Mental Health Blog Party

So it may be May 19th and the day to blog about mental health was yesterday. But May is Mental Health month and its never to late to talk about busting down the stigma and negative feelings associated with mental health.

I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety disorder when I was a junior in college. I had had symptoms and signs of depression since I was in middle school and I had been suicidal since I was a high school student. All of this was a secret from my family: the appointments to a therapist/counselor, my inability to get out of bed, my skipping class, my emotional sadism, etc until I was a senior in college and things got so bad I decided to give in and get prescribed a medication. I had to tell my parents because I was still on their insurance and figured the questions would start coming when the insurance statement from the doctor's visit. I told them, got prescribed a medication and tried to move on. They didn't take it well, my mom insists to this day that I'm not getting enough vitamins and usually provides me with a new article from a women's magazine about feeling down and vitamin D or E or whatever the "it" solution of the month is. My Dad, let's just say the discussion with him was so traumatic it goes on the list of "things I'm not sure I'll ever completely get over."

The medication worked decently, I finished my classes and graduated in June....immediately losing access to my free appointments with a counselor and at the end of the month...no more medication. And that is what I remember being the lowest time of my life. I have never attempted suicide-the thought of death was so terrifying that when I get depressed and want to die I would frequently put myself into an anxiety attack. But at that point, subletting a friend's apartment I found myself rushing into the kitchen, grabbing the first knife available and locking the bathroom door, found myself sobbing in the bathtub...knife to my wrist.

Thank God it was a dull knife.

Since that day I've been through at least 5 different types of medication, to at least 4 new doctors and therapists about it and I still have days where I can't bring myself to get out of bed.

But I'm alive.

I blog about mental health and fight the stigma about suicide and depression because admitting that I needed help saved my life. Even when the day comes (hopefully) that I don't need medication any longer I will still have depression. I will still need to fight the dark shadows in my head and insist that life is worth it. Depression doesn't "hurt" like those dumb Cymbalta commercials state (P.S. drug commercials = not ok) it kills. And sharing stories is how we save lives.

Special thanks to Therese Borchard at PsychCentral whose blog I read today that inspired me to write this.

And most importantly: If you or someone you know is in crisis DO NOT WAIT! Call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) and/or go to the emergency room and GET HELP!

DIY Wood Stencil Sign

I purchased these cute blank signs from Target--here's what the original item looked like. Then I created a stencil using 631-this is removable vinyl. I chose removable vinyl mostly because I had ordered a large number of a color I didn't intend to use again and had extra, also it works great for things like ceramics where you're worried 651 permanent vinyl won't remove easily. The key for me was USE TRANSFER TAPE. In the past a majority of my bleeding has been from the centers of the letters because I was individually placing them by hand and they weren't sealing properly. Transfer tape not only removes me individually placing letter centers, but it also gives you a better seal. Just take an old credit card and burnish your transfer tape FOREVER.

I mean, burnish until you think there can't possibly be any bubbles under that piece of vinyl...and then do it some more! Then peel up your transfer tape...and voila!

This is the paint I decided to use. It'…

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Odd Pets

Every once in a while I click the "Marketplace" application on my Facebook page (in case someone is giving away a free bed that I could use). Upon doing so yesterday I saw a pet Wallaby for sale for $1,200.
I want one.
However, the question is...can I have one? Are wallabys...or is it wallabies...or maybe walleye...no that's definitely not it...you know what I mean...but are they legal in this state?
Well let's start with what we know is legal: cats and dogs (unless your landlord says no then you'll be out on the street), most lizards, but those are basic pets. Here's a little snippet into the unusual (and expensive) pets.
World's most expensive pets:
Green Monkey: $16 million Missy: $1.2 million Capuchin Monkey: $10,000 That's right. I said LEGAL! There are neither bans nor requirements on monkey ownership in Ohio so go for it! Buy your monkey!
Need a less feminine monkey? Try these guys!
De Brazza's Monkey: $7,000-$10,000

Squirrel Monkey: $…

Gen Y Gives Thanks

I apologize a thousand times for the lack of updates and for putting this up so late. Large amounts of technical difficulties have inhibited my blogging, email checking, social networking, etc. However, now that I have a moment's internet access I would like to give you the link to this brilliant idea that Sharalyn Hartwell has cooked up. She writes for the Gen Y Examiner and to combat the stereotype that Gen Y is a bunch of ungrateful brats she asked members of Gen Y to write what they're grateful for and has been posting them in series.

Here's the link. She's posted a few each day so keep reading these articles of course I'm partial to mine which can be read here.

(Re) Chic