Possibly one of the most frustrating things about mental illness is never being able to trust your perceptions and reactions to stimulus. Never knowing if a reaction is due to your mental illness or an appropriate response to stress. There will always be this little voice asking whether or not someone “normal” would be reacting […]
Days Like This
A friend once asked me why I reference my day “off” in quotation marks. It’s because working several part-time jobs, it’s hard to really take a day off. It’s true that working from home means it’s hard to stop working. My days “off” are days I don’t need to leave the house and go somewhere […]
Play a Day: Chicken and Egg
What appears at first glance to be a party. Upon closer observation, among those in attendance are actually depression, anxiety, insomnia, PTSD, menstrual difficulties, and, of course, the owner of the house. Since the audience has arrived in medias res, we don’t know which guest arrived first. Think of it like a murder mystery dinner […]
Wedding Bells in Austin, Oct 23
On October 23 at 8pm, Stephanie Vela Anderson is marrying her dildo, “Glen Potter.” The wedding ceremony, which will take place at Mister Tramps in Austin, is part performance art and part fundraiser for Anderson’s upcoming documentary about mental illness, entitled “Heartlight.” A video of the happy couple can be found here. In an interview, […]
Play a Day: Ups and Downs
The stage is filled with staircases. Someone walks up and down, up and down, and down and down and down…. some of the stairs go below the stage itself, and some high above the proscenium. Someone walks in circles up and down, down and up, trying to find a place to rest.
To Medicate or Not to Medicate?
That is the question. When I went for the follow-up for my head, the doctor basically offered to give me brain meds if I wanted them and my therapist agreed I needed them. I’ve been vacillating, and I feel like I’m doing a lot better than I was, so I haven’t brought it up with […]
Play a Day: Don’t Believe Everything You Hear
A woman tries to stay positive while the personification of her depression follows her around, telling her how horrible everything is. Example: Woman: This is only temporary. Depression: Who knows how long it will last? Woman: I may have lost some income, but I will be back on track soon. Depression: You never have […]
Less is More
Earlier this week, I hit a bit of a low point in a depression-anxiety spiral. I hadn’t been sleeping well, and having been laid up with my period, was feeling guilty and useless for not getting “enough” done, among other things. Reaching out always helps because I have a tendency to go inwards with those […]
Play a Day: Long Summer’s Nap
A woman lies in bed, sleeping. Life moves on around her.
Play a Day: Not Today
A woman sits under a fuzzy blanket, trying to will the world away.