Anxiety, Intrusive thoughts, Mental Health, Panic Disorder, Suicide, Trauma

Where Thoughts of Suicide and Intrusive Thoughts Converge

Trigger warning: This post involves a frank discussion of suicide and intrusive thoughts.

I’ve considered suicide in the past, several years ago. More recently, I’ve had disturbing intrusive thoughts. Having experienced—and survived—both, I know how intrusive thoughts can easily bleed into thoughts of suicide. Continue reading on HealthyPlace.com.

Feature image by Eric Ward on Unsplash.

See more of my posts here.

Anxiety, Mental Health, Panic Disorder, Trauma

Preparing to Revisit the Scene of a Traumatic Event

On August 10th, 2022, I wrote about how I reached a milestone in my trauma recovery, specifically, how I managed through a potentially high-triggering event without incident. The most significant milestone comes this weekend when I return to where the worst part of the trauma occurred. I’m trying to be proactive in my preparations by taking stock of the panic- and anxiety-mitigation tools I have at my disposal. Continue reading on HealthyPlace.com.

Feature image by Ian Taylor on Unsplash.

See more of my posts here.

Anxiety, Mental Health, Panic Disorder, Trauma

Reaching a Milestone in Trauma Recovery

Almost a year ago to the day, I crashed headlong into weeks of crippling panic and anxiety that left me terrified and traumatized. I sought out and found a trauma therapist who could help me get beyond the trauma so I could be myself and get back to living. I’m delighted to say that last week, I reached a significant milestone in my trauma recovery. Continue reading on HealthyPlace.com.

Feature image taken by me on Bigwind Lake, Ontario.

See more of my posts here.

Anxiety, Mental Health, Panic Disorder

How My Late Pup Helped Me Through Mental Illness

It’s been over a year since I said goodbye to my sweet pup, Cannelle, a cocker spaniel. I adopted her when she was 18 months old and was blessed to have her by my side for 13 years. Throughout that time, Cannelle helped me in ways that she, of course, could not comprehend, not the least of which included helping me through bouts of mental illness. Continue reading on HealthyPlace.com.

Feature image of Cannelle taken by me.

See more of my posts here.

Anxiety, Mental Health, Panic Disorder

Using the Physiological Sigh to Manage Anxiety

Like most people, when I’m having a hard cry—very emotional, sometimes overwhelming—I do a double intake of breath. It’s like a hiccup, but not. My therapist told me that this is called the physiological sigh and that it helps reduce stress by balancing oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in our bodies. Continue reading on HealthyPlace.com.

Feature image by Fabian Møller on Unsplash.

See more of my posts here.