Recently I sat down with my daughter, Paix, and asked her several questions about her Bipolar II Disorder. She’s had a really rough time over the past few years and I wanted to see what she thought about her disorder from her point of view. It comes across as very dry and interview-y (if that’s…
Parents of special needs children face stress and anxiety daily. There’s really no way around it. From the moment we realize our children are different or are diagnosed a wall of tension crashes down on us. Life becomes filled with questions of the unknown. What does this diagnosis mean for my child? Will he ever…
You see quotes all over social media all the time. Some of these I’ve seen quite often, some I haven’t seen at all, but all of them make me smile. Sometimes even when I don’t want to. Hope you enjoy them as much as I do! Please feel free to add your own in the…
Depression is one of the most common mental disorders in the United States. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, Major Depressive Disorder affects over 16 million people per year and is the number one cause of disability in ages 15-44. Yet there is still much stigma and misinformation out there about the…
A term that we hear quite often, especially in mental health and special needs circles is ‘self-care’ but what does it really mean and why is it so important? Self-care is the deliberate act of taking care of one’s personal physical, emotional and mental health. In short, it is taking care of ourselves! Being good…
One thing that most people don’t think about when speaking about mental illness is how that disorder affects the family as a whole. We usually talk about the person who deals with the mental illness; how they can cope, tips on self-care, what to do if such-and-such happens, etc. Rarely, do we hear about the…
Our family will be going to Disney next month to help my mother celebrate her 70th birthday. It is going to be a big family vacation. We are excited because we haven’t had the opportunity to go to Disney with the kids yet – so it’s a big deal. What I’m not excited about is…
Raising a child with special needs is demanding even in the best of circumstances. Add depression to the mix and things can get even more challenging. I have Major Depressive Disorder and I’m raising a son with severe autism. The depression adds a tricky layer to our family dynamic. We are not alone though. Parents…
This week is National Random Acts of Kindness Week and my family has decided to celebrate it by doing at least one major act each day this week. Generally speaking, our family usually does random acts of kindness on a regular basis – like holding the door open for people, smiling at strangers, etc. So…
One of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do was look in the mirror and say, “I love you!” When I was in AA during my college years, my second sponsor made me stand in front of a mirror to do this. I was actually surprised when I couldn’t and began to cry. Until…
