2nd Place in Dreamers Flash Nonfiction Contest
I recently won second place in the dreamers flash nonfiction contest for my true story, “A Chunk of Ice Tumbling in a Thunderstorm.” You can read it here.
How To Stop Taking Drugs — I Had to Learn the Hard Way
If you’re wondering how to stop taking drugs, here’s what you need to know. I’d like to say first that this is coming from the perspective of a person in recovery. Many people can take drugs and stop taking drugs on their own terms and who aren’t in fact real addicts or alcoholics. This is for the person who has run out of options and…
Why Is Being Sober So Boring?
I hear it all the time — why is being sober so boring? It’s a legitimate question, especially because many people find that not being sober is tons of fun, that drinking or using drugs is the best way to enjoy yourself — or at the very least, to pass the time. I am not here to condone drug use, nor am I here to…
Existential Dread | Everything You Need to Know
Existential dread is a term used for feelings of unrest about our power to choose, our mortality, and the meaning of life. It is also referred to as existential angst. This angst is caused by thoughts such as: life at its very core is pointless, our existence is meaningless, and we are all going to die one day. Existential dread is related to a simple…
Should Statements — Dangerous Cognitive Distortions
One of the cognitive distortions I struggle with the most is should statements. So what are cognitive distortions? Cognitive distortions are faulty ways of thinking that negatively affect your perception of reality. Have you ever heard the saying “you’re making a mountain out of a molehill”? Cognitive distortions usually involve perceiving situations, feelings, or events as much worse than they actually are. I would guess…
Intermittent Explosive Disorder — 30 Concerning Symptoms
Intermittent explosive disorder (IED) is one of the more dangerous mental health disorders as it can lead to physical violence towards other people. It is characterized by recurring episodes in which a person is unable to withstand the urge to engage in impulsive, aggressive, and even violent behavior. Other signs of this disorder include explosive verbal outbursts. These outbursts are usually completely out of proportion…
D8 — A Comprehensive Guide to Delta-8-THC
D8, also known as Delta-8-THC, is a derivative of the hemp plant that has similar effects to the active ingredient in marijuana — THC. And yes, in case you were wondering, D8 will get you high if you take enough of it. A lot of D8 today is synthesized from CBD. It didn’t take long for CBD to take off. It seemed as if almost overnight,…
Symptoms of Autism in Women | 10 to Watch Out for
While both men and women can have Autism, the symptoms of Autism in women can be profoundly different from those in men. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a lifelong developmental disability that appears during early childhood. It can impact a person’s social skills, communication, relationships, and self-regulation. Autism is defined by a certain set of behaviors, such as being nonverbal, having atypical speech patterns, restricted…
Borderline Personality Disorder — 18 Critical Factors to Understand
Have you ever heard someone describe a person as “borderline?” They’re usually referring to borderline personality disorder Similar to how people say, “that’s depressing” or “you’re acting bipolar,” “borderline” is a term that often gets used colloquially without understanding the heavy weight behind the word. In the ever-important fight against ending the stigma around mental health/illness, we need to begin by understanding what these different…
Spiritual Fulfillment | 20 Ways to Become Spiritually Fulfilled
According to the experts, spiritual fulfillment always has to do with a poorly defined definition of what the spirit is — namely, that it’s something that has nothing to do with reality, that it must have something to do with gods or spirits or a connection to the universe or some other religious or faux-religious bullshit. I reject this definition. I think that spiritual fulfillment…