How 'Obi-Wan Kenobi' Proves the Power of Connection in Healing Trauma.

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This whole writing is basically a massive spoiler for all things “Obi-Wan Kenobi” and “Star Wars” in general.

…Understanding that Obi-Wan likely has PTSD is helpful because it portrays what I believe is an important lesson. I have some theories to share, and I promise it all links up. It’s my opinion that when it comes to trauma, a part of what causes so much pain is that it disconnects us from ourselves and others…

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I Tried rTMS and This is What Happened

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Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation or rTMS for short, has been around for quite a while. It is a mental health treatment that was developed in 1985. It hasn’t entered into mainstream practice in a lot of places just yet, but it is gaining popularity. Up until 2 years ago, I hadn’t heard of it either.

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This is Me, I Am Triggered

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Time stops.

My mind is now its’ own universe, everything else is foggy and distant. I feel too many emotions at once. They jumble around, bouncing off each other, competing for the top spot. I’m angry, sad, frightened, ashamed, and confused. I am in the danger of the past. My breathing is slow, almost imperceptible. My chest is tight and I’m running out of air. I feel trapped in place, unable to move. All reminiscent of back then.

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This Different Way of Seeing My C-PTSD Flight Response Blew My Mind

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I opened my eyes and the first thought that popped in my head was: “I do not want to get out of bed.” The classic morning refrain for us countless many. After 40 minutes of arguing with myself, I pushed my way toward my coffee pot. I then dragged out my yoga gear and propped open my computer. “Time for Zoom class,” I dutifully told myself, as I then clicked “join meeting.”

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How This ‘Ted Lasso’ Theme Relates to My Complex PTSD Healing Journey

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“Ted Lasso” is not a TV show that I would have chosen to watch on my own. In fact, until it was recommended to me, I somehow hadn’t even heard of it. It’s the stuff of delicious irony that I know myself well enough to recognize that even if I had come across this series, I can guess that I would have seen what looks like a goofy sports comedy and said, “pass.” I would have missed out. You see, “Ted Lasso” isn’t really about sports and while it’s certainly silly at times, it’s equally thoughtful.

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What It Actually Means When Someone Has Been ‘Triggered’.

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Long ago, I was having a lighthearted argument with my roommate and another friend. Eventually, I found myself feeling fed up, and I moved toward the front door in a semi-annoyed attempt to exit the apartment. By the time I’d gotten there, the two of them had stood up and were jokingly blocking me from leaving.

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This Complex PTSD Symptom Makes Trusting New People Hard

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No matter who you are or what your situation is, making the choice to trust someone new can be a tricky part of life. It’s worth noting that trust does come easier for some, and for others it can be much harder. I personally fall into the second category and I certainly have my reasons as to why trust is difficult for me.

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The C-PTSD Symptom You May Not Have Heard Of.

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You likely have heard of the term “flashback” before. In reference to mental illness, it generally involves a person having an intense re-experiencing of a past trauma, as though it were presently occurring. In C-PTSD flashbacks may differ in that they do not focus on one particular event or memory…

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3 Common Mental Health Phrases We Should Have Retired Long Ago.

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I am a mental health advocate, who does a lot of presentations. Often my conversations touch on the topic of stigma toward mental illness. I regularly refer to the language we use when talking about it, and how when compared to other illnesses it is regularly treated shamefully.

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The Suicidal Thoughts Scale You Didn’t Know You Needed

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Fifteen years ago I was sitting in a therapist’s office, and I was afraid to tell her how I was really doing. She persisted, and over the session, I was able to tell her I was having suicidal thoughts. I didn’t know what this would mean. I was afraid a “white van” would show up and take me away, or that she would get angry or not believe me. None of those things happened.

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6 Signs Your Job Is Toxic for Your Mental Health

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Everyone has bad days at work — a customer is rude, you need to rush to finish a project, you have to skip lunch or some other annoying thing. If this is now and then, only 10 percent of the time, I’d say that is probably OK. Nothing is perfect. However, if you face daily major stresses, you constantly feel devalued and begin and end your day dreading your job, you may be in a toxic situation.

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The Side Effect of Going Off Antidepressants You May Not Have Heard Of

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Imagine this scenario. You’re having an average day, and you’re in the mood for a coffee. You decide to walk over to your favorite coffee shop, just a few short minutes away. Step, step, step. Zap! Step. Zap! Wait, what? Zap? Zap shouldn’t be a part of this equation. This strange sensation is something that happens to me, as well to many others. It’s a side effect of antidepressants that many are not familiar with, but it does happen.

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7 Little Motivation Tricks for Depression and Anxiety

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Motivation is a tricky thing, and sometimes you have to fight back with your own tricks. As a person who lives with depression and anxiety, I often struggle to get the most basic of things done. It’s not that I physically can’t or that I’m choosing not to — it’s that everything becomes difficult and the fatigue is very real. As I have lived with this for many years, over time I’ve developed a few tricks to get things done. They aren’t necessarily permanent solutions, nor will they work for everyone or every situation. Yet they are handy little tips which I’d like to pass on to you.

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The 2-Minute Rule I Use When I'm Too Depressed to Clean the Kitchen

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Keeping things orderly is not my strong suit, especially when I’m dealing with depression. While all areas of my home suffer, no area suffers more than my kitchen. Dishes pile up, clutter is not organized and surfaces are not wiped down. Of course over time it only becomes worse, making it all the harder to find the motivation to get into cleaning it. I recently discovered a method that helps me to slowly get things into shape.

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