Our minds naturally like things in neat, tidy boxes. Our brains crave organizing things into categories and labeling them. It often makes life easier, helps things make more sense, and can potentially help us have more fun as it affords us the space to think and feel in a more orderly way. But what happens … Continue Reading
All minds collect filth at the same rate as the body, so good brain hygiene should be a high priority on everyone’s agenda, too. There is an old saying that a mind is a terrible thing to waste, but what is the adage for a mind that goes uncleaned? Does it start to smell, foul … Continue Reading
Every day at 9 am, the alarm goes off on my watch reminding me to clean the kitchen. I pause the alarm, telling myself that I will do it later. Later never comes. In fact, I turn off most of my alarms during the day that remind me to put in a load of laundry … Continue Reading
Ah, emotions. The thing that colors our thoughts and gives our life meaning. The fuel that drives our decisions, desires, and impulses. The primal precursor to those pesky feelings. Whether we judge them as “good” or “bad”, each emotion serves a purpose. Whether or not we believe in a higher purpose behind everyday happenings, every … Continue Reading
The gender reveal party is over. The baby shower has left the mother-to-be with baby clothing, diapers, and books on how to be a good parent. All that is left is to wait for the baby to arrive. This is a time of reflection about how to be the best parent possible to the new … Continue Reading
“I don’t believe in Therapy” This was a common saying I heard from my father as a child. It’s safe to say that my father was suffering from mental issues himself, which he refused to work on. I slowly began to realize that his resistance allowed for a toxic environment to manifest growing up. I … Continue Reading
My son, Michael, was diagnosed with autism when he was 17 years old. For years, I had that nagging feeling that something wasn’t quite right, but I didn’t know who to go to with my concerns. Michael used to come home from school every day and draw a map of the state of Minnesota by … Continue Reading
What is dementia? What are the causes? Alzheimer’s is one of many types of brain diseases which have in common progressive difficulties in brain functioning: memory, judgment, planning. While we can describe dementia under the microscope, how it actually occurs is largely unknown. Scientists study how accelerated aging in dementia is associated with substances (such … Continue Reading
Outcast. Bi-Polar. Crazy. Schizo. Anti-social. Disabled. Broken. Delusional. Words. How powerful. And equally sinister. It’s no wonder that we call the act of constructing words SPELL-ing. Language is truly a spell – an incantation that controls virtually every aspect of life, from media to politics to everyday interactions. The world of mental health is no … Continue Reading
