Self harm is a coping behavior that can be indicative of an underlying serious issue. It is generally not a suicide attempt, nor is it a "cry for attention", but a way to manage emotional distress or exert control over difficult feelings. The reasons behind self harm vary from person to person and can be related to anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, poor body image, abuse, bullying, or other stressors.

Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) is characterized by at least two distinct and enduring personality states. It used to be called multiple personality disorder, but we now know that it is more that there is a splintering or fracturing of personality rather than the addition or growth of additional personalities. It is very rare and is typically associated with a history of trauma.

I talked on Day 35 about some movies and TV shows that portray mental illness fairly well, but today I want to showcase songs that talk about mental health. Nearly every genre of music has addressed in some way, so I've included a variety of songs with a variety of approaches.

We are in the home stretch of #shawleveryday2019 and I just want to remind you guys that I am raising money for Independence Center. You can donate directly via my campaign or purchase a shawl and I will donate half the sale price.

While Imposter Syndrome is not a mental illness or disorder in and of itself, it is often related to Social Anxiety Disorder and is an example of disordered thinking that can a symptom of a variety of other mental illnesses. Wil Wheaton talks about it in his keynote address at the 2016 Mensa gathering.

I've written previously about what things NOT to say to someone experiencing a mental health issue. But what are good things that you should say?

Guys, self care is hard. I mentioned it before on Day 63 that I struggle with it (although I did manage my 5 grateful things that day) and I still have trouble doing it. It's hard to take the extra time to focus on yourself. There are so many regular care things to do, like laundry and cooking and dishes and taking the car to the shop and whatever else. Those all seem to have higher priority than myself. :(

Until today, I had not heard of Jamie Baker. He is a San Jose Sharks broadcaster, 404-game NHL centerman, and also struggles with mental health. This article on The Athletic goes into detail about his depression, ADHD, brain trauma, and his decision to end his life.

On Friday I talked a little bit about how mental health affects women specifically, but today I want to dive a little bit deeper into the difference in suicide completion rate in men vs. women.

Is dementia considered a mental illness? Until I did my research for today's post, I didn't really know. Dementia has a physiological/neurological basis, typically as a result of brain damage due to disease or stroke, whereas mental illness is more psychological and manifests similarly to younger people.

Women and girls experience mental illness differently than men and boys. The following mental illnesses are more common in women than men, and women are more likely to experience comorbidity.

Today I want to give a quick shoutout to another great #mentalhealth comic artist and advocate. Gemma Correll both keeps things lighthearted, but also nails what it's like to have a mental illness. I hope you check out her work!

Body dysmorphic disorder is a body-image disorder characterized by persistent and intrusive preoccupations with an imagined or slight defect in one's appearance. These negative thoughts may cause the person to obsessively try to fix or hide their flaws and avoid social interactions. It is more related to obsessive compulsive disorder and social anxiety, rather than eating disorders. A person with BDD may spend hours a day thinking about their perceived flaws and it can greatly impact their daily life.

I was super frazzled today, so I really struggled with getting a blog post together. My therapist said I'm supposed to do 20 minutes of self care every day, which I also find hard to do. One idea Brian found was to write down 5 things that you are grateful for that day, so here it goes:

The relationship between exercise and mental health is complex. It's pretty clear that exercise does boost your mood short-term thanks to endorphins which help relieve pain and make you feel good, but exercise is also effective longer-term in the treatment of mental illness.

There are a TON of great books out there about mental health, but here are some of my favorites! Do you have any you recommend?

We are about 2/3rds of the way through #shaweleveryday2019! As a reminder, I am raising money for the Independence Center. Part of their work includes Midwest Psychiatry, which meets the unique needs of people with serious and persistent mental illnesses. They offer a holistic approach and focus on recovery and wellness, helping patients achieve psychiatric stability.

A phobia is a type of anxiety disorder that describes an intense, irrational fear of something, someone, or someplace that poses no or little actual danger. A phobia is more than just a general fear about something, it can cause major disruption to your daily life and ability to function normally.

Suicide can be a tough topic to talk about, but it's an extremely serious aspect of mental illness. It's a really hard thing to explain to people who haven't experienced suicidal thoughts. Phrases like "it's a permanent solution to a temporary problem" are profoundly unhelpful. When you are in the dark place where the building is on fire, it does not feel like a temporary problem. Jumping from the building at least has a chance of escaping, whereas continuing to exist in a boring, lonely, meaningless, void is just not worth it.