A View of Anxiety from a #SAPro of Color

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by Sylvester Gaskin

I know I’m in trouble when the palms of my hands sweat.

I was at NASPA 2014 in Baltimore, and I was struggling. All I wanted was a quiet space to check some e-mail and catch my breath. It was already an uncomfortable place to be in. I was surrounded by so many people, so much noise, and not a lot of diversity. I really didn’t know anyone, as it was my first NASPA experience, and the people I met at a Knowledge Community meeting were engaging with their own friends and colleagues. Continue reading →

Recognizing Myself

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by Jessi Robinson

In 1994, I was a high school freshman. My arms and wrists were covered in scratches and small cuts. I was convinced the world would be better off without me. I just wanted to go away, be alone, and not bother or be bothered by other people.

And then one day I was called out of class to be confronted by the adjustment counselor and my parents, who whisked me off to my mom’s therapist to get some meds and therapy. My friends had noticed my behavior, arms, and the things I was saying. I was lucky. Continue reading →

How I’ve Learned to Thrive, Not Just Manage

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by Sara Ackerson

I’ve become pretty good at getting through each day, actually thriving, and not just managing my illness.  You most likely wouldn’t even know unless I disclosed it to you.  I live with an extrovert personality, a cup of coffee, and a flexible work schedule that allows for me to have dedicated time for my monthly psychiatrist appointments and other self-care without having to ask for sick time off on a regular basis. Continue reading →

Challenges and Support: Relationships and Mental Illness

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by Dan McDowell

It was about four and a half years ago when I realized I couldn’t be enough of a resource for my partner. More often than not, the night ended with her crying in my arms, asking when it would be okay. I knew it was something that could and would happen, but I wasn’t sure how or when. One of these evenings, I was finally able to say aloud to her that I couldn’t help her on my own and my suggestion that she talk to someone finally hit home for her. Continue reading →

A Journey from Self-Preservation to Advocacy

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by Katy Hamm

I suffer from anxiety and depression.

Statistically that is not an uncommon thing, but there is still a great deal of stigma that presents with identifying with any mental health issue.

My troubles began my freshman year of college, when I  found I had a great deal of social anxiety, which brought out my depression. A depression that multiplied after my best friend Emily was killed by a drunk driver that following summer. Continue reading →

#SACommits – Wrap-Up Podcast

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Yet again, Sue Caulfield and I got together to talk #SACommits and decided to share our conversation with you. This time we talk about our thoughts on the series, what we enjoyed, and future plans to keep spreading the good word about mental health in student affairs. We hope you’ll continue to join us in discussing this important topic on the interwebs and beyond.

Podcast posted at Kristendom on June 4, 2014.

Thick Skin and Therapy

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by Sue Caulfield

My grandma Millie did her fair share of worrying as a grandma. I would venture to guess that may be a trait of the Italian women in my family that I very much inherited. One of my fondest memories is of her comforting me when I would cry; “Mi Susan,” she would say, holding my hand with her cold, beat up hands. “You need to grow thicker skin. I worry about your heart.”

Continue reading →

Hitting the Reset Button

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by Renee Dowdy

In November I shared a post, What Breaks You, where I wrote about being at a concert with my husband at The Vic in Chicago seeing the Old 97’s (feeling like I’m out of a scene from The Breakup – epic, right?!). I began to panic about having cell phone reception in the theater. Staff in my department expected that I respond to my residential communities 24/7 during the academic year. I kept looking at my work phone, and that’s when the panic came over me like a tidal wave. What if I miss a call? Why can’t I do this job right? Why can’t I seem to do anything right? Why was I hired to do this if I am completely incapable? Were my past six years in residence life just easy – is this the real hard work and I’m failing at it? I’m a failure. An absolute mess. Continue reading →

I Am Going to Live With It

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by Clare Cady

As I write this, I check in with myself and recognize that I am manic. I’ve been manic for well over a week now…I probably will be for a few days more. I can feel the start of a new phase in the cycles of my bipolar disorder creeping in. It’s the worst part to come – the part where my body feels like it is vibrating with too much energy and not enough all at the same time. It’s the withdrawal – the start of the low. Interestingly enough, the low feels better than the transition. For now, I push myself to focus in spite of my heightened attention and breathe. Breathing in, I know I am alive. Breathing out, I smile. Thanks, Tich Nhat Hanh. Continue reading →