#keeptalkingmentalhealth

[oliviacastetter]

The past few months have been a lot for me. Over the summer, I've been working on my debut #nonfiction, which required me to recall years of sexual violence I survived. Which then prompted repressed memories to surface. I also have been trying to help a family situation. I've had to recall some of the worst emotional pain I ever survived. "Pain" is too mild of a term, actually. "Torture" is more accurate. And I don't say that lightly; the only torture I have for comparison is chemotherapy, specifically the shots in my thighs and bone marrow testing I endured from ages 3-5. That was torture. And so was what I survived emotionally in college, what I've had to relive this summer, entirely separately from my book's needs. If either endeavor helps anyone, it's worth it. For now, though, I am exhausted. I know that what I've done has been right. I know what I've done will make a difference eventually. And I am still exhausted. Which has led me to wonder if superheroes ever take power naps under their capes...unless their suits were designed by Edna "No Capes!" Mode, of course. What do you think? Do superheroes take naps under their capes? What self-care feature would you put in your spare-no-expense superhero headquarters? ... #keeptalkingmentalhealth #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #trauma #traumarecovery #traumasurvivor #metoo #metoomovement #survivorsofinstagram #survivorsofsexualabuse #hero #superhero https://www.instagram.com/p/CSwbnNkLu2d/?utm_medium=tumblr

[geekdogsndid]

Everyone is doing the best they can, you don’t have to put others down to feel better about yourself. We’re all growing in our own way . . . #nature #empowered #empoweredpeople #counselling #bebetter #wegotthis #dissociativeidentitydisorder #dissociativedisorder #mentalhealthawareness #mentalillness #mentalhealthrecovery #mentalhealthadvocate #depresion #ptsd #cptsd #survivor #trauma #timetotalk #keeptalkingmentalhealth https://www.instagram.com/p/BuH0qICn6QP/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=18ysxsr9pg52o

[bipolarstrongmom]

#ballerina #paintingseries #dance #littlegirls #ballet #toe #art #abstractart #palleteknife #paintingsof2018 #expression #loveballet #salessupportMH #keeptalkingmentalhealth #paintingwithapurpose

[gilbertjane]

The world is an absolute shit show right now. . I haven't checked in on social media much just lately. Yesterday was the first day in about 2 weeks that I didn't break down in tears for one reason or another (or none at all) . The world is just too much for me at the moment and I feel so useless and powerless to do anything about it. . I tried to support the BLM protests over the weekend because guilt got the better of me but I couldn't stick it out. Anxiety took over and I ended up having a full on break down when I got home 🥺 . I can't smile at the moment, not really anyway. I'm too sad and upset that the world got this way so quickly 😞 . I'm lucky that I have a few people in my life that I can talk to and I know these feelings are temporary just like the situation of the world right now. . Thank you to everyone I reached out to over the weekend that just listened to me and to those that keep checking in on me. . If you're struggling too please find one person you can talk to who will listen. If you can't think of anyone come to me. I'm on and off social media at the moment but I alway get my DMs or call me if you have my number. (also don't forgot to check in on people too) . Together we can get through this shitty time and hopefully come out the other side stronger. In the meantime let's all keep going and be kind to yourself and others. I have a few days off from work now so going to be spending them painting, reading, relaxing and generally looking after myself with self care 💖 . Take care of yourselves too 🤍❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🤎🖤 . . . #mentalhealth #MentalHealthAwareness #mhawareness #keeptalking #keeptalkingmentalhealth #keeptalkingmh #talk #keeptalking #talktome #itsnoteasy #thisshitishard #anxiety #anxietyawareness #lockdownstruggles #whatshappening #reachout #whathashappenedtotheworld #struggling #strugglingrightnow #support #supportnetwork #wewillgetthroughthistogether https://www.instagram.com/p/CBONousDON1/?igshid=1wxizom9tvamm

[tqpannie]

#Repost from @namichicago with @regram.app Love this positive reframing by @nostigmas as we get ready for #mentalhealthawarenessmonth #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealthmatters #mentalillness #mentalwellness #wellness #selfcare #hereforyou #timetotalk #stigma #stigmafree #endthestigma #keeptalkingmentalhealth #support #coping #copingskills #recovery #youarenotalone #anxiety #depression #talkaboutit #advocate #invisibleillness #empathy #treatmentworks #shareyourstory #yourstorymatters #suicideprevention #iwilllisten

[karematlida]

