You may remember me as the blogger who wrote for "Work and Bipolar or Depression" or "Coping with Depression" here at HealthyPlace. While blogging on this platform has been a career highlight, I took time off from writing about depression for my mental health. Now that I am better, I feel grateful for the opportunity to write for "Mental Health for The Digital Generation." Although I wish I had never left, I know why I needed to do so: we live in a chaotic world where regular mental health breaks are essential.

I've written for the "Mental Health for the Digital Generation" blog for a little over a year now. My experience as a writer here has been both difficult and rewarding. In writing about mental health, I've had to confront the realities of my own mental illness, a very vulnerable process. I've also gotten to connect with all of you online, which has been a treat.

I'm Tanya J. Peterson, and I'm really excited to be one of the authors of the "Mental Health for the Digital Generation" blog. I've been writing here on HealthyPlace for seven years. I co-author the "Anxiety-Schmanxiety Blog," have written a bunch of articles on different topics around the website, and provide the newsletter articles. I love doing these things because mental health is so vital--mental health is life itself. Writing for "Mental Health for the Digital Generation" blog feels like coming home, like being where I want to settle in, get comfortable, and have meaningful conversations. 

I am Annabelle Clawson, a new author for Mental Health for the Digital Generation. I was diagnosed with major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder a couple of years ago. Looking back, I can see that I’ve struggled with mental illness for most of my life. My battle with it is far from over, but I’ve learned to be okay with that reality. I’ve found that leaning into it has helped me develop resilience, and I am excited to elaborate on that journey here at HealthyPlace.

My name is Jenny Capper, and I am now co-authoring Mental Health for the Digital Generation. I am so honored to be writing for HealthyPlace. I have been struggling with major depression and anxiety for 12 years. It is my hope that sharing my experience with mental illness will help you or your loved one feel understood and not alone.

My name is Shelby Tweten and I’m the new coauthor of Mental Health for the Digital Generation. I have struggled with mental illness as long as I can remember. I am diagnosed with bipolar type II as well as borderline personality disorder, but I was wrongly diagnosed for years. I first went to therapy when I was eight years old. Originally labeled as depressed, when I was 14, I was put on medication that later threw me into a medically-induced manic episode. After being diagnosed with bipolar when I was 17, I decided to audition for American Idol. On the show, I talked about my struggle with bipolar and how music helped me get through it. With all that going on and still being in high school, staying on medication was hard for me. When you're good, you think you're fantastic, which leads you to think you can handle life without your medication. This is wrong.

I am Hannah Blum, age 26, and diagnosed with bipolar disorder type two. I have also struggled with an eating disorder and the daily issues of being a woman in her mid-20s. I feel fortunate to have this opportunity to write for Mental Health for the Digital Generation here at HealthyPlace.

It has been an absolute pleasure writing for HealthyPlace and uploading videos each fortnight. Thank you to everyone who has read my blogs and watched my videos each week. I feel many blessings have come out of my mental health struggles.

Hello, my name is Kristen Virag, and I am very pleased to be the co-author of the Mental Health for the Digital Generation blog. I have had two major episodes of anxiety, depression and depersonalization (where your thoughts and feelings feel like you're not your own and you lose your own identity) which left me in a very crippled state for several months. I now consider myself recovered, but I pay special attention to myself and care for myself daily to make sure I never relapse.

Hello, my name is Samantha U’Ren and I am a 22-year-old college student who lives in Ottawa, Ontario. I enjoy going to the gym, thrift shopping, and trying to live as much of a “normal” life as possible. I am also pleased to announce that I am the new blogger for the Mental Health for the Digital Generation blog. Being in college is challenging; I think everyone can agree to that. However, my journey through college is a little different because I am a recovering alcoholic who also suffers from major depression and generalized anxiety disorder.