Disclaimer: I am not a mental health professional. Any information provided is a product of research and/or personal experience. Please consult a physician or mental health professional for further information, resources, or assistance. Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is a mood disorder characterized by a variety of different anxiety-related symptoms. GAD differs from day-to-day anxiety because … Continue reading What is: Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Author: courtneyrbrt
Introducing: Mental Health, A Series
Disclaimer: I am not a mental health professional. Any information provided is a product of research and/or personal experience. Please consult a physician or mental health professional for further information, resources, or assistance. Welcome to the start of my series on mental health disorders and issues. Creating an open discussion about mental health is incredibly … Continue reading Introducing: Mental Health, A Series
A New Beginning
I don’t know where this story starts. Is it when I moved back to Ontario, a week and a half ago? Or maybe a month ago when I decided to leave Prince Edward Island? Is it in February when I pulled over on the side of the road, crying, because my partner said he wouldn't … Continue reading A New Beginning
Mental Health in a Pandemic
Out of all the things I over-analyze and worry about, my health is typically one thing that doesn't make the list. If something is off I don't feel the need to research my symptoms or call the doctor, and the thought of germs lingering on public surfaces doesn't bother me. For me, most things seem … Continue reading Mental Health in a Pandemic
Katie, Depression and Anxiety
For 25 years Katie has been my best friend. When you know someone for that long there’s very few things you don’t experience together; the good, the bad, and the downright ugly. We have inside jokes (drunk misspellings that have led us to refer to each other as Zousi), we have memories of playing a … Continue reading Katie, Depression and Anxiety
Taking Mental Health Days
I used to be of the mindset that no matter how I was feeling, no matter how anxious or depressed I felt, I should push through and show up no matter what. This seriously flawed logic had me at work, a fake smile plastered to my face, the day after my almost-suicide attempt (as I … Continue reading Taking Mental Health Days
Thoughts for March
Don’t be afraid to walk the path alone. I’ve always heard this quote (or some version of it) over the years but it hasn’t been something that’s resonated with me until recently. I’ve been having a difficult time adjusting to life in Prince Edward Island after moving from the Toronto area because I’ve felt isolated. … Continue reading Thoughts for March
Ruth, Anxiety
“I felt out of control. I felt like there was no escaping it, that this was something that was going to be my life, everyday for the rest of my life.” In the late 80s/early 90s, Ruth started suffering from anxiety and panic attacks. At that time, she didn’t know what was happening. Nobody talked … Continue reading Ruth, Anxiety
Lindsay, Anxiety
Lindsay has always been the Type-A, perfectionist sort – a claim she makes herself. She says it’s hard to know for sure if she can attribute that part of her personality to always having had anxiety because that part of her really blossomed while she was in high school, an age where a lot of … Continue reading Lindsay, Anxiety
Alysha, Anxiety, Depression, & Chronic Pain
“When you start having anxiety or an episode of depression, it comes down to not just the one situation but that you’ve had the situation so many times.” – Alysha When I think of how I want to describe Alysha there are two traits that immediately come to mind: her empathy and her advocacy. But … Continue reading Alysha, Anxiety, Depression, & Chronic Pain
Mental Health, Actually 