community stories
Welcome to our community! Here you will find personal stories, articles, poems and other creative pieces by writers from all around the world.
Immerse yourself in these wonderful accounts of life and mental health, told from the point of view of caretakers, people who are going through it, people who are healing, and people just like you and me.
Because we all have a story, and we all have our own personal struggles and journeys. And we want you to know that it’s okay to.
The loss of someone you don’t know: How Matthew Perry’s death affected me
I was in elementary school when I first watched an episode of Friends. I was immediately drawn to the character of Chandler. We were both awkward. We were both funny. We both had problems. He was one of my first TV crushes after Shaggy from Scooby-Doo. I became...
The loss of someone you don’t know: How Matthew Perry’s death affected me
I was in elementary school when I first watched an episode of Friends. I was immediately drawn to the character of Chandler. We were both awkward. We were both funny. We both had problems. He was...
Mental Health In the Work Place
Before diving in, I’d like to explain my word choice. Instead of “Mental Illness,” I will refer to it as “Mental Health Challenges.” I don’t like to use terms like “illness,” “issues”, or “problems.” The reason being is, unlike physical ailments, mental health plays a...
A Psychotic Mind: My History of Schizophrenia, Self-Harm, and Suicide Attempts
*Trigger warning: Self-harm and suicide attempts As a child, I remember being happy, I remember feeling safe, but after my parent's divorce, I remember feeling so much anguish and pain. For me, self-injury was activated by my parent’s divorce. I was 11 years old when...
23 Years of Bipolar 1 and I’m Still Dancing
No. I wasn’t always OK with being bipolar. What’s more, the shame of living with such a disease, propelled to do ridiculous actions that your mania compels you to do, the guilt of feeling depressed when that logical side of your tore-up brain knows there is so much...
god does not love beyonce and me equally
At the age of 26, Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin, Napoleon Bonaparte conquered Italy, and Ken Kesy published One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. At 27, I, Kellie Wood, cannot figure out the child safety lock on my bottle of CVS brand mouthwash. ...
Being Okay with Being Bipolar
I don’t know if I will ever be the person I was before Bipolar 1 Disorder took control of my life.But maybe that’s okay. We, as humans, are always evolving, always changing. Sometimes forthe better. Other times, for the worse. It is hard to accept you are subjected to...
Happy (and not-so-happy) Holiday Season
When most people think about the holiday season, they think of positive things like quality timewith family, traditions, and good memories. They’ll say “Happy Holidays!” to friends andstrangers alike, and while the intention is usually good, they fail to realize...