The moment I first held an Atari 2600 controller at a friend’s home in 1981, I was captivated by the possibility of in-home gaming, not having to “put my quarter up” and wait my turn, or ask my financially strapped mother for said quarter. Times were tight, and asking for quarters compromised my mom, who hated saying “no”, but often needed to out of necessity. That year my parents came through with a 2600 of my own for Christmas, and my life changed. Time spent gaming has increased in correlation to evolving technology to the extent we are now at the point where the World Health Organization (WHO) has included…
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How I Beat Shame about Anxiety at the Dentist
I had a frenectomy today. For those unfamiliar with this particular periodontal terror, a frenectomy is the removal of the soft tissue (frenum) that connects lower lip to gum. Mine happened to be pulling my gums down to the extent bone in my bottom front teeth was being exposed. Eventually the teeth would have become loose, and then would be gone forever. The reason I’m writing about this in a mental health blog is because my anxiety caused sweating and nausea before the doctor even walked in the room. and I was certain my thirty-two year no vomit streak was over. I just knocked on wood. I felt vulnerable, helpless,…
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Telling Loved Ones to Fight Through Anxiety or Depression Adds Injury to Insult
Anxiety and Depression are Disorders that When Exacerbated By Guilt, Shame, and Isolation, Can Result in Self-Harm or Suicide
