexual assault, and domestic violence, I began noticing stretches of life that felt compressed or strangely distant. Re...

A Gentle Way to Ground Yourself When Everything Feels Too Loud Discover how a simple 3-minute mindfulness practice can reduce anxiety, support emotional regulation, and bring you back to yourself. ⏱️ Estimated Read Time: 6 minutes Summary Mindfulness doesn’t have to mean sitting in perfect stillness or clearing your mind of every thought. For those of us living with mental illness, it can be as small as a three-minute breath, and even that can be powerful. This post explores how short, consistent mindfulness practices can: Support mental health recovery Reduce anxiety and emotional overwhelm Gently return you to yourself The Power of a Pause: Mindfulness for the Overwhelmed I used to think mindfulness was something other people were good at. People who had time. People who didn’t spiral. People who didn’t live inside a storm of looping thoughts and physical exhaustion. I didn’t know mindfulness could belong to someone like me, someone surviving. Someone is doing their best...