Written by Hannah Blum, author of The Truth About Broken: The Unfixed Version of Self-Love How to become a mental health advocate? You do not need a degree, a diagnosis or work as a licensed therapist to become a mental health advocate. The general idea behind advocacy is supporting mental health by spreading awareness, reducing stigma and … Continue reading 6 Ways to Become a Mental Health Advocate
Remember the infamous Julia Stiles’s speech at the end of the movie, 10 Things I Hate About You? When she reveals to Heath Ledger the pain he’s caused her, “I hate the way you talk to me and the way you cut your hair…” While reading this post, think about stigma as if I am revealing my feelings in the same way as Stiles. Ledger was a good guy, but stigma not so much.
Continue reading “10 Things I Hate About The Stigma of Mental Illness”
It was six years ago that I had my first major episode with bipolar disorder while in College.  I was  living with a group of girls who this story is about. In the last month before I withdrew from school, I kept my struggle hidden from others, especially myself.  Two days before I left, my parents were called by two of my friends.  They told them that I was falling apart.  Day by day I was getting worse.  They realized they couldn’t help me, and decided not to tell the other girls.  I do not like to talk about the pain of the past.  However, a few days ago I learned that sometimes it is necessary to walk down memory lane, no matter how dark the road is…
Continue reading “Then & Now: A Story About Friendship and Mental Illness”
The first man who had his heart broken by me was my father. One day the little girl who danced to the beat of her drum was laying in a hospital bed, withering away. My father has always kept me safe, but there was one person he could not shield me from, and that person was me. Continue reading “Dear Dad: A Letter From Your Daughter With Bipolar”
When a violent crime occurs, it is assumed that the perpetrator must have been mentally ill.  Has someone with diabetes ever killed someone?  Yes, but we do not hear of this in the media.  “His blood sugar was low which caused him/her to carry out the mass shooting…” Has a young African-American male shot someone?  Yes.  Does that mean that all young African-American males are murderers?  No! It is natural that we want to blame “others” for negative behaviors, because it refrains us from looking in the mirror and realizing that we are all capable of corruption.  Stigma is a barrier that keeps people with a mental illness from progressing in society. Continue reading “6 Stereotypes That Hurt People With Mental Illness”
Written by Hannah Blum, author of The Truth About Broken: The Unfixed Version of Self-Love Close friends are the people we create unforgettable memories with. They know us better than we know ourselves. However, what do you do when your friend suddenly disappears from your life? You reach out but receive no answer. As someone diagnosed with … Continue reading 10 Things Your Friend With Depression Wants You To Know
Written by Hannah Blum, author of Oh Mind, Where Have You Gone Today? A poetry and essay collection about mental illness. As a woman diagnosed with bipolar disorder, I am not naive to the fact that people I date struggle to see beyond the label that society has stamped on me, which is why I wrote … Continue reading 17 Things You Should Know About Dating A Girl With Mental Illness
A person who knows their value is a powerful being. Â Trust me, I know how hard this can be at times. Â For years, I could not look in the mirror without criticizing everything in my reflection. Â Day by day, I learned to talk to myself like I would to anyone one else in need. Â I … Continue reading 45 Self-Love Quotes
Self-harm is an emotional, and misunderstood topic. It is difficult to comprehend the logic behind people inflicting intentional pain on themselves. It is part of the struggle for many people suffering from mental illness. Self-harm is not commonly done with the intentions of committing suicide. More so, as a way to release internal pain. You are thinking, Isn’t that backwards? Inflicting pain to reduce it?
Continue reading “An Artistic Alternative To Self-Harm: Creating Instead of Cutting”We are expected to withhold our truth to protect ourselves from judgement. Trust me I have been there. I used to wear a mask like the Queen of the masquerade ball, but it only kept me from acknowledging my mental illness. The mask you wear to fit society’s standard guidelines is not protecting you, it is preventing you from living an authentic life. Revealing your mental illness is not easy, and for some it seems impossible, however, it is necessary to live the life you deserve. Continue reading “Removing The Mask and Revealing Your Mental Illness”
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