This is my way of telling my story mental health is an everyday battle. It does not define me, here are a few quotes on how a person who battle mental illness on the daily. 🗣🗣🗣🗣🗣🗣🗣🗣🗣🗣🗣🗣🗣🗣🗣🗣🗣🗣 I feel it’s okay for me to pretend that I’m okay, but I know it’s killing me inside. I’m pushing away all the people I love and it really hurts. Sometimes I just want to be left alone. But it’s ironic because that’s how I live my life. I smile on the outside, and everyone thinks I’m doing fine, but I’m always dying inside, always one step away from the edge you know? I can’t be happy to be who I am, because I don’t know who I am anymore. Such a pretty girl, happy in an ugly place. Watching all the pretty people do lots of ugly things. One of the worst feelings in the world is loneliness. Sitting in the dark by yourself in the wee hours of the night gently crying. Nobody knows what’s going on with you. How could anybody realize what’s happening? Everybody you know is resting peacefully in their bed awaiting the new day tomorrow. But for you, there’s no difference in the days. They pass monotonously. And before you know it, it’s all gone. #mentalhealth #keeptalkingMH #darkness #misunderstood #depression #bipolar #PTSD #mentalillness #Imallalone #mentalhealthawareness #mentalbreakdown #mentalbattle #everydayisabattle #mentalhealthmatters #keeptalkingmentalhealth #emotionallydrained #mydemons #voicesinmyhead #learnwithkraze #selfexpression #expressyourself #fiercesociety #fiercewomen #undiscovered_muas #mualife #muablogger #vlogger #imsonumb #onedayatatime

[oliviacastetter]

One of the things I cherish most about my childhood is the weekly habit my mom and I had of going to Target, usually on Saturday mornings. We'd each get a fountain Coke and a pretzel, and even if all we bought was her weekly People Magazine, it was always a wonderful hour we spent together...and it's become something I try to do with my daughter as often as possible. As she gets older, it happens more often. When we were there Tuesday night this week, I saw this book. I read the first page and considered buying it, but ultimately put it back on the shelf, deciding not to spend the money - I wasn't sure it was the right expenditure of funds. But I haven't been able to stop thinking about that first page for the last two days. So I decided to dash up there tonight after making some hard decisions yesterday and today. I'm at a crossroads in my career. As close as I am to having the moon in my backyard (as my amazing friend @fruitsjt always encouraged me to do), I'm realizing there may be pieces I have to downsize. And part of why I'm downsizing is because, for the first time, I know my worth. (Thanks, @desertroze69 for reminding me!) I want this trend to continue. I want all the love that Jason and Nick have poured into me, their years of effort encouraging me to achieve my dreams, to mean something. And to do that, I need a little help stopping the burnout cycle I so often find myself in. Partially due to trauma, yes, but our culture is undoubtedly a contributing factor. So, stay tuned - I expect I'll tear through this one quickly! ... #ThePensiveBookworm #DontAskLiv #bookblogger #bookstagram #bookbloggersofinstagram #stress #burnout #keeptalkingmentalhealth #traumarecovery #work https://www.instagram.com/p/CTV2wn7rxB4/?utm_medium=tumblr

[oliviacastetter]

One of my favorite things about wildflowers is their imperfection. They aren't pruned; the dead ones grow right beside the new blooms. While manicured gardens often employ an "out with the old, in with the new" mentality, wildflowers are just the opposite. They die, they bloom, and they bud together. And these days, that reminds me of my life. I'm (trying to) finish the final round of author edits for my upcoming memoir, scheduled for release this October. And as I reread chapters that detail the sexual abuse I survived, I'm caught between Then and Now. Then, I was being victimized. Now, I have survived. Yet as I retype memories, I feel the victim in me standing beside the survivor in my desk chair. I survived so much - that's why I'm able to write about it now. Nonetheless, the pain remains beside me, the memories. The ugliness. There is nothing beautiful about what I survived, and everything about the fact that I did survive is beautiful. "Out with the old" isn't my style. The "old" is how I got here, to the new. As much as I don't want to remember, these things I survived changed me, and I never want to forget how I became this person. Appearances be damned - this is me. ... #survivorsofinstagram #survivorsofsexualabuse #survivor #survivorsspeak #cptsdrecovery #cptsdawareness #cptsd #keeptalkingmentalhealth #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealthmatters #sexualabuse #sexualassault #sexualharassment #abusesurvivor #abuse #metoo #metoomovement https://www.instagram.com/p/CRumrCkLJpL/?utm_medium=tumblr

[oliviacastetter]

