Let's talk about quasi eating disorder recovery. This is by no means a term I invented, but it is a state of being I am acutely familiar with. I have experienced it myself, and I have seen it manifest in other people who are on healing journeys as well. To be clear: I harbor no judgment toward anyone in quasi eating disorder recovery. I understand how comfortable (not to mention, easy) it is to be stuck there. But I also know that it's not a true expression of freedom and wholeness. So I want to talk about quasi eating disorder recovery—what this concept means, how to identify it, and steps to overcome it.    

Since I author a blog about raising a child with mental illness, you'd think I'd be an expert at handling my own child's attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but that's definitely not the case. Some days I feel overwhelmed by the mental, emotional, and physical toll that this job can take. I'm pretty sure I'm not alone, either. When I did keyword research for this post and researched the phrase, "raising a child with ADHD," I came up with results like these: "I have no patience for my ADHD child," "I can't handle my ADHD child," and "overwhelmed with ADHD child." In other words, parents are trying to figure out how to handle their child's ADHD. I'm still trying to figure it out, too, but I have some idea of why I feel so overwhelmed with my child's ADHD sometimes and ways I can handle it a little bit better.

Comparing ourselves to others is natural human tendency. We all do it, often without even meaning to. If you find yourself comparing yourself to people, that definitely doesn't mean you're a terrible person. It might mean, though, that you feel anxious and inadequate sometimes or a lot of the time, though. Letting go of comparison can be incredibly freeing, allowing you to be exactly who you are and live life on your own terms rather than someone else's. This reduces feelings of anxiety and depression and replaces them with contentment and wellbeing. Here 's how to start letting go of comparisons. 

Struggling with anxiety involves experiencing symptoms such as headaches, shakiness, a rapid heart rate, uncomfortable stomach issues, and feelings of dread. Often, these feelings are unexplainable, and the feelings may come on unexpectedly. This is something that I know I experience, and then, as a result, I will find that I try to figure out what it is that is causing the anxiety. This sometimes results in identifying and challenging anxious thoughts.

Everyone has different ways of showing and receiving love. According to author Gary D. Chapman of "The Five Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts," there are five main love languages. By understanding each love language, I was able to identify the methods that affect me the most. In this article, I will talk about all of the love languages and how they have helped me get through life's trials.

Reckless decisions are common with people who live with borderline personality disorder (BPD). However, these decisions can harm your mental and physical health, as well as your relationships. Learning how to control impulsive behavior with BPD can be a helpful skill if you want to progress in your recovery.

Apologizing when we wrong someone is an important social skill, but overapologizing when it isn't necessary can actually put strain on our relationships. I haven't completely broken this habit, but I have curbed it somewhat through self-reflection, mindfulness, and alternative actions. Maybe the strategies that worked for me can help those of you who relate to this problem.

I have been down a serious Google rabbit hole this past week on the subject of mental illness masking other conditions. The reason for this is personal -- my brother is currently undergoing diagnostic testing for autism. The more I think about this, the more it makes sense that mental illness could inhibit timely diagnosis of other issues.

The lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, etc. (LGBTQIA+) community faces barriers when searching for inclusive mental health care. These barriers can include uneducated providers, discrimination within a community practice setting, and financial hardships that limit provider options. Acknowledging that these barriers exist for the LGBTQIA+ mental health community is the first step in eradicating them.

In my last post, I talked about how I experience depression as anger or rage. In this post, I'm going to talk about how to handle anger or rage that is really depression in disguise.