NAMI Keystone PA’s Blog features personal stories, press releases, news articles, and other content that provides information, insight, personal experiences, and more.
An oversimplification of my journey through mental health would be to say that every defining moment has been shaped by some form of avoidance or denial. When I was very young my parents got divorced, my mother sent me to a children's counselor and I, as an eloquent 7 year old, insisted...
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) today released the following statement from CEO Daniel H. Gillison, Jr., regarding recent racist incidents across the country and their impact on mental health: "The effect of racism and racial trauma on mental health is real and cannot be ignored...
Yesterday, President Trump revisited his statements about reopening mental "institutions" and perpetuated false stereotypes. Two weeks ago, the president also called people with mental illness "monsters." In response, National Alliance on Mental Illness Acting CEO Angela Kimball released...
February is Black History Month and many of us take time during this period to reflect on the achievements, as well as the struggles and pain, that black people have experienced in America. Although many things have changed in our society, African Americans and people of color still face racism...
My name is Nick and I was born and raised in Bucks County, PA and attended college in Boston. I was and am always afraid that my technically invisible mental health diagnoses will be visible to those I meet, and worry that I will be judged on things that people can't see and that I can't control...
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has released a new report, Helping Children and Youth Who Have Traumatic Experiences. The report shows that nearly half of the nation's children have experienced at least one traumatic event in their lifetime. Children and...
One of the biggest disconnects between civilians, and veterans and service members, is the myth that if we've been to war we have posttraumatic stress disorder. I understand how easy it would be to fall into that mindset; as often times, when veterans make headlines, especially national headlines...
1. Determining what stage of recovery you are in. Many of those living with a mental health condition are in different stages of recovery. There are simply so many levels of recovery for every mental health condition out there. I live with bipolar, brief psychosis, and general anxiety disorder...
Ever since I was young, I have always had a strange fascination with hospitals. While my parents hated hospitals because they reminded them of death and dying, I couldn't help but be amazed by how someone could come into the emergency room on the brink of dying, but walk out alive and well...