Darkness to Dialogue: Living Well With Mental Illness

Estimated Read Time: 6 minutes Summary What happens when healing becomes visible? Whether you’ve spoken about your story on social media, in therapy, or even to close friends, public recovery can be empowering, but it’s not always easy. This post explores what it really feels like to “heal out loud,” especially for marginalized individuals who may face extra scrutiny when they do. The Vulnerability Hangover: Sharing My Mental Health Story Publicly Have you ever shared something vulnerable, then panicked afterward? The first time I spoke publicly about my mental health struggles, I felt proud. Then I felt exposed. I wondered:  Did I say too much?  Will people treat me differently now?  That familiar fear of judgment crept back in, even though I thought I had made peace with it. There’s a strange paradox in recovery: you spend years hiding the pain, and then one day, you decide to speak it aloud, and the world feels a little too quiet afterward. I remember the first...

Summary We hear “ be yourself ” so often, but what happens when being yourself feels unsafe? Emotional masking: The habit of hiding true feelings to avoid judgment is a quiet epidemic.  It affects our mental health and recovery by building walls where there should be bridges.  This post reflects on how performance-based living shows up in real life and why choosing to be real is a radical act of healing. Opening Reflection — Observing the Disconnect Have you ever realized that someone you admired wasn’t being fully authentic? That moment when disappointment goes deeper, feeling more like a breach of trust than just a fleeting letdown? It can bring a complex mix of frustration and sadness, along with a strong sense of urgency. Why does it feel so heavy? It’s a pattern I see again and again, especially on social media, where polished versions of life often replace messy truths. It’s easy to assume that insecurity goes away as we get older, that after a certain point, we ...

Breaking the Silence: Why Mental Health Conversations Matter Have you ever wanted to talk about your mental health but decided not to? If so, what held you back? For many, mental health topics are difficult to understand or relate to, which can create discomfort. Mental health and mental illness are no exception to this. According to Dr. Patrick Corrigan , individuals with mental health conditions often remain silent about their experiences due to the stigma and discrimination they face. It wasn’t until just a few years ago that I began to feel more comfortable discussing my struggles with mental illness—specifically, navigating life with depression and anxiety. For a long time, I kept my experiences to myself. However, as I started to open up, I realized that talking about mental health is essential for healing and breaking the stigma surrounding it. Join Me for a Mental Health Conversation Next Month With the holidays approaching, now is a crucial time to continue the conversation ab...