What I’m Thankful For

Nathan Smith3 Comments

I know what you’re thinking. Another blog post about being thankful? On Thanksgiving? Pass. And I wouldn’t blame you. But I’m going to take another route.

I’m sure you’ve read it before, but gratitude is almost a necessity these days. The world moves so fast and things are so easily accessible that it’s difficult to stop and take a moment to reflect on things. Whether things are going well or…not so well, it’s important to remind yourself about the good things in your live. For people living with a mental illness, it’s probably a little harder. Let me explain.

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I’m a Little Worried. Again.

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I get worried a lot. That’s one of the side effects of having an anxiety disorder, is worrying a lot. The first time I was told about having Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), I worried. I didn’t focus on what the psychiatrist was saying about symptoms and treatments; I was too busy worrying, and I never stopped. Continue reading →

Out of the Darkness Community Walk

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When I decided to take part in an Out of the Darkness Community Walk (put on by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention) this past Saturday, I was pretty nervous. I knew there would be people who had lost loved ones to suicide, which is an extremely difficult situation that I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. What I didn’t know is if there would be people there who’ve struggled with suicidal thoughts in their lives – like me.

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The Mental Health Tag

Nathan Smith2 Comments

Hey, how’s your day going? Probably great if you’re reading this swell content. One thing that is very difficult when talking about mental health is to be blunt. Honestly, it’s my biggest problem if I’m discussing my mental health. It’s so much easier to talk around the subject and not get right to the point. Kind of like I am right now…

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It’s #WorldMentalHealthDay!

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#WorldMentalHealthDay means it’s another WONDERFUL day to talk about mental health! It’s the 25th anniversary of World Mental Health Day, which was founded in 1992 by the World Federation for Mental Health. Obviously any special day, week or month bringing awareness to mental health is important, but I feel like this day is especially important not only for those with a mental illness, but for anyone who is trying to maintain good mental health – which is everybody.

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Walking Out of the Darkness

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I thought it would be easier to write this. Honestly, I did. I figured I could just put my message out there, hope someone reads it, and do my thing from there. But rarely, if ever, is it that simple.

A month or so ago I found out about Out of the Darkness Community Walks, which are put on by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). I didn’t know much about AFSP other than what I could take from their title (key words: “prevention” and “suicide”), so I read some more about the Community Walks and what they accomplished. I was blown away. And I knew  that somehow, I had to be part of it.

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Thoughts During Suicide Prevention Awareness Month

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I really wanted to write a new post on September 10th, but I couldn’t. Not that I didn’t have the chance to; I mentally could not do it.

For those who don’t know, that day is World Suicide Prevention Day. It’s an awareness day that provides worldwide commitment and action to preventing suicide. Since September is also Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, I didn’t want the month to go by without at least addressing suicide prevention and suicide awareness. I have a lot of experience in this world, which I hope to get into on future posts.

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Self-Esteem vs. Self Worth

Nathan Smith6 Comments

*Note: this post is based on my own experiences and opinions – not facts.

Self-esteem and self-worth are often used interchangeably or synonymously when people are asked how they feel about themselves. I’d like to offer up another point of view, which came after realizing my high level of self-esteem – and my shockingly low level of self-worth.

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Anxiety, Just Because.

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When I decided I wanted to blog about mental health, I did a lot of research. I wanted to see what other people were saying, what they were thinking, what they were feeling. Obviously there is good information to be found on the Internet (have you seen Wikipedia?) but sometimes its difficult to find exactly what you’re looking for. That was the case when I researched anxiety.

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When Did My Depression Start? I Don’t Know

Nathan Smith3 Comments

The first time I went to see a therapist, she asked me when all of this started. “All of this” is a very non-descript way to broach the subject of depression, by the way. The answer seemed simple at first. But then I gave it some thought, and what becomes clear is that this is something that I’ve dealt with for much longer than I realize.

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