Introduction

This blog is something I've considered doing for quite some time now.  Out there in the "blog-o-sphere" I have an anonymous blog I created about my battle with depression as part of an online community group, but I want to be more open about my experiences, and that means creating a blog that is not anonymous.  So I'm following some of the examples from the amazing people around me, and I'm going to begin sharing more openly.  There's several reasons why I want to do this and what I hope to achieve from doing this---

•      Create awareness
•      Help others understand mental illness
•      Help fight the stigma against mental illness
•      To let others know they're not alone

I intend to be truthful in all that I write.  These are my own experiences, my own perspectives and my own feelings of how events affected/influenced me.  Some of these things may not be "news" to some, but a lot of it will be things that I've only talked about with few very select people.  If anything I post involves another person, I'll do my best to keep that person anonymous.  I apologize for anything that may be essentially "coming clean" about and that maybe I should talk about in person, but it's much easier for me to convey my thoughts in writing, so please try to be understanding.  (This mostly applies to family.)

If this blog "takes off" in any sort of way, I would be open to having guest writers if anyone had anything that they also wanted to share (I can post them anonymously or with your name, it would be your choice.)

I hope this blog will help create some awareness and understanding and even some healing as I write things out.  Feel free to share it if you feel so inclined.  I hope to make my first "official" post soon.