Because I would escape into my mind, my mind became a cage. Maladaptive daydreaming is something I wish would be discussed in the mental health community more often. Although it is not formally recognized as a mental disorder, it can be harmful to one's overall health and is absolutely considered a psychiatric condition. For me, daydreaming started as a coping mechanism but soon became a detriment to my life. As a youth, trying to avoid dealing with my depression and emotiona

The good things in life are earned. They're earned through blood, sweat, tears, and overcoming fears. They're built from the bottom up. They're dreamed, planned, and pursued. I don't care what that "good thing" is, no matter how small or large, I just care that you worked for it, that you had the strength, dedication, and passion to get it for yourself. Good. Good for you. We, as a society, have become so incredibly judgmental. Somehow, goals and ambitions have become categor

So often women are seen as objects, and if not as objects, they are invisible. We expect our mothers to be calm, our daughters to be quiet, our young women to be perfect, our grandmothers to be doting, and our sisters to be “the good child” in the family. We grow up wondering where the line falls between standing up for ourselves and being a bitch. We wonder if our pride in our achievements is warranted or egotistical. We doubt our worth. We move out of the way of the men on

With great power comes great responsibility. The news lately has just plain been breaking my heart. Burberry coming out with a clothing line utilizing a noose as fashion? Actor Jussie Smollett faking a hate crime? Shootings. Side affects of global warming. Sex scandals. Shameful politics. Come on! What is happening?! For as long as man has been seeking power - which is forever - we as a people have understood that taking on a noteworthy role, having influence over people,

I don't remember ever talking about mental health in school. The closest thing to a mental illness that we discussed were eating disorders. I remember hearing the words 'depression' and 'anxiety' but I didn't realize for a very long time that they were diseases. I didn't know you could be diagnosed with such. I thought anxiety was just another way of saying stressed... that came with the holidays, with errands, with mortgage payments, that type of thing! I didn't know that so