By Andrea Watson March 2, 2021 A few years back, my sister casually mentioned to me that she knew I was autistic for a long time and she just assumed that I knew too. My world was completely turned upside down. So for the longest time I just thought I was a jerk who didn’tContinue reading “Why an Early Diagnosis is Important in Autism”
Category Archives: Mental Health/Wellness
Getting Rid of Toxic People
By Andrea Watson February 26, 2021 We all know how to take care of our bodies, even if we don’t do it very well. We know we need to stop smoking and drinking (if we do), we know we need to eat right and exercise, and we also know not to put up with peopleContinue reading “Getting Rid of Toxic People”
Growing up Neglected
By Andrea Watson February 24th, 2021 Many of us, especially from my generation, know what it is like to grow up neglected. Today I’m talking specifically about emotional neglect. Even though it is often seen as the same thing, emotional neglect is different than other types of neglect and abuse, because it is often doneContinue reading “Growing up Neglected”
Psychosis
By Andrea Watson, February 13, 2021 We’ve all heard the word “psychotic” used in everyday language before. It’s a word that doesn’t get tossed around too often, but often enough that it is misunderstood. To be fair, many things in the world of psychology are misunderstood. Psychosis is a symptom of an underlying disorder. TheContinue reading “Psychosis”
What is OCD?
Why saying “I’m a little OCD” is 100% wrong You may not like me after this. I’m going to get a little bit rough here. Have you ever been with someone and suddenly they reach over and “fix” something and then they look at you and say “Sorry, I’m just a little OCD about it.”?Continue reading “What is OCD?”
“A” for Addiction
As I lay in the tub I look over my body once, twice, thrice. Then I do it again and I wish. I wish that I was not in subjugation to a substance. I wish I had never picked up a needle. I wish I was sane. Sores cover my arms and breasts-scabbing over or oozing infection. I have large painful lumps throughout my breasts and arms as well. Spots where the dope broke through the barrier and went into my muscle instead of my vein. They’re everywhere. Bruises and track marks stand out stark against and on my skin, peppering my body with black, blue, and yellow. Every time I touch anything, sharp, oppressive pain shoots through my fingers and up to my arms. It feels like the nerve sheath has been peeled back and I am just bumping against raw nerves. It hurts to be awake. I’m in need of medical attention. I won’t get it, though. It’s too risky.
Beyond the Edge
If you read my blog then you know I have a mental illness. My twenties were the roughest part of my life. I went through a divorce, losing my children, psychosis, giving up babies for adoption, and the emergence of a serious mental illness. It was hell. I attempted suicide several times. This is the story of the last time I ever tried to kill myself, and the road I had to take to come back from it. This is not a cry for help. This is not a plea for sympathy. This is not an attempt to seek recognition or attention of any kind other than to move the reader into an awareness of what types of things might go through the mind of a suicidal individual. It is an attempt to connect with those who suffer, and hopefully guide them away from the edge. This is not my normal sort of blog post. This is a stand-alone work that speaks for itself. It does not represent who I am or where I’m at today, only what I have endured in the past-truly a different life. I have moved on.
Understanding Autism
Surviving as a Parent With an Autistic Child I know, it seems like we’ve heard this all before, right? Dealing with autism is hard. VERY hard. It tries the best of us to within an inch of our sanity at times. We get hurt. We make mistakes. We misunderstand. We just cannot connect to ourContinue reading “Understanding Autism”
How to Lose Weight for Good
I’m going to stop you right there. I don’t care what the scale says about you. You weigh more than you know. A lot more. Does hearing this upset you? It should, because if you are anything like the majority of people in the USA today and indeed around the entire world, you are carrying an immense emotional burden. This is the heaviest weight of all. It is impossible to crawl out from under without a focused effort. No, this post is not about losing body weight. It is all about lightening our spirits so that we can live as happier beings even in the middle of the turmoil that is pervading our reality.
Caregiver Burnout
Caregiver work is rewarding and fulfilling. Often the people who hold these types of jobs love the work and the people passionately. I know I did. I worked as a supervisor at a house where we cared for two young adult ladies who were severely disabled to the point of not being able to dress, feed, or toilet themselves. There is a dire need for people to fill these types of positions. Other caregiver roles include such things as working in day programs for the developmentally disabled, nursing, geriatric care, hospice, or CNA work. There is also a dire need for these types of positions to be filled as well. These jobs include a wide range of duties and require an array of certifications depending upon what the position is. Some of these jobs pay very little. For example, as a supervisor in my care giving job, I only made $13.50 per hour. Some positions, like nursing, pay more.
