mental health Archives - Natasha Tracy Bipolar Expert

Why I Partner with Otsuka Pharmaceuticals: A Mental Health Advocate’s Perspective on Patient-Pharma Collaboration

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Oct 10, 2024

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.

Why I Hate Self-Compassion (But Might Embrace It Anyway)

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Jul 4, 2024

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.

Why Do I Think Everything Is My Fault?

Posted by Natasha Tracy | May 28, 2024

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.

How Successful Is the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline in 2023?

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Nov 2, 2023

As most of you know, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline morphed into the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline last year. This has broadened its scope and who it aims to serve. Millions have accessed the 988 Lifeline through calls, texts, and messages in the last year. This is extremely impressive. But how successful is the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at helping people, and would people call 988 again if they were in distress?

I Was Harmed by Truehope, EMPowerplus – My Story

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Aug 31, 2023

In February 2022, I decided I wanted to go off my antidepressants. This is what led me to find the company Truehope and their supplement EMPowerplus. I wish I never had. The direction from the staff at Truehope has damaged my health more than I ever thought possible. I have depression and have been greatly injured by Truehope. This is my story.

Compare Yourself to Others, and You Lose

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Nov 23, 2022

Recently, I wrote on Instagram about how when you compare yourself to others, you lose. I quoted Theodore Roosevelt, who said, “Comparison is the thief of joy.” I consider this to be true, but it doesn’t mean I don’t fall into the trap of comparing myself to others. Comparison is a natural human instinct, but that doesn’t mean it’s always helpful to us. So, let’s talk about comparing ourselves to others, how that leads to unhappiness, and how we can stop doing it.

Finding the Right Mental Health App for You

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Nov 8, 2022

Finding the right mental health app in a sea of 10,000 estimated health and wellness apps available (yes, there are really that many) can bring its own challenges. Moreover, in my opinion, it’s the Wild West out there for freely available online apps. This is because anyone can create an app and say it’s good for mental wellness with limited proof to support that claim. So, how do you find the right mental health app for you? At a recent BlogHer Health panel sponsored by Otsuka, we got the 411 on some things to consider.

Self-Harm Myth: People Who Self-Harm Like Pain

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Oct 13, 2022

It sounds true, but it’s actually a myth that people who self-harm like pain. I’ve done it; I should know. That’s right — I’ve purposefully caused pain, and yet, I hate pain. Believe me, you can want to self-injure and hate pain — both of those things can be true at the same time. Read on to learn about the myth that those who self-mutilate like pain.

The Problem with Mental Health Apps in 2022

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Jun 8, 2022

There are major problems with mental health apps. I hate to be a Negative Nancy about it, but there are. According to a webcast, I watched recently called BlogHer, there are more than 10,000 mental health apps in the app store right now. This must be a good thing, right? Well, I would argue that quality is much more important than quantity in the mental health space. We are talking about your health here. It would be nice to put that in the hands of people who know what they’re doing. But I would argue that 10,000 mental health apps certainly can’t claim that.