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Saying goodbye is not something I enjoy. It is something I typically avoid. Writing a goodbye letter to a space that gave me a voice makes me feel gutted and afraid. One of my favorite writers says, "People and opportunities come into our lives for a reason, a season, or a lifetime." Writing "Debunking Addiction" happened during a season when I didn't have adequate support on my sobriety journey. I needed a space to openly and honestly communicate my experiences as an alcohol-free human living in an alcohol-obsessed culture. 
October 8th was International Lesbian Day, and in celebration of this day, I thought I would cover one of my favorite topics: lesbian breakups. Breaking up is hard, no matter your gender or sexuality. I know because I've lived all along the gender and sexuality spectrum, and I've survived a lot of breakups. I've had breakups with straight men, gay men, bisexual men, bisexual women, and, oh, lesbians. Hands down, the most challenging breakup I've had has been with my most recent lesbian-identified relationship. 
We each have successes in our lives, but can we use our successes to increase self-esteem? We all have made goals and achieved them, whether small or large. Yet oftentimes, we overlook these successes when life gets to be overwhelming. Have you forgotten your own successes, or even your inherent worth, when life gets to be too much? In today's post, I would like to remind all of us that self-esteem can be boosted by our successes. 
Initially, facing verbal abuse made me angry. Each individual can have many different experiences when facing verbal abuse. These circumstances can create a multitude of side effects, ranging from mild to extreme. In some cases, victims of verbal abuse may be angry, lash out at others, and continue the unhealthy cycle.
As a recovering gambling addict, I understand that vulnerabilities play a significant role in amplifying the allure of gambling. Addiction knows no bounds; it is not limited to age, gender, financial standing, or background. However, some are more susceptible to gambling addiction due to their vulnerabilities. 
It can be hard to remember that hope is medicine. When someone is first diagnosed with a mental health condition, it can be difficult to accept, and it can seem as if the life you once knew is no longer possible or accessible to you. That's what it was like when I was first diagnosed with bipolar disorder with psychotic features. I had a similar reaction when I was later diagnosed with chronic paranoid schizophrenia. But now I know that even with schizophrenia, hope is medicine.
It's important to manage boundaries in borderline personality disorder. I'm someone living with borderline personality disorder (BPD), and I've got a tendency to enmesh with my loved ones. Enmeshment in relationships refers to a dysfunctional pattern of relating where boundaries between individuals are unclear, and personal identities become blurred or fused together. In enmeshed relationships, individuals may have difficulty distinguishing their own thoughts, feelings, and needs from those of their partner or family member. In my case, my BPD causes me to fear rejection the closer I get to someone. The temptation to blend in and go with the flow just to secure acceptance is real. But here's where managing boundaries in BPD swoops in to save the day.
In my experience, eczema and mental health can be linked. In my early to mid-20s, I enjoyed wearing makeup and scented lotions. I didn't think much about the chemicals in these products because there didn't appear to be a reason for concern. But when I was 27, I developed painful eczema rashes that changed my perception of chemicals and mental health. To learn about my experience with eczema and how it affected my mental health, continue reading this post.
What comes to mind when you imagine practicing meditation? Is it sitting cross-legged in silence as the outside world races by? Is it clearing your mind of all thoughts in the hope of attaining enlightenment? The truth is that meditation practices come in many different forms and can provide various benefits for anyone seeking inner calm and self-discovery.
The idea of healing trauma through writing might feel too good to be true. When I was a kid, I used to sit on my bed in the moonlight and craft fictional stories in my mind. I'd spend Friday nights with fairy lights decked across my room and draft poetry and lyrics about my current situation. I'd journal before falling asleep to release any fear or obsessive thoughts that were clouding my head. Little did I know I was healing trauma through writing.

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Mary-Elizabeth Schurrer
Hi C.W.

Thank you for reaching out. I am so sorry to hear that you are in such distress. I know it can be difficult, but please consider seek out a mental health resource that can assist you. HealthyPlace's list of hotline numbers is a useful place to start. Here's a link to find the contact information: https://www.healthyplace.com/other-info/resources/mental-health-hotline-numbers-and-referral-resources.

Sincerely,

Mary-Elizabeth Schurrer
HealthyPlace Comment Moderator
Kim Burnicle
I just left my adult kids. They live 4 hours away and we spent thanksgiving week together. I noticed on the drive home I felt depressed and lonely. I got the feeling they were happy to see me go and they don’t need my anymore. I know they love me but I also think they don’t like me. They often use a tone of voice with me that leaves my feeling stupid and irrelevant. It’ll take me days to “get over” this sadness.
Ebony
it's currently summer and my family always goes swimming and it would be weird if I suddenly didn't as only my parents know about my self harm. my scars go all the way down my thighs and shorts don't cover them however they are purple red scars and I don't really know what to do.
Robb
In my experience: with larger companies: they do not care about self-harm or suicide. If it dont happen there, they dont acknowledge it. When you try to share self-harm tendancies, they will ignore it at best, or blacklist you at worst. We really should feel safe discussing fatal disorders like this at a place we spend 1/3 of our lives. But thanks to spree shooters and human apathy, if you share depression, suicidal feelings or self-harm feelings: you are branded a threat. Remember: HR works for the company, not for you.
Vladislav
Thank you a lot for this blog! It was really helpful for me.

After reading this I started to look at self-harm as something more serious, stopped to cover my scars and got some help. And other advices were really helpful in my journey. And now I almost a month clean.

Again, I really want to say thank you for this blog and videos!