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National Singles Day 2022

I have been single my entire life.  While I used to think my life would be better if I were in a relationship, I now realize that being single isn’t such a bad thing.  

Throughout high school, middle school, and even the later years of elementary school, there was this sort of social pressure that you should start having a boyfriend or girlfriend.  These days, I think it was quite silly that we were all so worried about that when we were so young.  

I remember when I was a freshman in high school, I was made fun of by another student for not having any romantic experiences.  At first I was embarrassed because of peer pressure and social status, but now it doesn’t bother me as much.  Not everyone will experience the same things at the same time as everyone else. 

Since the pandemic, dating has become even harder for a lot of people as there have been less chances for in person social interaction, something that many humans crave.  Most people are making connections online which definitely isn’t the same as in person.  It’s difficult to determine if you have a bond with someone when you’re only communicating through text.

My main reason for wanting a relationship was due to being lonely.  While I still get lonely sometimes, I know one can still feel that way even if they are in a relationship.  I’ve seen first hand and have read countless stories of people who were not too happy in their relationship due to lack of affection and what not. 

In my opinion, it takes a lot of hard work to be in a successful relationship.  When you want to do something, you more often than not will have to keep your significant other in mind and how what you want to do might affect them.  You also have to (do your best to) satisfy the needs of your partner.

I’ve also come to realize that I am not yet ready to be in a relationship.  The time and energy that it takes is something I am not capable of giving at the moment.  I feel I still need to work on myself so that when I am ready, I can give my future partner the best version of myself.  Until then, I will appreciate being single.

Therell

Maternal Mental Health

Maternal Mental Health Awareness Day/Week/Month focuses on the mental health of mothers who are going through childbirth.  At least 1 in 5 new mothers go through some sort of anxiety disorder regarding childbirth in many countries.  The illnesses often go untreated which can have long-term consequences to both the mother and the child. 

Anxiety disorders can be developed by women who are from many different backgrounds such as culture, age, ethnicity, etc.  Symptoms of such disorders can be seen any moment during a mother’s pregnancy as well as the first year after childbirth.  Effective treatment options are available to help mother’s recover.  

If you are a soon to be mother or you know someone who will be, contact the maternal mental health hotline at 1-833-HELP4MOMS or 1-833-943-5746.

May The 4th Be With You

Star Wars has been a part of my life since I was a little kid.  I grew up with the prequel trilogy (The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, & Revenge of the Sith), so I tend to like that set of movies the most, but I still love the originals (A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, & Return of the Jedi) too.   

Watching Star Wars has had a positive impact on my mental health.  Whenever I watch it, it puts me in a good mood.  Even the sequel trilogy (The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, & The Rise of Skywalker), which I don’t really like that much because of the story, but I do like most of the characters.  

I honestly feel like parts of my life would be drastically different had I not been introduced to Star Wars.  For example, I wanted to be a Jedi when I was younger, I often quote Star Wars in my day to day life, and I have also lived by some ideas within the franchise.  One of these ideas was that negative emotions (the dark side) are bad.  However, I don’t live by this anymore because I have learned that continuously suppressing negative emotions can be unhealthy.  

Star Wars means so much to me.  I still have a lot of merchandise from the franchise; toys from my childhood, clothes, books, video games, etc. 

To end off, I will leave some of my favorite Star Wars quotes below:

“Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering.” – Yoda

“Try not.  Do, or do not.  There is no try.” – Yoda

“I am one with the Force and the Force is with me.” – Chirrut Îmwe

Happy Star Wars day everyone!  May the Force be with you!

7 Year Anniversary of Being Vegan

Today marks 7 years that I’ve been vegan.  April 9, 2015 was the day I decided to give up meat and dairy forever.  The last non-vegan thing I consumed was a chicken patty from my high school and after that I was like “I don’t want to do this anymore”.

My mom was vegan and before that a vegetarian long before me so she was a huge inspiration in my decision.  I also saw videos (Earthlings, etc) of animals not being treated well as they were prepared to be brutally turned into food.  This obviously also played a role in my decision.  I just did not want to contribute to the horrors that those poor animals were going through.

In addition to feeling better about not contributing to the horrible treatment of animals, I also know that my choice has had a positive impact on the environment.  Being vegan means I have saved not only animals, but also water, CO2, and forests. (https://thevegancalculator.com/#calculator). 

Being vegan has also improved my health.  Before going vegan, I noticed that I would get sick quite frequently.  After going vegan, the frequency at which I would get sick decreased significantly.  

Vegans have a stereotype of being annoying, pushy, and talking too much about their beliefs, so I don’t really talk about being vegan with people unless they ask me or it comes up in conversation.

My favorite vegan restaurants are Three Girls Vegan Creamery in Guilford and GZen in Branford (which is unfortunately closing at the end of this month).  There are also a few other restaurants that I enjoy which have vegan options.  Outside of those restaurants, I eat vegan “meat” products, veggies, fruit, grains.  There are so many vegan versions of a lot of foods nowadays.  