I am SO proud of this goofy man. Yesterday, we came upon a car wreck. We almost continued on our way, then we noticed one driver was a black man. Nick turned the car around, saying that nothing in our life is more important than that driver having someone in his corner when the police arrived. We live just north of Louisville - #BreonnaTaylor is never far from our minds. Nick exited our SUV and stayed by the driver's side. I watched from our front seat and saw the driver visibly relax when Nick asked if he wanted him to stay when the police came and until the police left. He stayed beside the driver as the police officer conducted his questioning and accident report, then Nick arranged for his vehicle to be towed to Nick's work (he's a mechanic) for repairs. And today, Nick spoke at an event hosted by @endoftheinnocence_org, Life After Trauma. He spoke about what it's like for him to be my husband, specifically the spouse of a survivor of so much sexual abuse and many assaults. He said, "As the partner of a survivor, it is our duty to be aware of your words and actions, and make a decided effort to ensure they feel safe and understood. This can help them feel that you are someone they can trust and that you are invested in their healing journey. Merely saying that you care isn’t enough. You have to make a conscious effort to show that because, every single day, the survivor you love is making a conscious effort to heal. It is our duty to love them through it, and to show them that love, every step of the way. You cannot heal them; you can, though, hold their hand as they heal." Nick has grown so much over the last seven years, and I'm so excited to watch him acknowledge and recognize his privilege and use that privilege to make the world a better place. As a white man standing beside a black man. As a non-survivor who advocates for survivors. And as so much he has yet to discover. I have to thank @kturnerwrites, whose writing has played such a pivotal role in both of our journeys. ❤ ... #survivorsofinstagram #survivorsofsexualabuse #survivor #blacklivesmatter #ally #allyship #keeptalkingmentalhealth #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #sexualabuse https://www.instagram.com/p/CRcQtD1LwOi/?utm_medium=tumblr

[oliviacastetter]

Did you know that besides our own trauma, we also absorb other people’s trauma? Trauma from our parents first, then from our partners and close friends. Later today, my husband, @the_envirominimalist_dad, will be sharing what it's like to be married to a trauma survivor. He'll talk about the boundaries I put up - often instinctively - and the struggles we've had in communication, both regarding what I went through before we met and now, as I'm in a long-term, consensual relationship with someone who doesn't have sexual trauma in his past. Nick will be one of several speakers this afternoon. If you want to learn more about trauma from sexual assault or abuse, how to deal with it, how to support our loved ones and, most importantly, how to heal, join us for this special virtual event, presented by @endoftheinnocence_org, called "Life After Trauma." The event will be held via Zoom, TODAY, July 17th at 11 AM Pacific Time (2 PM Eastern). To learn more or register to attend, please visit the link in my bio. ... #survivorsofinstagram #survivorsofsexualabuse #survivor #sexualabuse #sexualassault #sexualharassment #metoo #metoomovement #keeptalkingmentalhealth #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #marriage #marriedlife #intimacy #relationshipgoals https://www.instagram.com/p/CRbjLQDrr8m/?utm_medium=tumblr

[oliviacastetter]

Every single time I have a conversation about the trauma in my life, I'm reminded of the trauma in my family. That's their story to tell - much of it happened before I was born - though I want to comment on one aspect. The trauma my family members faced wasn't always addressed, they weren't always supported. That trauma skewed their worldview. Then, they passed some of that trauma onto me before I ever had the chance to develop my own worldview. And when I was sexually assaulted by a second, then a third, person, my family's unacknowledged trauma resulted in me feeling unsupported and unloved as I dealt with it. So I dealt with it the best I knew how with the support system I was able to build from my friends, some who knew what had happened at the time and some who didn't. (Thank you, Jason, Hannah, and Josh for that.) Nonetheless, it's taken nearly ten years to unpack what happened when I was 17-18, and as I've delved into it, I've seen the generations of trauma in my family of origin. And as much as I want it to stop with me, it's a daily fear that I'll fail, that I'll pass it on to my children, too. I refuse to let the fear control me, yet it lingers. This Saturday, @endoftheinnocence_org will host a special virtual event at 11 AM Pacific Time (2 PM Eastern) called "Life After Trauma," where we will discuss trauma after sexual assault and how we cope with it in our daily lives. To learn more or register to attend, please visit the link in my bio. ... #metoo #metoomovement #sexualabuse #sexualassault #sexualharassment #familyabuse #trauma #traumarecovery #cptsdrecovery #cptsdawareness #ednos #ednosrecovery #keeptalkingmentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealth #event https://www.instagram.com/p/CRUp88lLJfQ/?utm_medium=tumblr

