Category Archives: Mental health

My Last Drunken New Year: Cheers to Sobriety

Posted on January 1, 2025 by minndixiemom

On December 31, 2001, I was still struggling with alcohol misuse. I’d been concerned about my drinking for a while, and had even explored treatment at a local facility. I wasn’t ready, though, and convinced myself, and my husband, that … Continue reading →

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Reflections in Recovery: Thoughts on Matthew Perry’s Autobiography, his Death, and the Drug Ketamine

Posted on January 2, 2024 by minndixiemom

Matthew Perry’s memoir hit me hard. The stretches of sobriety, heartbreaking relapses, and deeply-rooted resentments. Sure, there were moments of levity, laughter, and hope, fueled by Perry’s sheer determination to keep fighting, but there was an eerie sense of foreshadowing … Continue reading →

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My 3-Pound Universe: The Realities of ADHD Relapse

Posted on November 10, 2023 by minndixiemom

When I feel bad mentally, I can usually trace it back to my ADHD. It’s a condition we often joke about, flippantly saying things like, “I’m so ADHD today,” or “Squirrel!” Of all mental illnesses, Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder is among the … Continue reading →

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A Letter to my Mom

Posted on August 28, 2023 by minndixiemom

Dear Mom, We lost you three years ago, today. It’s an anniversary I recognize, but don’t celebrate. When you took your last breath, I lost a few of mine. You hadn’t been feeling well. I knew that day was coming. … Continue reading →

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“I Win!” Words of Wisdom from my Grissom Grad

Posted on June 19, 2023 by minndixiemom

She smiled big as she sashayed across the stage, stopping for that long-awaited photo opp, one hand shaking the principal’s, the other gripping her high school diploma. It had been a long journey, but she was finally here, at the … Continue reading →

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Why I Failed Dry January

Posted on January 24, 2023 by minndixiemom

Long before it was a thing, I gave Dry January my best shot. Almost every New Year, I resolved to quit drinking. Maybe not for an entire month, but almost a month. Or a couple of weeks. I fell short, … Continue reading →

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Shattered Glasses

Posted on April 21, 2022 by minndixiemom

You tasted sweet on weary lipsAnd soothed a blistered soul,You numbed a pained, tormented heart,And filled a massive hole. You wrapped your arms around me,A comforting embrace.Pinot, riesling, cabernet,All washed away the angst. Wine drove me quickly to the nightTo … Continue reading →

Posted in Health, Mental health | 2 Comments

Health is Health: Putting physical and mental health on the same plane could eliminate stigma

Posted on January 27, 2022 by minndixiemom

For years, I’ve been in the “eliminate stigma” camp when it comes to mental illness and addiction. After all, I struggled with undiagnosed ADHD, non-hyperactivity, and general anxiety disorder from childhood into adulthood. Along the way, I self-medicated with alcohol. … Continue reading →

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My 3-pound universe: Irony, denial and addiction

Posted on September 20, 2021 by minndixiemom

In my early 20s, I went out with a nice guy. Over dinner, he shared that he was on Zoloft for depression. I recoiled. For starters, that’s not first-date material. Secondly, I was rife with judgment. I didn’t want to … Continue reading →

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