About mental illness and addiction
Recovery, whether it’s from addiction, burnout, heartbreak, or even a rough patch in life, can sometimes feel like climbing a mountain on a foggy morning. The adventure is different for everyone, but there’s usually one thing that kickstarts the process: a single, powerful question that makes you look at your situation in a new light. … Read more
Aging and addiction are two topics that come loaded with a lot of assumptions, rumors, and straight-up myths. Especially when the two meet. Many people picture addiction as a young person’s problem or see age as a shield against substance issues. I’ve seen firsthand how these myths can get in the way of care and … Read more
Getting news of a big diagnosis, whether it’s cancer, a chronic illness, or even a mental health condition, is hard enough on its own. I’ve watched and experienced the unexpected ways friends sometimes react. Suddenly, someone who checked in all the time is nowhere to be found, or group chats go silent. When people vanish … Read more
Small talk gets a bad reputation. Most people see it as fluff or an awkward social ritual filling time until the real conversation starts. I used to think that way too, but after digging into how small talk really works, I found it’s surprisingly good for mental health. There’s a lot more going on when … Read more
Sleep paralysis stops you from moving or speaking while waking up or falling asleep. Once you’ve experienced it, you know just how strange and sometimes scary it can feel. But there’s this topic that gets a lot of attention lately: how sleep paralysis connects to addiction and substance use. Let me break down what science … Read more
Emotional numbness after narcissistic abuse is something that can feel really confusing and even a little bit scary. If you’ve ever found yourself feeling “checked out,” struggling to connect with your feelings, or even feeling completely flat after dealing with a narcissist, you’re definitely not alone. This experience is more common than you might think, … Read more
Sharing personal stories goes way beyond just putting words out into the world. Telling my story has opened up doors to new relationships, personal growth, and even professional change. Most people expect sharing their story to feel a bit vulnerable (it does), but there’s a whole stack of upsides, too. Here, I’m walking you through … Read more
Shame often lurks in the background of addiction, acting like an invisible force that shapes everything from daily decisions to relationships with others. It’s not just a fleeting feeling of embarrassment—it’s a much heavier sense that something is deeply wrong with who you are. For so many people dealing with addiction, shame sticks around even … Read more
If you’ve ever found yourself stuck in patterns that don’t work for you, such as over-checking your phone, worrying endlessly, or seeking approval from others, there’s usually something deeper going on under the surface. How secure we feel in our relationships can drive why we sometimes slip into cycles we can’t seem to break. Many … Read more
Parenting during recovery from substance use is a ride full of ups and downs. For people like me who’ve struggled with addiction, being a present and loving parent is really important, but recovery brings its own set of challenges, especially when kids are in the mix. If you find yourself steering through sobriety while raising … Read more