Mental Health and Body Image Articles
Mental health and body image are topics that impact everyone and permate most topics, yet I find they are often under reported in the media. These topics are things that are really important to me and is something I really want to be present and highlight in my writing.
MY EYES ARE UP HERE!
Experiencing life with big breasts
With swimsuit season rolling around, all I can think about is the fact I have yet to find a swimsuit that fits.
As I scroll through countless apparel websites, I’ve officially accepted the fact that I will never successfully pull off a bandeau top and the only one to blame is my boobs.
Illustration by Milo Nguyen
F--- your flat tummy tea
How being healthy is more than your weight
Whenever the calendar hits Jan. 1, we all gain this sudden urge to be healthier. By the time we get to May, most of us have fallen off this health kick because we realize we set completely unrealistic expectations of ourselves.
This often comes down to what our understanding of a healthy lifestyle is.
Many of us are constantly bombarded within social media by idealized people promoting this supposed healthy lifestyle and it can begin to warp our perception of reality.
Ilustration by Milo Nguyen
Masturbate the stigma away
Why there is still so much shame around masturbation
The first time I attempted to masturbate, I was 13, and I didn’t do it right. I spent the next six months wracked with guilt. Through high school, that guilt morphed into embarrassment and sometimes even shame.
Now I look back and I wonder why something that is proven to reduce stress, ease menstrual cramps and muscle pain, improve your quality of sleep, and so much more, can be a source of negative feelings and carry an air of taboo around it.
Illustration by Anna Schnell
Going home for the holidays
How it’s different for everyone
Having just come back from a three-week monster of a break that was packed full of family time and holiday activities, you, like many others, could be experiencing some conflicting emotions.
For decades, media has been telling us that the holidays must be spent with family and friends, that this season is dedicated to family time full of memory-making and traditions.
But for many people, this is not truly the case.
Illustration by Angelique Guina
Putting your thoughts on paper:
The power of journaling
The satisfaction that comes with letting go of stress, anxiety, and overthinking can often be found with a pen and paper.
Journaling is a healthy strategy many people turn to for help dealing with the everyday stressors of life as well as depression, anxiety, and trauma.
Despite being a healthy thing to do, journaling can often be hard to get into.
Whether it’s not knowing what to write about, struggling to face what is floating around in your brain, or even feeling like you won't benefit from it, there are ways to overcome those obstacles and reap the benefits.
Illustration by Angelique Guina
The truth about stretch marks
And why you should stop hiding them
You probably have them, 80 percent of people do. Yet somehow we’ve learned along the way to be ashamed of our stretch marks, the visible proof that we are not without scars.
For many of us, we didn’t even notice them until we wished they weren’t there.
Illustration by Kirsten Syberg
The difference between alone time and loneliness
When most people enter college, they are thrown into a new environment where they know no one and life is completely different. This change can affect the experience of alone time versus loneliness.
Alone time and loneliness are different things, despite the fact that they are both a solitary experience.
Illustration by Erika Morales
Tips and tricks for dealing with your family over the holidays
While the holidays are filled with food, laughter, and joy, they can also be a source of stress, especially when we throw our diverse, rowdy, and sometimes outspoken family members into the mix.
Though the impending family gatherings can be anxiety-provoking, they are meant to be enjoyable. Here are some ways to avoid conflict at family gatherings while still maintaining your own sanity.
Illustration by Faith Kim