Few of us give thought to the names we grant our diseases. William Styron complained that the word “depression” didn’t aptly describe the all-encompassing void that was his illness. Rarely do we relate our cancer to the crab-like appearance after …
mental illness
My emotions will always be in the dark
Stories like mine are still taboo in this country
So it’s mental health week. I talk about my mental health a lot, and there are many people out there who do. Newspapers, TV stations, Facebook and Twitter feeds are filled with pieces and opinions on mental health. But what …
Science of anxiety
In January many senior freshman students will sit the annual Foundation Scholarship examinations. Una Harty talks about the science of anxiety and ways of reducing it to help all those sitting exams do the best they can.
My experience on mental health medication
Prozac wasn’t a fix-all solution, but it did mark the beginning of the end of my depression.
The ‘depressed genius’ is a lie
Our cultural conception of the depressed artist as a non-consenting participant in a Faustian bargain, their skills purchased at the cost of their mental health, is helping no-one.
Depression: the illness that launched a thousand lazy armchair-opinions from people who’ve never experienced it. Among them is the idea that it’s a natural correlative of artistic talent. From Virginia Woolf to Robin Williams, we’ve rolled out a medically …