Overdosed

Posted on by bobcabkings

TRIGGER WARNING – Suicide Attempt. Veronike writes of this event, sugar coating nothing, and with a remarkable clarity. That she is still with us to tell of the journey is much a matter of luck and also in addition and opposition to the depression, a fierce determination to get up and go forward.

The Ugly Truth

Posted on by bobcabkings

A poem that tells truth.

Nicole Lyons

Stephanie Bennett-Henry and I crossed paths a few of years ago and we clicked immediately. She is the owner of the immensely popular super page, RagingRhetoric; where she first began debuting her stunning poetry to the delight of her fans.

Stephanie is a southern girl through and through, sweet as candy, sharp as a blade, and talented beyond measure. Her poetry is raw, unfiltered, and unforgettable. You can find it on Facebook at Stephanie Bennett Henry.

I am thrilled to welcome Stephanie Bennett-Henry to The Lithium Chronicles.

The Ugly Truth
We have to sugarcoat our madness
with ribbons of sweet metaphors
to make the dosage of us less ugly.
But it’s not any prettier for me
and it’s not any fucking prettier for you.
It’s just easier to swallow when it’s
wrapped in a fluffy fantasy land
of clouds and birds and god dammit,
one of these days…

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PERSPECTIVES

Posted on by bobcabkings

This is from a journal of long ago, dated 4/5/91. I don’t recall the particular drama that was the subject of the talk.

nightstorm

Last night I walked and talked with a good friend who tends to run off at the mouth when drunk. He was fretting for my well-being and angry because he thought he’d seen me mistreated. I heard his concern and my heart was truly touched.

“Close your mouth now,” I said to him many times, “and open your ears.” This, he did (though not for long at a time). I think he understood some of what I told him. I think he found some comfort and peace in those words.

Still, he does not yet seem to understand the Testing … the necessity of passing through the Dark and Stormy Night better to SEE the Dawn come in Peace and Light. He has not accepted, perhaps, that what is forged in Heaven’s Fire will be tempered in the Flames of Hell — heated and quenched on the one hand in tears of Joy and on the other hand in tears of Woe. Thus it IS that a blade is created that will keep its edge when cutting Bricks out of the Wall — that, like a Katana (the sword of the Samuari), so I’ve heard, from the hands of a master craftsman, can be bent half circle without breaking — that is sharp and true enough to penetrate Illusion and cut clean through shackles and knots … a “weapon” fit to battle dragons and demons, or to slice the bread of Love and Life for sharing in times of Peace.

So, a blessing be unto this friend for the reflection of a part of him that is a part of me.

dawnclouds

Depression Preparation Plans

Posted on by bobcabkings

This applies for any chronic and episodic condition. There is no substitute for being prepared.

Nicole Lyons

Being a Mom is tough, wonderful, but tough. Being a mom who sometimes becomes overwhelmed with depression and anxiety is exceptionally tough. Most moms that I know personally struggle with thoughts of “how bad am I screwing up my kids?” These are common questions that the most loving and caring mothers think, usually on daily basis. The funny thing is that we know we are amazing moms. Throw depression into the mix and pack your bags because we are going on a guilt trip.

Back in October I was thrown into a pretty intense state of depression. It was a combination of a smoking cessation medication, time of year, and an extended family issue.

A few weeks prior to this I has been feeling great when my youngest daughter brought home a permission slip for a field trip. Not only did I sign it but I also volunteered to chaperone…

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Maybe My Mental Illness Does Define Me. And?

Posted on by bobcabkings

A lot of truth in this – good read

Let's Queer Things Up!

Every so often, I’ll get an email from a reader that says something like, “Sam, you can’t let your mental illness define you! You are so much more than that!”

(Has anyone else noticed how this is a distinct theme in my life? Since when does everyone know me better than I do? But OK.)

What if I told you that my mental illness does define me? And what if I also told you that I am much more than that? That these two realities are not mutually exclusive?

I know, it’s mind-blowing.

Fun fact: I have early onset bipolar disorder, along with generalized anxiety and OCPD. Which means, for most of my life (if not all of it), mental illness has shaped and impacted my lived experiences.

It is the filter through which I have seen the world. It’s as ubiquitous as the air around me.

The ways that I…

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