I’m not sure how I will celebrate my 7 year anniversary of being vegan, but it will probably involve eating vegan food!

Will Smith vs Chris Rock

As I’m sure most of us are aware, there was an incident at the 2022 Oscars between actor Will Smith and comedian Chris Rock. Chris Rock made a joke about Will Smith’s wife Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith walked on stage and slapped Chris Rock in the face.

Most of the internet has been divided, some siding with Will Smith, some siding with Chris Rock. Then there are those who are either not picking a side or just enjoying the countless memes that have been created about the situation. I am one of the people who isn’t siding with anyone, but I do have some thoughts about what happened. This is definitely a complicated and complex issue.

I feel as though Will Smith had some pent up emotions. There was a shot of him laughing at the joke that Chris Rock made, then suddenly he was extremely upset and did what he did. He might have been under a lot of stress as he was a nominee that night, and there is already a lot of drama surrounding his relationship with Jada.  

Chris’s joke also calls into question what is okay for a comedian to joke about. Should some things just be off limits? Where is the line between humor and being respectful to each other? Either way, I do think Chris Rock handled being slapped in the face quite professionally, not physically retaliating, just verbally reacting. Apparently he is not even pressing charges. While Rock may not have meant any harm with what he said, I can relate to being the butt of a joke. You don’t always want to show that it bothers you, but at the same time, there’s only so much a human can take.  

Even though I am not picking a side, I will say that I don’t fully agree with reacting to something like that with violence, especially as a black male. I just feel like it proves what racist people think of us; that we are violent. I have already seen some racists come out with their opinions on social media. While it shouldn’t matter what racists think, unfortunately we live in a country where there is systemic racism. For that reason, our actions are under a microscope. When we do not support each other it is magnified. For example, even though Chris Rock hosted the Oscars and Will Smith won one that night, the media are focused on the slap.  

What are your thoughts about this? Are you taking a side?

Norwalk SMART Teen Group!

We have launched a SMART Recovery Teen Group in Norwalk, CT!

Run by Blogger Eliza, find ways to live a balanced lifestyle with teens your age, all over pizza!

Every Thursday from 5:30-7 at Norwalk Public Library 1 Belden Ave, Norwalk.

Join the convo & read more about it here

Not in the Norwalk, CT area? Find a group near you

FAB Vlog from Brien McMahon High School

Watch vloggers Fatima, Ashley, and Bryanna (FAB), who are students at Brien McMahon High School. Fatima and Bryanna are at The Chill Out Lounge, TurningPointCT.org’s activity room at Norwalk High School’s Week of Wellness. We had stations of different sensory items and activities to “chill out”! Enjoy!

And, thank you Fatima and Bryanna for sharing your vlog with us! Welcome to TurningPointCT.org!

If you want to talk to them, leave feedback, or start a conversation here is their forum post! 

Back to Class!

That was quick… one month feels like one week.

But for now, nothing beats the feeling of getting back to the classroom. I’m really curious about what this semester will bring. Last semester ended just how I would have wanted it to. But with just a day to last from the classroom scuffle, I’m sweating my way back to school. Text books, ID’s, Schedules and what not, this small transition feels like an entire application process in itself.

Anyways, I’m good with my registrations, I just need to step foot into my first class of Spring 2017. The good thing is that I am finally going to be studying economics, back to business! I miss this course 🙁

🙂 And no other time in history has economics been more relevant. 🙂 …Well I am just exaggerating but to talk a little bit about my passion for this course – there is definitely more than sitting in the classroom constructing graphs and debating theories… its a measure of the breath we breathe to the projections that we make beyond our galaxy. And that’s why I love school so much and especially economics, problem solving keeps my adrenaline flowing.

Anyways back to the excitement, so I have some goals set for this semester. To point out a few:

1) I want to join a club

2) I also need to attend more on-campus events – From what I saw last semester, Norwalk Community College has had the benefit of hosting some great speakers and moderating really great discussions on topical issues.

3) And I want to finish this semester with all the classes that I have registered for.

These are all realistic goals and I’m very sure, achievable. I’m ready for it, so wish me well guys :).

New Blog Alert: The Monkey On My Back

12717666_10153396404366344_4130085502775197556_nAllison Kernan (Ally), takes on addiction in an amazing new blog, “The Monkey on My Back”:https://turningpointct.org/lets-talk/topic/the-monkey/.

Ally will be posting weekly through a very metaphorical voice that depicts addiction as a monkey that has occupied her personal space and refuses to leave.

‘The characteristics of Monkey is all over the map. He’s happiness, sadness, love, hate, honesty, control, manipulative, sneaky, attractive, ugly, confusion, strength, and mostly he’s one of the best liars I’ve ever encountered. The worst part about him is that no one, including myself, can predict his next move. Sometimes I’m a little ahead of him, but for the most part, he’s impossible to ignore…” Read More HERE: https://turningpointct.org/lets-talk/topic/the-monkey/

Wherever you are at in recovery, join her in discussion, as she unfolds the mysterious but inspiring path to recovery.

