stigma
People with mental illness represent one of the most deeply stigmatized groups in our culture. Learn more about it here.
Please, Someone See Me
Thank you for opening and reading this. Every single read means the world to me. Each time someone clicks and reads, I know someone out there heard my story, my thoughts, my heart. As a new writer on Vocal, I’m deeply grateful to every person who gives my words a chance.
By Aarvi nilli9 months ago in Psyche
HPV and Long-Term Relationships: What Every Woman Should Know
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is often misunderstood, especially in the context of committed relationships. Many women in long-term partnerships or marriages are taken by surprise when diagnosed with HPV, prompting feelings of confusion, fear, and even guilt. But here’s the truth: HPV doesn’t discriminate based on relationship status, and its presence doesn’t automatically point to recent infidelity or neglect.
By Shameless Path9 months ago in Psyche
Tragedy, Tribulations, and Finding Peace Within Myself . Content Warning.
Greetings, Vocal readers. Before I begin, I want to say thanks to the wonderful team on Vocal for selecting my story as on of the Top Stories of May. I'll have a link to that story down below if you would like to read it. For this story, I want to be open and honest about, and in detail, about my devastating lows and numerous suicide attempts. It's an uncomfortable topic to discuss, but I believe by being transparent about what I've gone through mentally, it might encourage someone to seek professional help. In my previous stories on Vocal, I've been frank about my mental health struggles. We should have difficult, yet necessary conversations about mental health. It will show that people are honest and genuine about their feelings. In fact, we should normalize being open about our struggles, not have it suppressed. I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety in February 2012, but had been experiencing those feelings since I was 19.
By Mark Wesley Pritchard 9 months ago in Psyche
Seven Myths About Mental Illness
People living with mental illness experience stigma everywhere. We are often faced with stigma at home, in the workplace, at school, in hospitals and doctors offices, and in public settings. People living with mental illness struggle with discrimination in a world that is largely still unaccepting of mental illness diagnoses, even today.
By Slgtlyscatt3red10 months ago in Psyche
Grief is the Mirror for Beauty. Content Warning.
This Isn’t a Healing Guide This isn’t a feel-good story riddled with toxic positivity and advice on how you should buckle up your bootstraps and get over it when you’ve suffered a great loss. Neither is it a tale of a rushed urge to heal and stop feeling pain. This story doesn’t offer any expectations or pressure – it is merely my lived experience. The unexpected moments where past wounds were surfaced long after my loss. The instances where I started to feel joy again – and the guilt that accompanied it. The paradox of feeling heartbreak and peace at once and not only being okay with that, but realizing it was the unlock to my ultimate happiness.
By Vanta Lumina10 months ago in Psyche
The Hidden Psychology of Connection
In a world more digitally connected than ever, loneliness is paradoxically thriving. As we scroll through social media feeds and interact with AI companions, we find ourselves surrounded by virtual connections that, in reality, leave us feeling more isolated than before. Eric Solomon, Ph.D., explores this paradox and reveals how the very tools meant to keep us connected might be deepening our sense of isolation.
By SophiaSoso10 months ago in Psyche
The Silent Struggle: Understanding Suicide and the Importance of Mental Health
Suicide is a topic that is often wrapped in silence, stigma and shame to avoid and discuss many. But it is a reality that affects the lives of millions of people each year, and understanding of causes, warning signs and support helps help cope with this growing crisis. Suicide is a complex topic that involves not only the outcome of a person's personal struggles, but also mental, emotional, social and ecological factors. This story explores how important it is to understand suicide, the mental health crisis that is coming, and how we can work together to save lives. Every year, millions of people around the world fight with the idea of suicide. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 700,000 people die from suicide every year. This is a person every 0 seconds. Many other difficult challenges in mental health in the battle of silence for everyone who dies from suicide. These people are often invisible, their pain is hidden beneath the layers of everyday life, hidden in the façade of normalcy.
By Abrar Siddik10 months ago in Psyche
