mentalhealth

  • Guilt Ridden

    Guilt Ridden

    Fibromyalgia. I write about this topic far too much on this blog, or so it feels. However, today’s piece isn’t so much focused on the symptoms or recent flare up, as much as it is the effect of my mental health/self-care. If you are unaware of what fibromyalgia is, here you go, you lazy bum:…

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  • Breaking The Pattern

    Breaking The Pattern

    After a busy work week, I took my exhausted, yet excited ass on the road. I was on my way to spending the weekend with my awesome girlfriend. She lives about an hour to an hour and a half away from me, so the drive can be a nice way to decompress sometimes. I turn…

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  • Physically Discouraged

    Physically Discouraged

    Fibromyalgia is a bitch. Being a male diagnosed with fibromyalgia is an even bigger bitch. I do not wish this illness upon my worst enemy, as it has consumed a significant part of the last six years. For those of you who are not familiar with this asshole of an illness, fibromyalgia is characterized as…

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  • Sometimes You Just Need to Slow Down

    I’ve been burning the candle at both ends. I actively took steps to alleviate stress, engage in self-care, and utilize my support system. However, it might have been too little too late. To no one’s surprise (including my own), I am burnt the fuck out. Between a promotion, a second part-time job, and a new…

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  • Promotion of Growth

    Promotion of Growth

    People do not like change whether it is good or bad. We like to have control. We like knowing potential outcomes and feeling like we have some influence over it. However, reality demonstrates time and time again that we possess little control over anything. Recently, my agency promoted me. I went from being a middleman…

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  • Thought-Feeling Balance Exercise

    This week’s therapy session took a deep turn. A few days prior, I fell into a funk of sorts. Feeling overwhelmed by illness, work, and family stuff compounded on top of one another. By the time therapy rolled around, I pretty much pulled myself out of it. This funk though sparked a different conversation though.…

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  • I. Am. Enough.

    I. Am. Enough.

    This week kicked my ass metaphorically and literally. The shit show started off with a stomach bug that knocked me on my ass. For 48 hours, I was bedridden and blowing chunks. I could not sit up for more than a minute without feeling lightheaded and breaking out in a sweat. I missed two days…

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  • Build. It. In.

    Build. It. In.

    Our lives present quite the conundrum. Throughout our entire lives, we learn that change is the only constant. However, as a counselor and through personal experience, I came to find out that the most human beings do not cope well with change. We possess an innate desire to feel in control and like to know…

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  • MORE Hard Work Paid Off

    MORE Hard Work Paid Off

    Honestly, things have been going pretty well in the world of the Caring Counselor. Work has been busy, but I am doing what I set out to do over a decade ago as both a mental health counselor and adjunct professor at my alma mater. Just as of last week, I procured another significant credential…

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  • Gotta Do Something Different

    Dating has never been my strong suit. My relationship history looks like something off of Jerry Springer. I’ve been cheated on, lied to, and manipulated. If you open up the dictionary to “codependent,” you’ll see a picture of a malnourished, zombie-esque me giving a thumbs up. To say the least, not a great track record.…

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