In the spring of 2002, I earned my Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in poetry. I immediately began looking for a tenure-track position teaching creative writing/English at a 2- or 4-year college or university. I even had an on-campus interview for a 2-year college in New Jersey! (It didn't pan out.) My husband (my boyfriend... Continue Reading →
First Hypomanic/Depressive Episode
I moved to Houston, Texas a year after high school (I took a year off). I was going to be a music performance major, and I was thrilled to live in a different city, far away from my parents. For about 6 months, my boyfriend and I lived with his mother. Then he broke up... Continue Reading →
Fingers Crossed That I Won’t Need ECT
I had an appointment with my psychiatrist today, which couldn't come soon enough, even though it's only been 4 weeks since my last appointment. I've been going through a severe depression for the past 3 weeks, right after the short hypomanic episode triggered by my misuse of my light box (I was supposed to start... Continue Reading →
“Rediscovery” by Barb Natividad
As I mentioned in my first post of the year, I may share some of my previously published (as opposed to works-in-progress) writing. There's not a lot! Here's the first one. It looks long because of the way WordPress formats lines/paragraphs. Please scroll slowly so you don't accidentally skip any of the lines. Poetry is... Continue Reading →
“Another Kind of Madness” by Stephen P. Hinshaw
Speaking of stigma, last summer I read a book (this isn't a review) called Another Kind of Madness: A Journey Through the Stigma and Hope of Mental Illness by Stephen P. Hinshaw. It was the first book I'd ever read about the stigma towards mental illness, and is told through the author's family experience. Hinshaw's... Continue Reading →
