Jul 27, 2017

A Game of Thrones Lesson: People Don't Understand Mental Health Problems

Confession: I do a lot of creative writing for an online, text-based role playing game #nerdalert

A lot of what I write has to do with mental health. I put the main character of my stories through a lot trauma, and then I write my little heart out to get her through the aftermath and the inevitable mental health issues she experiences as a result: PTSD, anxiety, depression, self-harm, thoughts of suicide. I like to explore these issues because it helps me better understand them.

Unfortunately, sometimes people don’t get what I’m writing. They don’t read my attempts at portraying mental health issues for what they are. Instead, they see my character behaving a certain way and label it as unnecessary drama, selfishness, or her feeling sorry for herself.

And it’s super disheartening.

It’s made me want to give up trying more than once.

People simply do not get it. They don’t understand mental health problems. Maybe they don’t want to. Or maybe they just can’t. | Hot Pink Crunch


Jul 20, 2017

Introducing Two Series: Simple Swaps and Three Hot Ways

Let’s not sugar coat the truth here (especially since delicious sugar is so soooo evil): Trying to live a healthier and more natural life can be extremely hard and overwhelming.

Where do I start? How do I start? Do I just throw everything out all at once? (I did that with my hair products and then freaked out after!) Is everything going to give me cancer? How do I keep up my momentum once I start? How can I afford this? Where do I find good products? Where do I find reliable information? Is butter good for me or bad for me? I can’t throw out my hair gel!

Jul 17, 2017

Being Healthy Needs To Be Easy

Being healthy needs to be easy.

I seriously do not have the energy for anything complicated.

I don’t have the energy to whip up complicated DIYs so I can avoid all the chemicals lurking in our personal care products or even the easy ones sometimes. I don’t have the energy to spend ten hours at the gym to get fit. I don’t have the energy to come home after work to create elaborate and healthful meals. I don’t have the energy to make my own green cleaning products and then use them to clean.

I just don’t have the energy.

Being Healthy Needs To Be Easy | Hot Pink Crunch

Jul 13, 2017

Coming Unglued

I have a confession to make.

Hot Pink Crunch has been a big hot mess for the last year.

When I wrote about anxiety back in July 2016, I thought I knew what I was talking about. I thought I really knew anxiety. And maybe I did.

But it got much much worse.

Coming Unglued: What Anxiety Feels Like | Hot Pink Crunch

Jul 10, 2017

It's Scary To Stop Thinking And Start Acting

I’m sitting here right now overthinking this.

This stuff I am writing.

I really want to wait another month (or year… no no, better make it two years) before I start putting my words out into the world wide web again because I am anxious about this thing I am doing. About writing. About putting my thoughts and feelings out there for other people to see.

So true! It's so scary to stop overthinking sometimes and just DO something #anxiety | Hot Pink Crunch