My son was 16 when he took his own life. His name is Michael Alfred. After my loss, I did not believe there could be healing. I ate and ate and ate. I gained 65 lbs. I saw no future. But slowly – very slowly, after counseling, therapy, and research with support groups – I came to realize this was my new life and I had to either embrace this or not. In the beginning, I sat on the couch and ate. I did not believe that there were other [...]
Depression – we have all heard the word many times. In the past three years, we have all felt sadness. Feeling sad, unmotivated, or hopeless is common in daily life. But what is the difference between sadness and depression? Feeling sad does not last as long as depression. In depression, you might also experience things like not feeling hungry or feeling hungrier than usual. You may also be sleeping a lot or not enough, and feeling hopeless. Hopelessness feels like the things that you used to enjoy are no longer [...]
Philadelphia is a city known for our sports teams and fans, who are the most knowledgeable and passionate. As an avid Eagles fan, I've noticed that every commercial break has sports betting advertisements for companies like FanDuel or Draftkings. Even sports analysts are promoting the apps and promising risk-free betting. We know that there is no such thing as risk-free betting. Not everyone who gambles develops a problem, but with the increased access (more casinos, online gambling, and sports betting) and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a [...]
I’m going to try my best to talk about my suicidal ideation and depression. Honestly, I still don’t completely understand how to explain. Let me start by telling you what I call my depressive and suicidal moods/episodes: “Moments.” I started calling them moments because it helps me remember that the way I’m feeling will pass soon. Even though I can’t understand myself during those moments, I can get through and overcome them. The word helps me build resiliency within myself. These moments feel like heavy storm clouds surrounding my head. [...]
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