By Saumya Rawat | Featured Contributor
Even when I needed saving,
I needed to first convince them
that I needed saving
or worse…was worth saving.
That test enough delayed the process.
The last few breaths were wasted proving worth,
Where one could have been held and let continued breathing,
One was still questioned on if it’s real,
By Brandon Koebernik | Featured Contributor
Welcome back, demon,
I’ve been expecting you.
Now, what is your reason,
For the things I’m going through?
You should hold no power here,
Yet you manage to find a way.
I wish you’d just disappear,
But you reside in my brain.
Continue reading “Welcome Back, Demon [a poem on mental illness]”
By Birdie Fudge | Featured Contributor
Not too long ago, I went on medication for the first time for my major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety. I wrote poems every day, starting from the first day I took the pill. I used my poetry to track my mood and the timeline of the medicine taking effect. When I look at the poetry written during the beginning of that journey and compare it to now, it’s as if two different people are speaking. This poem is how I feel now. My other poem, “Happy Pill,” reflects how I felt in the beginning of my journey.
By Brandon Koebernik | Featured Contributor
My medication is wearing off,
It’s no longer protecting me.
My demons begin to scoff,
As I try to make a plea.
They found a way through,
The chemicals weren’t strong enough.
I’m lost without a clue,
How am I supposed to rebuff?
By Bernard Demaere | Featured Contributor
Everyone must still wonder
How it all happens
Mental illness, by and by
Slowly
Unexpectedly
It creeps in on you
It is a process
Of an unloved story.
If you have been feeling increasingly down or depressed lately, you are not alone. Surveys worldwide have shown that the vast majority of people feel that the coronavirus pandemic has had a significant negative effect on their mental health and wellbeing—and it’s no surprise why. The stress of social isolation compounded with the daily onslaught of negative news—along with existing worries about health, work, and family life—is more than enough to trigger depression for the first time or exacerbate symptoms in those who have already been diagnosed.
No matter where you are in your journey, this article will provide some practical strategies that will help you counteract negative thoughts and feelings of loneliness while improving your mood and helping you feel less depressed.
Continue reading “Feeling Depressed? Coping with Depression during COVID”
By Brandon Koebernik | Featured Contributor
There’s a stigma when it comes to seeking help for mental issues. After 6 years in the military, I would have never dared to bring up an issue I was having. The fear of judgment or of appearing “weak” amongst my peers was incredibly debilitating in an of itself. I played it off; fake smile every now and then, pretending I was “normal”. I was emotionally withdrawn and apathetic towards life.
Continue reading “Crushing the Stigma: Living with Bipolar Disorder”
