When first diagnosed with a mental illness our lives--and the lives of those closest to us--change drastically. For lack of a better cliche: like night and day; black and white. We know, instinctively, that our lives will never be the same. Sometimes, we fear they will become more difficult, or we will forget who we were prior to diagnosis. It often feels as if we are losing a part of ourselves--our "self." And that's scary. Let's explore why we may feel this way.

Feelings of grief are often connected to the diagnosis of mental illness. When first diagnosed, it can feel as if a part of you, of your life, has died. This blog will explore the definition of grief, its connection to our mental health, and ways in which we can utilize it in a positive fashion (yes, positive!) to help us on our journey to mental health stability.

First, I need to state that the title of this blog might be a little bit misleading for the following reason: Is there a definition of normal? Well, I don't think so, but what I do know is that in our society normal means something. What Does Society Deem as Normal Behavior?

First, let me state the obvious: When you are diagnosed with a mental illness everything is difficult. That being said, I believe there are certain things, feelings and experiences, that are probably more difficult then, say, making sure you eat lunch. I want to narrow it down to five because those of us living with a mental illness know that we could compile a book the size of a dictionary if we wanted too. I'm pretty sure we wouldn't want to do that, right?

I write a lot about depression and bipolar disorder in this blog. I also write other serious mental illnesses. Despite this, I don't believe I devote enough time---enough words---to other mental illnesses. Counting Down: Five Mental Health Disorders Not Given Enough Attention

A toolbox of creative coping skills can make mental illness recovery easier. It used to be that when I pictured a toolbox, two images come to mind: My toolbox full of art supplies which is used often and the toolbox sitting in storage. It contains hammers and nails and other strange things. But now I think of a toolbox in a new way. A toolbox of creative coping skills is a collection of ideas that we can use to combat, and learn to live with, mental illness.

Mental illness and rage often go hand in hand---primarily when the illness is not yet treated. Rage is scary and stems from irritability and anger. It represents, and feels like, complete loss of control. What is rage and how can we confront it when living with mental illness?

When you live with a mental illness you understand depression. You know how much depression hurts, the damage it can cause, and the fear that results from it. But it can be hard to distinguish a state of sadness from that of depression. And it be scary not knowing if you may be experiencing a depression relapse or, with any luck, just feeling plain sad.

It would be interesting if we took a few minutes to recall the stigmatizing feedback we've received about our mental illness. Together, we could compile a book of stupid mental health comments that rivals the dictionary in length. But that would take a lot of time and, frankly, might irritate us. So, in light of that, let's focus on some common stigmatizing feedback we might receive about mental illness and how we can respond to it.

This topic came to me at a rather ridiculous time---though this is often the case and I am usually somewhere without a pen!---when putting on mascara. Ah, yes. The best ideas plant themselves in my often scattered brain when I am doing anything other than wondering what I might write about. That being said, with mascara wand in hand, I ran into my office, grabbed a pen, and scribbled it down. And then I thought: "Can we actually view our mental illness positively?" At this moment, as I write these words, I have no idea. But I want to give it a shot. After all, what's the worst that could happen (cue somber music)?