If you frequently find yourself overanalyzing, I want you to know you are definitely not alone. It feels like you are but I promise it’s not true.
Skin Picking: The Urge and Feeling Like a Failure
I started picking my skin again. It’s hard not to be disappointed when I slip up again. I started feeling like a failure, like I have no control over my life. But a setback does not make me a failure.
Forgiveness. Recovering From Grief
By Tina Blacksmith Back in November I started therapy. My therapist suggested I pick up a copy of The Grief Recovery Handbook. The reason for this was to grieve the relationship I never had with my mom. Strangely enough the first relationship I completed was my dad. I was wrong Continue Reading
Growing Up in a Broken Home: The Aftermath
By Tina Blacksmith It doesn’t end once the abuse is over. I didn’t realise at the time that I would deal with the aftermath of growing up in a broken home for years and years after he was gone. If someone thinks abuse isn’t “a big deal” and we should Continue Reading
Body Image, Societal Expectations and Mental Health
By Tina Blacksmith In our world, women are held to utterly ridiculous standards when it comes to beauty and body image. We must get manicures weekly. No one should be able to see even one pore on our face. We should spend shitloads of money on expensive makeup that will Continue Reading
Reflection – Letting go of the past
By Tina Blacksmith “Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.” – Søren Kierkegaard This year, I have started letting go of the past and making an effort to heal. My letter is part of that reflection. It feels like one of those “two steps forward, Continue Reading
Social Media and Mental Health
By Tina Blacksmith It seems nowadays everywhere you look, people are on their phones. I’ve only had a cell phone for a little over a year now, and before I got one I used to call people “phone zombies”. You can probably guess why. People walk across streets with their Continue Reading
Trekking Outside Your Comfort Zone
By Tina Blacksmith I’ve always been scared to leave my comfort zone. I usually don’t try new things if they make me uncomfortable. It makes me so nervous. I get nauseous. I’ll Never Ride It I had thought of getting a bicycle but I always said “I’ll never ride it.” Continue Reading
#metoo – It’s Not Your Fault
By Tina Blacksmith After the #metoo campaign took off, thousands of women began sharing their stories across social media. Alyssa Milano urged other women to reply with a simple #metoo if they had been victims of sexual assault. I am sharing my story. I have never told anyone this besides Continue Reading
Freeing Your Mind from an Emotionally Absent Parent
By Tina Blacksmith I never had a Hallmark mother-daughter relationship with my mom. She was an emotionally absent parent. My whole childhood, she was there in the physical sense. But emotionally she never showed up. I get that she was going through shit too. I really do. But growing up Continue Reading
Death Phobia/Anxiety
By Tina Blacksmith Death phobia. Death anxiety. Thanatophobia. Whatever you wanna call it, it is VERY, VERY real. I don’t know how it started or where it came from. All I know is that it’s not something I’d wish on anyone. There are simple phobias and complex phobias. If I Continue Reading
It is as bad as it sounds
By Tina Blacksmith Mental illness really is as bad as it sounds. It’s hard to believe it’s already been over a month since Chester passed away. I remember, actually quite fondly, listening to Linkin Park every single day for a long period of time during my teen years. His memory Continue Reading