Anything, but Ordinary

When it comes to autism, there are so many things that go inside our heads. We have so many ideas and so many things we want to do and sometimes, we just have to get creative on how to process those thoughts and ideas. Some autistic people have developed deep expertise in topics that interest them, which some people call special interests. There is a huge variety in these topics, which can range from astrophysics to vintage clothing and everything in between. Being able to ex

Self-determination refers to the ability or power of a person or group to make their own decisions and choices, especially regarding their own future and governance, without external coercion or control. Being able to be self-determine, you have to be able to choose what you want and need for yourself, being able to not feel influenced by other people in making your own decisions and to be the driver of your life and not be the passenger. Being able to control your life and

Who knew that 5 years ago, we would live through something that changed the world. The week of March 11, 2020 will forever be part of history. It was something we thought we'd never had to live through. So many things happened within a span of a few days. It was a tough and challenging time. We had to learn how to navigate a new normal. We didn’t know if we were able to overcome this new world. We didn’t know what to do. It was a very scary time. We were learning what was go

No matter where you are in the work force, there’s always going to be struggles. It’s going to test your limits, and you have to be able to know how far you're willing to push yourself without risking being burnt out, but when it comes to working in an environment where you deal with dangerous situations and see things that no one should see can take a toll on your mental health. Police officers routinely face situations that most people might never encounter in a lifetime –

When people ask me why I write about mental health and addiction, I tell them it’s because of Matthew Perry. He inspired me to learn more about mental health and addiction. He inspired me to want to help people who are struggling. I want to continue telling his story, be his voice. Matthew’s journey with addiction and what he went through is a story I want to keep telling. Everybody’s struggle with mental health and addiction is different but going on that journey to recovery

Not everything that is portrayed in the media is true to real life. It’s far from it. They make it seem like it’s an easy fix. Go into treatment and be healed. As much as people want to represent mental health and addiction, it doesn’t come off as helpful or inspiring. There’s so much more to it than just saying that a character is struggling with mental health. Film and television portrayals of severe mental health problems tend to be wildly inaccurate. And they often presen

During the war, there was a lot going on. There was fighting going on in Europe, families being torn apart, there was hardly any food because it was rationed, and wives and mothers didn’t know if their husbands and sons were going to come home alive. It was a very challenging, horrible, brutal time in history. Along with everything that the soldiers went through and the experiences that they witnessed, they didn’t just bring home physical scars, but mental scars. They saw thi

If drugs and alcohol is all you know, it’s going to be hard to build a life outside of those things, but it can be done. You would have damaged the relationships that may not be able to be fixed. Knowing someone with addiction is hard. They want to do whatever they can to help you, but you don’t want anything to do with them or accept the help they are offering. When you’re caught up with addiction, it becomes your purpose in life. The desire to get high makes you wake up in

You don’t want to put yourself in a situation that will challenge your sobriety. It’s easy to be reckless when you can use substances as a reason or an excuse, but once you find that road to recovery, you want to keep moving forward. The first 90 days in sobriety are the most important, but it’s also the most dangerous. You already know how much effort it takes to become sober if you’re already recovering from an alcohol use disorder. You’ll want to take every precaution to

When I was a kid, my brother and I were besties. I couldn’t or wouldn’t do anything or go anywhere without him. I couldn’t be away from him. In the early days of elementary school, if I didn’t see him on the playground at recess and lunch, I would get anxious and I would start to panic. I would start to tear up and race around the school yard until I saw him. I needed to see him to prove that he didn’t leave me alone. The first instance of separation anxiety was when I was ki