 

 

Part Two of Week 4/18/16 & Part One of Week 4/24/16

So when I posted on Monday I was having a horrible panic attack because of how stressful my week was going to be. So I did do horrible on my Spanish test but on the upside the lowest one is dropped so yay!… I guess… So then Tuesday came it was just like a normal Tuesday and I was able to do most of my Thursday night class homework that day during work. Wednesday was the worst day of this week. I had another Spanish quiz I went and took that after I rushed to interview 2 people for a project due Thursday. After interviewing I had about 15 minutes to eat and run to my event. The event I did was amazing. The group of performers we had were so kind and happy to be here sharing their story which meant a lot to me. I finally relaxed during the performance then after I got all stressed out again because I had a quiz and a paper due Thursday. So Thursday come and I get to sleep in a little I go to class and get a little stressed because my teacher wants us to work on our final paper in class. I don’t feel comfortable working on my papers in class because I have to map everything out and it doesn’t look like I’m doing what I should be, but I got through the class and did my best. Then I look my quiz for my one of my psychology classes and got a 92 (GO ME!!!). After class I went home and finished up typing up the interviews I took Wednesday and finished another paper for that class. After class Thursday I started studying for the quiz I had moved to Friday. Then I realized my teacher was doing a full moon meditation and I decided to go. Usually I wouldn’t but I knew my teacher would do a great job so I went and it was amazing I had an amazing time. Then I woke up Friday took my quiz and then set up for an event called Groove Boston. It was a lot of fun the people we set up with were so kind and helpful. We set up from 12pm-5pm and then went back and took it down from 1-3:30am. It was a long day but the people made it a good experience and that is what mattered the most I think. But it was a pretty stressful week but clearly I turned out okay and made it though
Week of 4/25/16
My plan is so part the first part of this week with the second part of last week if it makes sense to everyone if not okay let me know
So tomorrow ( Monday) I have my oral part of my Spanish final so I am kinda of stressed out about it but I know I will do my best and that is what matters. After that I have my boyfriend’s induction into his first honor society. Then I have a banquet after the banquet I am going home to work on my final paper for Philosophy class due next week but the sooner its due the less I have to worry about during finals. Tuesday I have class all day then work till 12am so I am going to study all night on my Spanish because I have my final Wednesday when I take a break during the 6 hours I am working I will be studying my psychology. My Spanish teacher didn’t want us to have our final on the final day so we are doing it this week which personally I am happy about. So that is what I am doing Wednesday after that I am writing a paper due Thursday night when I finish my paper I will be study for my psychology quiz I also have on Thursday. On Thursday I am going to relax after class before this weekend is going to be hell. We have a huge concert on Saturday night so I have to help out setting that up. It will be okay because we have such great people but it is going to be a lot to set up. In between shifts of setting up I’m going to be studying because of finals so wish me luck this week I will post the second half Sunday.

Introducing Our Newest Blogger: Kelly!

Introducing Our Newest Blogger: Kelly! – Learn more about Kelly and join her in discussion as she talks about life in college and dealing with anxiety, depression and OCD in her blog, “Daily Life as a College Student.”

She recently shared her inspiring story, which you can find HERE or at https://turningpointct.org/story/kelly-r/. In her story, Kelly tells us about her past and some of her future plans as she sets out to complete college and help other young adults who are struggling with mental illness.

“From getting through a panic attack to resisting the urge to do more than she really should, Kelly has been forthright about her everyday college experience and all the challenges that comes with being a passionate and dedicated student.”

Part One of Week 4/18/16

This is the first part of my blog for this week because my week is so stressful I want you guys to see how even though I feel so stressed, anxious and depressed this week I will get through it the second part will be posted Friday afternoon and I will be a reflection on how I thought this week really went. First off does anyone feel this week is so stressful? This is my second to last week of class and all of a sudden I feel like my life is falling apart its like someone pulled the rug out from under me and I just landed right on my face. I’ve been doing so well all semester and now I don’t know what to do. Today is Monday and looking at the week I’m trying to be positive and think maybe I can handle all of this but I have no idea how. This is my week… Monday (today) I have a Spanish test I should be studying for and I have but me and Spanish don’t really click. So I have studied the best I could. Then I have promo for an event I have on Wednesday but more on that later. Tuesday I have class all day then I have work till 12 am. Which is hopefully when I get most of my stuff done. Wednesday I have another test in Spanish and then I have an event, which I am really excited about but before the event I have to interview two people I only have 40 minutes to do it. Thursday my interview notes are due also I have two quizzes which I have to find time to study for because my event on Wednesday is going to till around 11:30. Having anxiety, I never know if I am over reacting about the stress or if I am really drowning. People around me without mental illness are also stressed so a feel a little bit better but I still feel super stressed. Being as stressed out as I am my depression is hurting me I want nothing to do with anyone. I want to lay in bed alone which is something I never ever want to do I want to be able to feel like everything I am doing throughout the day is meaningful but here I am wanting to skip class tomorrow to lay in bed. Well thanks for reading this guys. Wish me luck for this week to go by as quick and painless as possible. Look out for my next post on Friday.