“Anytime I hear about a suicide, it really cuts me deep. Because I’ve been there. “I don’t think people realize that person fought so hard to try not to do that. They just weren’t strong enough. “I have an acquaintance whose mom recently killed herself. … Continue readingWhen suicide leads to the blame game
“I need people to be OK with talking about their mental health. It’s so stigmatized. People are so terrified of appearing weak. Because it’s a mental thing and not a broken foot, some people feel like they should be able to just power through it. … Continue readingTalking about your mental health is key
“My whole life, I’ve been fat. I kind of think about doing surgery or losing weight, but it just never really takes off. I get frustrated, and it doesn’t happen. It got to the point where going into a restaurant was the most I could … Continue readingKeto at center of her weight loss journey
“I was molested when I was a kid, from age 2 to 9, the whole time by my mother’s boyfriend. She had no idea. When she found out, it was over. Never saw him again. Decided not to press charges. She didn’t want to put … Continue readingSexual abuse as child continues to haunt her
“I’ve always had anxiety and depression. Even as a child. Throughout my life, I’ve been in and out of therapy, on and off antidepressants. My depression has always been weird. I’m a very joyful person. But every once in a while, I’ll get depressed, and … Continue readingSuicide — ‘I would never do that to my mother’
While keeping an eye on his adventurous 2-year-old daughter as she climbed the playground equipment, this young dad reflected on his career and family life. “I work as a nurse in the ICU. Since we have a lot more sicker patients there, it can be … Continue readingDad finding balance between career and parenting
“I was in construction pretty much all my life. I spent my final six years in Iraq, doing work to support the military. I went over there to get some extra money to build up for retirement. My wife stayed here. She went through a … Continue readingHusband and wife share connection while camping
“On my way to work, I would see homeless people every day. Especially during the winter months, I would see them living in cardboard boxes under bridges and sometimes on sidewalks. I’ve bought food for a homeless person, and the gratitude of, ‘Thank you, thank … Continue readingShe’s filling a need by helping the homeless
“As I dealt with being molested when I was very young and even more recently, I found solace in singing. I’m not the best singer in the world, but I love to sing. “I was in theater class in school. One of the things my … Continue readingSinging helps her ‘scream out how I was feeling’
“It’s kind of hard to say. What happened to me when I was a little kid, when I was 7 … I got molested by my neighbors. Ever since, it sparked a fear of men. “Growing up, when your parents are strict — not mean, … Continue readingTalking about sexual abuse a step in right direction