A Splintered Mind

Several ice ages ago, a student asked me if I would be willing to answer some questions for her. Then life happened. The questions just never seemed to be at the top of my long list of things to do, especially since this fall has been filled with medical emergencies. I finally sat down to answer the questions the other day, then realized I was writing a blog in response—and a lengthy one at that. I sent off my replies in the hope that I was not too late, then it occurred to me: Why not work these replies into a blog, then challenge my readers to answer the questions as well? So there you are. Read my replies. You might learn something new. You might see yourself, too. Then post your own answers on Facebook, Tumblr, Medium, or your own blog, and leave a link in the comments below (make sure your Facebook post is public) . You could also answer the questions in the comments. For some reason I assumed that the student who needed my help wanted me to focus on ADHD . Considering how long ...

The subject I am writing about today may be uncomfortable for some of my readers. I think it is an important one, though, because it affects people who have been marginalized by many in the mental health community. If your brush with suicide left you unscathed, then you know what I'm talking about. Also, if you search for “cutting” or “suicide” on Tumblr.com, you will see what it is that bothers me in the article, but I won’t link directly to any particular post. I don’t want to give any of those troubled souls undue attention. There’s a club all the cool kids belong to. A few weeks ago, I was talking with a friend about suicide. Yes, most buddies discuss the latest game, last night’s sports score, Scarlett Johansson, or politics, but my friends have me, so they get stuck with mental health discussions. That day’s topic was suicide and suicide advocates. My friend was beside himself in excitement. I was discussing Tumblr blo...