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…
Loving a person with a mental health disorder can be hard. There always seems to be times where life turns on end and chaos takes over. Times where you aren’t sure you can handle this person and their issues. It can make being in love feel more like a roller coaster rather than a ride…
The following is an actual account of a fairly normal Monday at our house. Enjoy! 3:10am Ry wakes me up to get him something to drink 4:08am Ry wakes me up for more drink 5:13am More drink and a pull up change 6:03am More drink 7:15am I’m awake for the day and Ry wants to…
I’m Nobody! Who are you? Are you – Nobody – too? Then there’s a pair of us? Don’t tell! They’d advertise – you know! How dreary – to be – Somebody! How public – like a Frog – To tell one’s name – the livelong June – To an admiring Bog! This is one of…
When we’re young, there are certain ages that we look forward to. Like 13 when we become a big teenager, 16 when we could finally drive a car, and 21 when we could drink… legally. Those with special needs usually don’t celebrate these big milestones. The big ones for them are 18 and 21/22. You…
We use necessary cookies and, with your consent, analytics and embedded-content cookies.
