Ever wondered what it feels like to recover from depression, especially after years of battling bipolar disorder? In this deeply personal post, I share the small but significant shifts in my emotions, the challenges of adjusting to life without constant suffering, and the fears that come with recovery. If you’re curious about how mental health recovery unfolds or want to understand the emotional ups and downs of depression, this article provides a raw, real-life glimpse into the journey. Dive in and explore my experience with recovery.

Partnering with Otsuka Pharmaceuticals for World Mental Health Day has sparked controversy, but I believe collaboration with pharmaceutical companies can benefit patient advocacy and innovation. While I understand the skepticism around “big pharma,” my work with Otsuka is about amplifying patient voices and ensuring medication development includes our needs. I remain committed to transparency and maintaining unbiased content, despite the sponsorship. Let’s explore the real impact of these partnerships and why they’re necessary.

Feeling like you have no mental health left? In this personal and practical guide, I share what it’s like to experience severe mental health struggles and offer actionable steps to cope when everything feels impossible. From managing daily tasks to finding hope in the darkest moments, learn how to survive and navigate through mental health collapse. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, you’re not alone, and there are ways to manage even when it feels like you have no mental health left.

Seeing a loved one obsessed with suicide is heart-wrenching and frightening, especially when you don’t know how to help. Discover vital steps to ensure their safety, understand their condition, and seek the professional help they need. Learn about effective treatments and how to find support for both you and your loved one in this critical time. Your loved one can get through this, and you can play a crucial role in their journey to recovery.

While I believe that everyone deserves it, I hate self-compassion. It seems like everyone should want self-compassion, and yet I don’t want to give it to myself. This may sound counterintuitive, especially coming from someone in the mental health field. If you find yourself hating the idea of self-compassion or wonder why someone else would hate it, read on. I delve into the complexities and personal battles that make self-compassion feel more like a hindrance than a help, and explore the journey of possibly reevaluating this stance.

I have a bad habit of thinking everything is my fault. It’s remarkable, actually. No matter what happens and no matter what other people do, it always feels like I made it happen. This is a personal inclination of mine, psychologically, I suspect, but it’s also impacted by depression. If you feel like everything is your fault, read on as to why that might be and what to do about it.

I’ve thought about what makes a person suicidal many times. Mostly, that’s because I’ve been both actively and passively suicidal for prolonged periods of my life. It’s hell, and I hate it. There are both general and specific things that make a person suicidal. Knowledge of these factors, along with ways to protect from suicidality, can help.

It can be difficult to know how to advocate for yourself in a doctor’s appointment. I’ve been faced with this for years, and I still sometimes find it difficult. However, forming a patient-doctor alliance where you work together is part of a comprehensive wellness plan. In order to participate in this, you must be able to advocate for your own needs and wants. Here’s how to advocate for yourself in a doctor’s appointment.

There are so many myths about what it’s like to live with bipolar disorder. People constantly make assumptions about it based on media portrayals, but life is not a movie or a news report. Living with bipolar disorder is complex and varied, and what happens for some is not necessarily common for all. So, let’s dispel some of the myths about what it’s like to live with bipolar disorder and encourage people to stop making uneducated assumptions.

I told you a new book on bipolar disorder was coming. I’ve been working on it for months, and while it’s not here yet, the title and cover are here. I hope you enjoy this Natasha Tracy bipolar book title and cover art reveal.

Don’t ask me how I am. Just don’t do it. Asking me how I am will only result in one of two things: a dishonest answer or honest tears. I don’t particularly care for either outcome. This is because I’m miserable. I’m hellaciously depressed and have recently undergone a couple of unfortunate situations. i do the best I can to ignore all that — after all, nothing can be done — but when I think about how I am, I get really upset. I know how I am. I’m horrible.

I’m extremely excited to announce that I’m releasing my second book. For those of you who don’t know, I released a book in 2016, Lost Marbles: Insights into My Life with Depression & Bipolar. It’s a combination of memoir and self-help. It was very well received by people with bipolar disorder and their loved ones alike. I’ve certainly written a lot since 2016, and this new book is a result of that and so much more.