As May comes to an end, that doesn’t mean the mental health awareness comes to an end as well…until next year. Mental awareness and self-care should go hand in hand, and we should be mindful of both. The pandemic has radically changed our lives, from the way we work, to the way we learn and teach, to the way we interact with each other. Navigating this new normal has not been easy. Now more than ever, we need to practice self-care in every aspect, going beyond diet and exercising and into the mental and emotional. We have faced much stress…

Suppressed emotions are like a ticking time bomb ready to explode, just waiting for the right situation to set them off. Think of them as illnesses in incubation. Although ISIS (see last week’s blog) triggered the trauma I had suppressed within me, it was actually a blessing in disguise. It forced me to break my pride and seek help. It also changed my perspective; it made me more positive and even more resilient. Now, I have the necessary tools to overcome future trauma. Admitting I needed help felt like a weakness as if I failed at something. I can get…

It was early September 2016 when I first realized I needed help. The type of help that was outside of my control and even understanding, professional mental help. Growing up, I had a normal childhood. At least to me and those around me, it was normal. No different than my neighbor or anyone else living in Iraq. It never fazed me that what I was experiencing with war and everything associated with it slowly weaved itself within my mind, body, and even my soul. I struggled with a bad temper, but I didn’t realize there was more to it, and…