In “Explaining Depression to My Mother” Sabrina Benaim uses the power of spoken word to communicate with her mother, revealing her struggle with mental illness–specifically,…
In the 1960s, guitarist/songwriter Paul Simon and singer Art Garfunkel wrote a song about suicide. On their surface, the lyrics explain that severe loneliness and…
“One of My Turns” by Pink Floyd is an eerie song describing the instant an individual goes from being stable to having a psychotic breakdown….
‘Trellis’ documents the agony and trauma of young girl reacting to her friend’s sexual assault. The poet, Andrew Gibson uses vivid imagery and rhetoric to…
The National’s “Terrible Love” depicts the personal anguish and loneliness of an individual who suffers from alcoholism. Unable to fall asleep without consuming alcohol, the…
Andrea Gibson is an award-winning poet and activist, whose poetry focuses on gender norms, social reform, and mental health challenges faced by individuals in the…
‘Mirror’, a poem by Sylvia Plath, depicts a woman’s struggle with aging. Plath suffered from mental health problems for most of her adult life; she…
“Invictus” is a short Victorian poem written by William Ernest Henley and published in 1888. He wrote this piece during a lengthy hospital stay for…
“Hip-hop culture is a powerful vehicle for raising awareness about mental health. It is rich with references to psychiatric illnesses that have not been explored,…
‘Flight’ is a song by the band Lifehouse that captures the importance of support from others, in times of difficulty and strife. The lead singer,…
