Global Health Mag

When I started seeing a therapist consistently for the first time ever, he identified the borderline personality disorder (BPD) traits that were wreaking havoc in my life and relationships. The first dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) skill he taught me was mindfulness. And it is a skill — a very powerful one at that. But it’s not a solution. I try …

The nursery was ready. Everything washed and smelled like baby powder. I felt like a nun in a nightclub — I was scared, but yet so excited! I was going to be a mom! But that faded quickly. When I held my daughter for the first time, anxiety overwhelmed me. It was not the emotion I was expecting. And it stuck around. …

It took over a year of intensive therapy before I could admit it. In a quiet and almost afraid voice, I finally said it to my counselor: “I can’t remember what I look like.” We were knee deep in a 12-week treatment program for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In therapy, we thoroughly brainstormed all the ways past trauma affected my …

I have rapid cycling type II bipolar disorder. I experience hypomanic episodes at least every two months. I find myself energized, adding to my already substantial list of responsibilities and running circles around my co-workers. In addition to that, I find myself overwhelmed, annoying my family and exhausted after a simple eight-hour shift. My girlfriend has borderline personality disorder (BPD). She …

I am a 25-year-old woman of Somali origin who was born and bred in the U.K., and has spent most of her life in the amazing city that is London. I have struggled with my mental health since I was 17. My problems first started when I started talking to men. I met a man online who I felt a …

It still surprises me when, during therapy, I mention something and my therapist points out that I’m thinking in “black and white.” To be honest, I haven’t known about my borderline personality disorder (BPD) for very long — only about a year or two. But looking back, this kind of thinking (also known as splitting) is the symptom I see …

Dear Emergency Room: I am writing to inform you that people with mental illnesses are tired and angry. We are tired of entering your doors with urgent needs only to be often passed off as faking, attention-seeking or nuisances. We are tired of your changed attitude toward us once our chart arrives. In that instant, we experience a shift from real patient …

When you live with suicidal thoughts, the monologue inside your head might sound like this: “I just want the pain to stop.” “People will be better off without you.” “You shouldn’t exist anymore.”  When you’re living with chronic suicidal thoughts, that monologue rarely stops. This persistence can make it exhausting and painful to get through one day, one hour or even just …

Self-sabotaging (relationships, jobs, etc.) is a fairly common habit of people with borderline personality disorder (BPD). Personally, I think I sabotage myself without even knowing it, mainly because I feel like I don’t deserve anything good in my life. When things are going well, my anxiety actually increases, because I’m afraid things will fall apart at any second. I’m not used to stability …

When you’re supporting someone who’s suicidal, there aren’t magic words to make the pain go away. This means as supporters, we can only do the best we can. This might mean just helping someone get through a moment, staying with them until they feel safe, and then making sure they receive the support they need — whatever they need. While …

So, the other day, someone told me to stop looking for happiness outside and start looking for it within. At that moment, with the heat of my constant companion — anger — building in my stomach, I couldn’t articulate my thoughts well enough to have a proper response to it. But now that a few days and my anger have …

Experiencing suicidal ideation does not mean a person is suicidal; but when suicidal thoughts get more intrusive, it can make it feel like you’re living on borrowed time. I’m a pretender. This is a word I’ve chosen to adapt to describe my relationship with the idea of suicide. I do not at this point in time have any plan or …

As someone with borderline personality disorder (BPD), I find that loneliness is one of the symptoms I have the most trouble dealing with. I often worry that I’m too reliant on others. Therefore I strive to be independent. This need for independence only lasts until I’m home alone. As soon as my family leaves the house, I feel the crushing pain …

Sometimes when people are struggling with suicidal thoughts, it’s not about what they say — it’s what they do. While it can be hard to say the words, “I’m thinking about suicide,” sometimes people reveal their struggles through their behavior — and if we don’t know what to look out for, it can be easy to miss. That’s why we asked …

Rick “Zombie Boy” Genest has died at the age of 32, according to a tweet posted by Lady Gaga late Thursday evening. Genest, who lived in Montreal, Canada, rose to fame after appearing alongside Lady Gaga in her “Born This Way” music video. The suicide of friend Rick Genest, Zombie Boy is beyond devastating. We have to work harder to change the …