By Maureen So as not to dive abruptly into the depths of my mental illnesses, I would like to quickly, yet formally, introduce myself. My name is Maureen, and I am a sophomore studying political science at the University of Michigan. I was raised in a large Irish Catholic family (the youngest of eight children!)Continue reading A Personal Story
BY MARY PALNAU Maybe I’m still in shock. Maybe I’m afraid to cry–like it would mean I’m more depressed than I want to show even myself. Maybe it’s because we haven’t had the service yet and I’m use to the service being within a few days. Maybe it’s because I often thought something like thisContinue reading Reflection – Not Ready to Cry
In case you missed it…This was our most clicked-on article last month, so we’ve included it this month as well. Read it today! Even in Ann Arbor, with a socially engaged population that questions norms and takes on taboos, ECT is still either off the radar or off the table. Ms. Higgins teaches composition andContinue reading ELECTROCONVULSIVE THERAPY DESERVES A SECOND LOOK
A nurse on the ward urged meto take home this ceramic spoonrestshaped like a fish;she says I made itin arts and crafts. Home now, I hovernear the microwaveor tend to garlic sputtering in oil,and consider the molded shape,the clashing hues of salmonand mauve that somehow matchour kitchen. Rinsing it cleanafter dinner, I squeak fingersacross theContinue reading REFLECTION – ECT SOUVENIR
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
