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If you haven't heard "People Pleaser" by Cat Burns, you're missing out. It's way relatable for those of us who can't help but put everyone else before ourselves. Welcome to People Pleasers Anonymous (PPA), fam. Let's figure out our own 12 steps to prosperity: Step 1) Embrace Confrontation. No is your new favorite word. Say it loud and proud, and don't be afraid to actually use it once in a while. It's okay to agree to disagree. Step 2) Be Uncomfortable Sometimes. If you a

I love a good list. I make them for meal plans, groceries, and all kinds of to-do's. Maybe that is why the beginning of a podcast episode of The Moth has stuck with me lately. Jordie Poncy was a psychologist with a story to tell and a pretty major list to follow, a list called "Still Existing and Bucket Listing." His diagnosis propelled him into the greatest list of all time, one that kept him in the moment. Hearing his story, I couldn't help but think of how my own diagnosis

Spirituality is a big part of who I am, so pardon my religious overtones. I grew up in the church. My mom would take us to multiple churches of various denominations every Sunday. Even now, I attend as often as I can, not necessarily married to any one institution or doctrine in particular. In the past (and even now), pastors will write off mental illness as demonic presence, and that has always bothered me. Now nothing I write is intended to be medical advice or spiritual ma

What if your reality was actually fiction? What if everything you know to be true doesn't exist? In my late 20's, I had a psychotic break. I didn't know it at the time, but everything I believed was nonexistent... and I believed some pretty random and radical things: The Garden of Eden is now ~ And who needs clothes in the beloved Garden? My mother says I tried to get undressed often and in public spaces on several occasions. In my mind, nakedness was truth, clothes optio

1) Speak to an Expert ~ This could be therapy, 988, someone you know and trust. Connect with somebody who can help you see the light. 2) Go Out into Nature ~ Take a hike, go for a walk, expose yourself to the great outdoors and take in the sights. Something about nature is refreshing. 3) Eat your Favorite Meal ~ Cook it yourself if possible. Or get dressed up and go out to eat somewhere special. Bonus points if someone else goes with you and foots the bill. 4) Play U

According to the DSM V, mania is characterized as "a distinct period of abnormally and persistently elevated, expansive, or irritable mood..." My version of this has morphed with time and medication, but it typically starts with insomnia and a number of rabbit holes. Unlike Alice in Wonderland, my rabbit holes are neither magical nor adventure-inducing. Instead, I usually end up with a hole in my pocket, a notebook full of nonsense, or a new business/random venture that nobod

I blacked out the year I was diagnosed. No really. I don't remember 90% of it. Before they figured it out, doctors thought it was just anxiety or major depression. They prescribed me drug after drug, but it just made it worse because they were treating the wrong illness. Then the climax: I tried to kill myself. I gathered together as many pills as I could find and took as many as I could keep down. My mom says I asked to go to the hospital. All I remember is waking up in the