When it comes to the human psyche and its imprint upon literature, no other writer is discussed and celebrated more than the Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky. Also referred to as ‘Shakespeare of the lunatic asylum,’ his realistic portrayals of mental anguish and exploration of the darkest impulses of the human mind make for some of […]
Our Latest Blogs
02
Feb
Feb
Vincent Van Gogh, one of the most iconic painters of all time, was often referred to as “the Red-headed Madman” as people feared his behavior. Despite deteriorating mental health and financial instability, Van Gogh was a true artistic genius. Vincent Van Gogh’s art career lasted only ten years, but it was prolific. He created as […]
01
Aug
Aug
A year or even a few months ago, I never would have played a PC game for self-care — and I certainly wouldn’t have chosen to spend my nights and weekends holed up in my home office. As a freelance writer who works from home, I already spend most of my days on a computer, […]
15
Jun
Jun
In a shocking announcement, tennis superstar Naomi Osaka announced her withdrawal from Roland Garros (known in the US as the French Open) following a win in the first round. This comes after a bitter fallout with tennis officials over her decision to boycott all media activity at the Grand Slam event. Osaka had announced that […]
17
Mar
Mar
The Dance I’ve been doing the dance for a while now. This constant back and forth motion to find where I fit in with the virtual world. Do I fully engage on the popular social media platforms? Do I simply post? Just scroll? Or should I cut it out completely? I can’t be like everyone […]
17
Jan
Jan
Chances are good that you’re reading this article on a smartphone, and you are probably not alone. The average adult in the U.S spent 3 hours, 35 minutes per day on mobile devices in 2018. Drawing that out even further, the average human will spend 6 years and 8 months on social media in his […]
27
Dec
Dec
Hello. My name is Savannah and I have Bipolar Disorder. No, that does not mean I might turn on you at any moment. No, it is not like a light switch I can turn off and on when it is convenient for my life. It is, however, a constant uphill war where I occasionally lose […]
04
Oct
Oct
Ellen Forney has a wonderful sense of humor about the various afflictions and difficulties that she chronicles in her candid and affectingly raw graphic memoir Marbles: Mania, Depression, Michelangelo and Me. Her ability to see the comic side of so much of the darkness that she encountered in her battle with bipolar disorder, and all […]
29
Jul
Jul
When I first read Reasons to Stay Alive by Matt Haig, it was last year at the end of a long summer. Some sudden life changes had caused a dip in my mental health, and so like a moth to a flame, I was drawn once again to literature that could stand by me in […]
20
Sep
Sep
If you’re new to a sober lifestyle, you may feel like you need to avoid music festivals. If the scene is a trigger for you, you might fear a relapse. For those with co-occurring mental health and addiction issues, music festivals can be doubly challenging. If this is you and you attend a festival, you […]
03
Jul
Jul
All people value independence, but for Americans it is our defining trait. Whether we descended from the Mayflower, or are first generation Americans born to immigrants, we were raised on a narrative that our forebears came here seeking independence and a better way of life. Never mind that some people’s ancestors were always here, while […]
08
May
May
When dealing with a substance use disorder, sometimes, the best thing you can do for yourself and your recovery efforts is to push the outside world away. Music and music therapy are excellent ways to recover from a difficult past. Here are the benefits of music therapy along with pointers on a few of the […]
17
Jan
Jan
The screen opens on an animated scene of a kid in a basement with his father looming over him. A booming voice yells, “be a man.” The animation fades to real life and shows NFL coach and former player, Joe Ehrmann, narrating the story of how his father taught him to “be a man.” Like […]
06
Sep
Sep
In mental health, the term co-occurring disorders refers to the presence of two or more disorders in a person at the same time. In the past, co-occurring disorders were often confused with “dual diagnosis” (or “double trouble”), a term that was used to describe someone living with a mental illness and a substance use […]
21
Jun
Jun
I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to meet and interview the lovely and hilarious Sarah Andersen, the creator of the widely popular Internet comic strip, “Sarah’s Scribbles.” The strip follows the main character, Sarah, as she finds herself in funny and all-too-real situations. Recently, Sarah has released a “Sarah’s Scribbles” book, Adulthood is a […]
30
Mar
Mar
Yesterday, when I first learned of Patty Duke’s death (on Twitter, of all places), the first thing that went through my mind was the theme song from her hit TV show of the mid 1960s, The Patty Duke Show. If you are over 55 and grew up in America, it’s probably etched in your […]
21
Dec
Dec
The holidays are all about reconnecting with your loved ones and enjoying time together. To add to your holiday cheer, here are RtoR staff picks for our favorite family-friendly movies to watch over the holidays. These films can be either TV specials or feature-length movies that don’t necessarily need to reference Christmas or the Winter Holidays […]
20
Oct
Oct
Welcome to another RtoR Scavenger Hunt Quiz where you have to look around our site to find the answer to each question. Don’t worry, we give you hints along the way. This quiz’s theme is Pop Culture and Mental Health. Good Luck! Thanks for playing! Tell us how you […]
13
Oct
Oct
Rarely does a movie get beneath my skin the way that the Brian Wilson biopic Love & Mercy did. As a child growing up in the 60s I preferred the American pop sound of the Beach Boys to the anglicized rock and roll of the Beatles. So I silently cheered when Paul Dano playing […]
01
Oct
Oct
In late summer 2007, my teenager self got the devastating news that my favorite band, The White Stripes had cancelled their tour. I was not going to be able to attend their concert that was only a few weeks way in my local area. Like any teen with a music obsession, I was crushed. […]
14
Jul
Jul
As you can see from our last post on the topic, our Editor in Chief, Jay Boll has some strong opinions about the new video game Hellblade. In short, the game features the Celtic warrior, Senua who battles a variety of mental illnesses after a Viking attack on her village. I understand my coworker’s point of […]
18
Jun
Jun
An RtoR SmackDown of the Generations – Millennial vs. Baby Boomer! The metaphor of mental illness as a kind of living hell within the mind is nothing new. But Hellblade, the Game? When I first read that gaming company Ninja Theory wants to provide an “accurate and sensitive” portrayal of mental illness in its combat-based […]
16
Jun
Jun
Video gaming gets a bad rap. It’s either being blamed for causing violent behavior in children or being called out for perpetuating negative stereotypes of women. Game developers at Ninja Theory plan to change all that by releasing Hellblade in 2016 for PS4 and Windows PC. The game focuses on the female warrior, Senua […]
13
Aug
Aug
Update: Much has changed since Robin Williams’ death in 2014. New information has been released regarding the circumstances of his reported suicide. There have also been changes in the family situation Jay describes in the post from August 13, 2014. For a happier, more positive continuation of this story, read Jay’s most recent post […]