[oliviacastetter]

I could say that I remember being in my Angry Phase, or my Hateful Phase, and talk about how I worked through and processed my pain. That would only be a partial truth, though. The rest of the truth is that even though I'm no longer being traumatized daily, I still live with trauma. I still have triggers. And sometimes, I have to relive and talk about those traumatic events, which triggers me, and I'll have weeks of insomnia, which decreases my ability to manage my emotions, and in my emotional exhaustion, I'm a lot less graceful with my words and actions. Why? Because I'm experiencing the pain...again. I've found, though, that at this time in my life, because I have accepted that my story is my story - even if it's a painful one - it's easier to be calm about it. It's easier to talk about it without my blood pressure rising or my mind starting to swim in the events and emotions alike. When I'm angry now, I'm angry that I've had to accept what no one ever should. Chronic child sexual abuse. Assault, then being dismissed and told to be silent about the assault. Harassment from a teacher, then being told the harassment wasn't "bad enough" for the school to take action. Rape, then being doubted. Growing up in an unstable environment, then being judged for resenting the way I was treated as a child. Who wouldn't be angry carrying all of that around? What we can do - what we can all do - is take some time to understand what life is like for those experiencing and living with trauma. End of the Innocence is hosting a special event on July 17th at 11 AM Pacific Time (2 PM Eastern), titled "Life After Trauma." We will be discussing the long-term impact of sexual abuse and sexual assault and how people deal with trauma, years after it happened. To learn more or register to attend, please visit the link on the image (also in my bio). @endoftheinnocence_org ... #survivorsofinstagram #survivorsofsexualabuse #survivor #sexualabuse #sexualassault #sexualharassment #metoo #metoomovement #childhoodtrauma #childhoodtraumasurvivor #cptsdrecovery #cptsdawareness #depressionawareness #anxietyawareness #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #keeptalkingmentalhealth https://www.instagram.com/p/CREOVRbruoB/?utm_medium=tumblr

[oliviacastetter]

I think today is the day I make some time in my schedule to read this one. ... #ThePensiveBookworm #oprahmeghanharry #thefirm #nonfiction #nonfictionbooks #windsor #royal #royalty #duke #duchess #sussexroyal #blacklivesmatter #keeptalkingmentalhealth https://www.instagram.com/p/CMKMY6BnvUD/?igshid=1frghnafj8jl0

[bpd-matters-blog]

Tomorrow is #SelfCareSunday so let's get ahead of the game and start to think about ways we can give back to ourselves, there's no shame in a little self care or self love. It's not selfish. It doesn't have to involve spending money or even leaving the house, it can be as simple as checking in with how you're feeling, maybe simply saying to yourself "you're doing ok" or "I've got this!" ❤ #keeptalkingmentalhealth Repost 📷 @youngmindsuk - Happy Fri-yay! It's so important to take a break and give yourself the time to switch off, but it can be hard to know what to do. So here's some weekend inspiration to take some time for yourself & remember - self care is NOT selfish 💛 #youngmindsuk #youngmindsmatter #selfcare #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #youngpeoplesmentalhealth https://www.instagram.com/p/Bm5aQYbAiJM/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=6s9bwf8m1pgu

[geekdogsndid]

Dogs make my heart happy 😃 . . . #comic #geek #doglover #doglife #dogoftheday #dogloversclub #dogsarelife #dogsarefamily #dogsarelove #instamood #instagood #instapic #iggers #stigmafree #endstigma #endthestigmaofmentalhealth #dissociative #stigmafighter #dissociativeidentitydisorder #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #mentalillness #ifmywoundswerevisible #keeptalkingmh #keeptalkingmentalhealth https://www.instagram.com/p/Bskg3Y7H_q1/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1haj0j1ovx0cu

[bpd-matters-blog]

❤ #KeepTalkingMH #BPD #bpdchat #borderline #actuallybpd #borderlinepersonalitydisorder #selflove #inspiration #mentalhealthmatters #happiness #motivation #smile #mentalhealth #spiritualhealth #encouragement #givethanks #recovery #recoveryquotes #recovering #keepfighting #nevergiveup #holdon #keeptalkingmentalhealth #speakup #positivethoughts #peace #resilience #treatment #emotionalhealth #mentalwellness https://www.instagram.com/p/BmyMqw6HI8W/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1754jvjjw9sfv