Posts Tagged ‘Depression’
Anchors
The day after I may or may not have broken up with boyfriend, my old professor emailed me. She asked if I’d be interested in a job teaching a lit course to nurses and social workers. It would be at 8am in the middle of winter, where ice is slick and thick, where darkness […]
Filed under: Addiction, Bi-Polar, Creative Nonfiction, Depression | 20 Comments
Tags: addiction, Creative Nonfiction, Depression, Essays, Relationships
Blocked
An old junkie friend of mine called the other day. I haven’t heard from her since I left that world. Some would call it a “lifestyle” – though there wasn’t much “living” going on at that time. Even calling her a friend is a stretch. Maybe she was a partner in crime. A war buddy. […]
Filed under: Addiction, Bi-Polar, Creative Nonfiction, Depression, Nonfiction | 109 Comments
Tags: addiction, Depression, Essay, Memoir
The Business of Life is Boring
My father is fond of saying that there is the business of life and the passion life: not everyone is good at both of them. Lately, I have been trying to market my memoir. I’ve been scouring through essays and blogs that offer advice and tips and tricks for interesting agents. No matter how much […]
Filed under: Creative Nonfiction, Memoir, Nonfiction, Writing | 10 Comments
Tags: Bipolar, Depression, Essays, Publishing, Query Letters, Writing
I’m standing on a soapbox because I’m angry. I’ve seen it over and over: a mother trying to get help for her mental health issues while family members punish her like she’s less-than, selfish, or unfit. Instead of working with them, they take away their kids, which only make matters worse. Being fit means getting […]
Filed under: Addiction, Bi-Polar, Creative Nonfiction, Nonfiction, Uncategorized, Writing | 8 Comments
Tags: Anger, Bipolar, Depression, Memoir, Mental Illness, Stereotypes
Why Runaway?
I ran away from Michigan in 1992. I was barely 17. I took up with a rag-tag team of misfits and headed out across the countryside with a pack of smokes, a student ID, and a small pack of clothes. We stuck out our thumbs and hoped for the best. What I discovered, uncovered, and […]
Filed under: Addiction, Bi-Polar, Creative Nonfiction, Depression, Memoir, Nonfiction | 7 Comments
Tags: Bi-Polar, Crazy, Depression, Memoir, Mental Health, Runaway, Writing
Live and Let Die
I’m speaking with a man I don’t know well, though I’ve seen him around for a few years. We are leaving a high school pops concert. My daughter just finished a complicated, half-hour chamber orchestra performance. They played McCartney’s “Live and Let Die.” His daughter had four solos in the Varsity choir. Our girls are […]
Filed under: Addiction, Bi-Polar, crazy, Depression, Memoir, Psych Ward, SMILE | 6 Comments
Tags: addiction, Bi-Polar, Crazy, Depression, Memoir, Mental Health, Psychiatric Ward, SMILE, Suicide Attempt
I read that book when I was ten. Back then, I loved reading – anything to escape my lackluster (at best) and chronically chaotic (at worst) childhood. My mother was / is mentally ill. Addiction is my family’s middle name. Needless to say, CONFUSED should have been my first. (Side note: due to yesterday’s discussion, […]
Filed under: Addiction, Bi-Polar, crazy, Depression, Memoir, Psych Ward, Uncategorized, Writing | 12 Comments
Tags: addiction, Bi-Polar, Depression, family, Mental Health, Michigan, parenting, Writing
I got my first response I wanted to delete. Given the almighty-power bestowed upon me as Blog Master, I was offended by a dissenting view of mental illness and my story. It was a long, wordy comment under SMILE (Part 1) http://whatsbroken.me/2013/01/08/smile-or-other-psych-ward-stories-part-1/ In order to (hopefully) ignite the flames of a fiery debate, I want […]
Filed under: Bi-Polar, crazy, Depression, Memoir, Psych Ward, SMILE, Uncategorized | 18 Comments
Tags: Bipolar, Crazy, Depression, Memoir, Mental Health, Psychiatric Ward, SMILE, Suicide Attempt, Writing
Here’s the deal: SMILE (like an infomercial) is only available for a limited time. Get your crazy on, while you can. Feel what it’s like to be locked-up. Make some nutty friends. Get in the head of a manic-depressive through all her ups, downs, and delusions. Fall in love with a sexy doctor, a […]
Filed under: Bi-Polar, Depression, Memoir, Psych Ward, SMILE, smoking | 11 Comments
Tags: Bi-Polar, Crazy, Depression, Letters, Love, Memoir, Mental Health, Psychiatric Ward, SMILE, smoking
Belle of the Bin – The paperwork to move over to Lodging Plus is slow and confusing. I sign and date sheets and forms with long lists of psycho-babble and insurance lingo that make no sense. Murray and Jennifer look sad in the rec room, hand me a piece of paper. “It has […]
Filed under: Addiction, crazy, Depression, Memoir, smoking, Uncategorized | 5 Comments
Tags: addiction, Bi-Polar, Crazy, Depression, Letters, Love, Memoir, Minneapolis, Psychiatric Ward, SMILE
What's Broken 