The following piece was selected as one of the winners of this year’s Refuat Hanefesh Creative Expression Contest. Age group: High School. It has been lightly edited. I look just like you. But I am living in a different world than you. I live in the world of OCD. You sit next Read More …
The following piece was selected as one of the winners of this year’s Refuat Hanefesh Creative Expression Contest. Age group: College and Up. It has been lightly edited. Stigma is not only found among the family and friends of one suffering from mental illness. It also lies in the head of those suffering. They Read More …
Editor’s Note: This is part two of a two-part post. The first part discussed the tribulations of the author making it through a night with anorexia, OCD and suicidal ideation. The second part, below, discusses the author’s experiences in superficial Jewish culture as a demonstration of how Jewish society fosters self-image challenges and prioritizes the Read More …
It is understood today that people with autism are a common part of life. What isn’t understood is how they deal with mental health and how others can help them. This is particularly important because those on the spectrum are more likely to become depressed. Being someone who is on the autism spectrum, and also works Read More …
We all have heard, in some form or another, the horrors that occur within the walls of the psychiatric unit of the hospital. Whether it be the straitjacket that people wear as they are strapped into a stretcher, carried off to procedures; or the crazy people that scream all day and are only quieted with Read More …
I couldn’t catch my breath. “It’s all in my head,” I told myself. “I just need to relax, take a walk, and wash my face.” I walked back into class a few minutes later, not feeling any better. I tried to ignore what was happening to my body. The next class started, and I felt Read More …
I Didn’t Know It started with small things. My daughter would take a nail clipper and pick at her skin. I didn’t know that was considered cutting. She was a sweet girl but from the time she was young, occasionally she seemed so negative. I didn’t know that was considered depression. We had her in Read More …
Being postpartum is a confusing experience. You’re overwhelmed by mazal tov texts, calls, and visits, recovering from labor and delivery, and taking care of a newborn all at the same time. This was baby number three for me, but I had an inkling in the back of my mind that it was going to be Read More …
Editor’s Note: This is part one of a two-part post. The first part, below, discusses the tribulations of the author making it through a night with anorexia, OCD and suicidal ideation. The second part, which can be found here, discusses the author’s experiences in superficial Jewish culture as a demonstration of how Jewish society fosters Read More …