What is stigma? According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), stigma is an attempt to label. It is a mark of shame or disgrace that results in discrimination. “Stigma” is a buzz word in the mental health field. We hear national and local organizations talking about it and for some of us, it’s […]
Tag Archives: mentalhealth
The Aftermath of Suicide
The last time I saw my father, I was boarding a train. I took the Amtrak route from his city to my mother’s city an hour north, every other weekend. This is what custody battles do. Twenty-two years later, the memory of our last moment together is as hazy as day tamped down by the […]
The Color of Success
It’s been about a year since we participated in One Spark. We made a lot of connections during the 5 day festival. One Spark gave us the courage to grow and helped validate the idea of bringing art groups to those living with mental illness in Jacksonville. One Spark was challenging. The five 11-hour day […]
The Ferris Bueller Theory
The Ferris Bueller Theory: Making the most out of life despite our struggles To my fellow people struggling with mental illness: don’t wait to be happy. I was covering a college graduation for my job a few days ago (I’m a reporter) and I looked around at all the graduates. Their smiling, hopeful faces brought […]
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