I’ll be honest – I write and talk about a mental health a lot, but I know conversations around mental health aren’t always easy. They can be awkward or uncomfortable, and sometimes it might feel like they don’t go anywhere. But even though those interactions might be hard or feel pointless, there’s nothing further from the truth. Mental health matters every single day, and here’s why.
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A Look at Mental Health in the United States During Mental Health Awareness Month 2022
Last year, I took a deep dive into some statistics and data surrounding mental health and the LGBTQIA+ community during Pride Month. I think that diving into data and statistics is one of the clearest ways to make mental health visible in our society. The more we use anecdotal evidence or rely on assumptions, the harder it is to have a conversation around mental health and mental illness. That being said, I tried to find the most recent data I could to figure out the state of mental health in the United States.
Continue readingHow Do You Talk About Mental Health?
During Mental Health Awareness Month, there is a lot of attention focused on knowing what mental health challenges look like. It makes sense – mental illness and mental health disorders have become much more prevalent in the past few decades and the pandemic has only amplified that, so awareness is extremely important. But there are so many things to be aware of when it comes to mental health that not everyone might know. That’s why today, I want to reflect on how we talk about mental health society and how that impacts our health and wellness.
Continue readingWhy Mental Health Awareness Is Important
May means one thing on My Brain’s Not Broken – it’s time to talk about mental health awareness! May is Mental Health Awareness Month in the United States, which means it’s a time where there is added emphasis on how we talk about mental health in this country. And before I dive into that topic (which I’ll revisit later this month), I want to talk about the concept of mental health awareness. There’s a big misconception that the only people who have mental health are people who experience mental illness. And this month, I’m here to tell you that spreading mental health awareness is important because we ALL have mental health.
Continue readingMental Health Awareness Month 2022
The month of May means one thing on My Brain’s Not Broken – it’s Mental Health Awareness Month! This is a time every year (held each May in the United States) where time and space is reserved to raise awareness for mental health. Even though we can advocate year-round, this month is a time for specific conversations about shrinking the mental health stigma and advocating for the policies and services that people need. Different organizations have various themes for Mental Health Awareness Month, and this month is a good time to come together and advocate for what we ALL need to maintain mental wellness. Here are a few campaigns to keep an eye on this month!
Continue readingIntroducing My New Project: Negative Thoughts, Positive Person!
Happy Thursday! Earlier this week, I mentioned I’m cooking up a few new projects as part of my attempt to grow into more of a mental health advocate and activist. One of the biggest reasons I want to get into a different type of space (don’t worry, MBNB isn’t going anywhere!) is that in the years I’ve been writing this blog, I’ve come to understand the power of conversation. The ability to share my story and my experience has been profoundly important to my mental health, and without that space to learn and grow, I wouldn’t be where I am today. That’s why I’m excited to announce that starting next month, I’m going to be sharing some of my broader thoughts and reflections in a new form – an email newsletter I’m calling Negative Thoughts, Positive Person.
Continue readingTrying New Things
When I first started My Brain’s Not Broken, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to say. I was a few months into my first full-time job, and I wanted to share what it was like to be an adult who was trying to figure out depression and anxiety while also trying to figure out post-grad life. In the years since, this blog has transformed into a place where I’ve learned so much about mental health and wellness. And that’s why, for the past few months, I’ve been trying to think of ways that I could build this blog as a space that’s bigger than my own mental health journey – and that’s what I want to talk to you about today.
Continue readingCalming the Noise in My Head
I don’t know if there’s something I’ve written about more in the past month than my increased interest in meditation. And while I’m slowly learning what the benefits for me, a very helpful one became clear earlier this week. A huge benefit of reaching a meditative state is that, even though it’s incredibly brief, the noise in my head quiets down. But it wasn’t until it quieted down that I realized just how loud and constant the noise is in my head – and learned, yet again, how anxiety can manifest in people.
Continue readingLooking Inward Instead of Outward
For the past month, I’ve been getting more into meditation as a daily practice. I’m trying to use meditation as something I look forward to during my day-to-day, instead of adding another item to my to-do list that I need to check off. This lets me put less pressure on myself (which is nice), but it also lets me go into those meditations with a bit of a freer mind. And it’s that freer mind I’m grateful for, because that plays a big role in looking inward during meditation – something I’ve really struggled with before.
Continue readingManaging Self-Awareness and Mental Health
Over the years, my relationship with therapy has ebbed and flowed. I’ve gone from being skeptical about it to going twice a week and everywhere in between. The common thread is that I’ve never been with one therapist long enough to making any long-term changes – until now. And now that I’m noticing some things about myself and how mental health affects my life, I’m facing a new challenge. But now that I’m self-aware about these these things, how can I use this information to improve?
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My Brain's Not Broken 