Shannon’s Story I’m thirty-three years old, a special education teacher, behavioral therapist, softball coach, volleyball coach, tennis player, and lover of poetry and rap and hip-hop. I live with comorbid, generalized anxiety disorder, depression, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Here is a summary of my life before I go into greater detail. I attended Columbia CentralContinue reading Young Adult Personal Stories Series
Priscilla When I was growing up, my parents did their best to provide my brother and me with everything they didn’t have growing up. Despite wanting to stop generational traumas, my parents unintentionally perpetuated some. Without divulging too many details, I experienced several traumas during my childhood and adolescence that obstructed my self-esteem andContinue reading Young Adult Personal Stories Series
NOVEMBER 2019 BY SPENCER WALZ Editor’s note: This story was first published by the U-M School of Public Health in August 2018. Spencer Walz has now completed his BS in Public Health Sciences. While studying at U-M, he was a recipient of the Vivian Craig Hagberg and John Hagberg Jr. Scholarship. To paraphrase Dr. AmitContinue reading Engaging the Communities We Inhabit
July 2019 By Bekah Cone When I was a child, my anxiety and depression was labeled as shyness. When I was a teenager, it was labeled as hormonal changes and when I left for college, it was the “normal” reaction to such a big life transition. Suddenly, I ran out of explanations for the symptomsContinue reading Diagnosis and Therapy Bring Relief and Hope
July 2019 By Cheryl Wiker Editor’s note: This story is an excerpt from the author’s book, “Uncommon Courage.” The day my daughter, Kim, began hearing voices, started out as normal as any other day. As a single parent, I was managing fairly well, fortified by my faith and generally optimistic view of life. We wereContinue reading A Mother’s Story of Schizophrenia
FEBRUARY 2019 BY SPENCER WALZ Note: This story was originally published online under a different headline on March 15, 2018, by the U-M School of Public Health. Both the School of Public Health and the author, who leads a NAMI Washtenaw support group, granted NAMI Washtenaw permission to republish it. I started at the UniversityContinue reading Return to U-M Helps NAMI Volunteer Find New Career Path
DECEMBER 2018 BY CHRISTI BURKETT It was 6:30 a.m. on the last day of summer. I woke up and couldn’t fall back asleep, so I made some coffee. I’ve gotten into the habit of a brief meditation before drinking my coffee. After meditating, I held my hot mug of coffee between both hands, porch doorContinue reading The Shame of Recovery
OCTOBER 2018 BY STEPHANIE ROTH My name is Stephanie and I am 35 years old. I grew up in Oak Park, Michigan, and currently reside in Novi with my husband. I was diagnosed with depression at the young age of 7. I grew up in an environment where I was very anxious and needed toContinue reading Thinking More About Living
OCTOBER 2018 BY CHRISTI BURKETT The first question asked when a new person arrived was, “What brings you here?” To an outsider that might seem strange and invasive. After all this was a mental hospital; typically talking about one’s mental health is taboo. Some were guarded and did not wish to talk about what experiencesContinue reading Cloud Community
