Why I Keep Getting Back In The Ring (So To Speak)

So, the “ring,” for me, is waking up every day and “trying” as best as I can to follow a checklist, which includes self-care items and a few chores. More often than not, I do poorly. I call it failure, because I can sometimes learn from it, which makes it a “fail.” For me. If […]

Ruminating On My Shitty Family

Before I get started, I want you all to know, that I am practicing kindness towards my shitty family. That said, the devastation that poverty brings is significant! As I look back at growing up with my cousins and all of their parents (on one side of the family), I am reminded of the horrors […]

The Friend Who Helped Me Get Up The Confidence To Date My Wife

My progress with my mental health is quite unusual. I’ll admit that. And, I took a big leap forward in stability and in life, just prior to my dating my now wife. One of my best friends was there. A lot more than what most people would have been able to be (even if time […]

I Think A Lot About My Relationships, And About Death And Dying

Talk about thinking too much, about things that should occur naturally, and without drama. I am so frustrated with my thought process as it pertains to my relationships and death. I think about who likes me, who really cares. I think about how much I like someone, if I want them in my life. And, […]

I Am No Longer Preventing My Family Members From Seeing My Facebook Content

Not too long ago, I wrote about how I find some of my family to be toxic. mentallyillinamerica.family.blog/2020/02/11/family-toxicity/ My previous desire to not post to them on Facebook, changed shortly after I made the above blog post. Basically, I am mad at a few people and a few situations, and I thought I would “punish” […]

The Art Of The Apology – Where Do You Stand On The Following?

A metaphor for relationships, which has a definite impact on one’s mental health… A father once gave his son a book on “How To Forgive.” A son once gifted his father a book on “How To Say I’m Sorry.” Though it may not be so easy (or even possible) for some people to make amends, […]

10 Ways I Battle Chronic Mental Illness

I refuse to give up, although I feel like doing so some-of-the-time. I found a Liberal Higher Power (the kind of religion doesn’t matter). I kept on putting myself out there until I found my partner. I wasn’t afraid to put myself before people who don’t care. Making personal development plausible in spite of being […]

Family Toxicity

I have 20 family members that I am now preventing from seeing my Facebook posts. I’m also not looking at theirs either. Life is better this way. There are only a few decent people in the mix, with the majority of my family being toxic. I have tried to cultivate relationships with many of my […]

The One Thing That Escapes The Seriously Mentally Ill

The one thing a seriously mentally ill person needs is the one thing that all too often escapes them. And, that is a romantic relationship. It took me 20 years to get it right, with one false start and lots of first and second dates. Like many people today, I ultimately found my partner on […]

Setting Boundaries And Having Them Respected

For the past year or so, I have been working on setting boundaries. And, for those who actively set boundaries, I am curious to know whether you have been met with any resistance by those who “claim to love you?” I know I have. In a big way. And, by family especially… None of my […]