What does a typical Sara Benincasa lecture consist of? My aim is singular: to dispel stigma around mental healthcare. I want students to walk away feeling less afraid to ask for help and to feel less judgmental if their friends or family members see a therapist or enter a recovery program. I talk about stresses they may encounter in college.
Then I share my own story, which involves dropping out due to mental illness and learning how to ask for help. A shoulder to lean on is fine; your whole body is not. Subscribe for daily news updates from Little Village. Can you talk about the importance of friends and family as they relate to mental health? Do you have any advice for those who might not have a strong support system?
I was and am enormously fortunate to have a support system and to have money to pay for professionals. Doctors, counselors and social workers deserve to make a good living and it seems to me quite fair to offer a sliding scale to those who can prove their income is lower. My general recommendations begin with the dire emergencies.
If you fear you will hurt yourself or someone else, call If you are fortunate enough to attend a school with counseling resources, seek them out. If you work at a company that provides confidential employee counseling, seek it out. Prayer, positive affirmations and meditation can be extraordinarily helpful but they do not substitute for the actual medical care you need.
Do you ever worry your agoraphobia might return? Is it necessary to have a plan in place for such a possibility? Routine maintenance, but I have bouts with really dark depression at times. I did earlier this year. This time, I also saw a nutritionist who helped me lower my caffeine and sugar intake and raise my intake of fresh fruits and vegetables. With her help, I tracked what I ate and came to see how certain foods affected me negatively and made it tougher for me to sleep.
Sleep is so important for those with mental illness, so this was revelatory. Eventually I decided to go back on a small dose of Prozac after about a year off it. I began a meditation practice too.
So yes, it helps a lot to have a plan in place. I make sure to see people at least once a day, because it is very easy for me to fall into my old habits of staying at home and inside my own head.
Being out and around people is very important for me because the lure of self-isolation is strong. I know this sounds quite obvious, but when you live in a brain that sometimes tells you just to stay alone, it can be quite addictive.
I work from home right now so that makes it even more important for me to get myself out to a public space and write. She has an M. Photo credit: Robyn Von Swank. Sara Benincasa. The author of Agorafabulous deconstructs mental health with humor and grace. Full Bio Print. Real Artists Have Day Jobs Author, comedian, podcaster and digital marketer Sara Benincasa quite literally wrote the book on how to make your art while you make your money — even if those two goals never overlap! Read More.
See all related lists ». Do you have a demo reel? Add it to your IMDb page. Find out more at IMDbPro ». How Much Have You Seen? How much of Sara Benincasa's work have you seen? Known For. Trip Writer. The Focus Group Producer.
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