Welcome to the Ping-Pong Championships If you’ve ever been “lucky” enough to bounce between jail and the psych ward, you know what I mean by “the Great American Ping-Pong Game.” It’s like the universe took a look at your mental health and addiction issues and said, “Let’s see how many times we can make this one ricochet off the institutions before something sticks.” Spoiler: nothing ever really sticks. The ball just keeps going. I’ve lived it. I’ve watched clients live it. I’ve sat in fluorescent-lit rooms with people who have racked up more intake assessments than traffic tickets, and I’ve seen that look in their eyes—the one that says, “Does anyone actually see me under all this paperwork?” The answer, half the time: not really. Meet “Jake”—The Human Ping-Pong Ball Let me introduce you to Jake (not his real name, but his story is all too real). Jake’s been in and out of the system since he was old enough to drive—hell, maybe before. He’s got a rap sheet with more pages than some peo...

My Brain Is a Bad Roommate: Living with Mental Health and Addiction in the Same Skull Welcome to the Worst Roommate Situation Ever If my brain were a roommate, I’d have called the cops on it by now. Picture this: a guy who never sleeps (thanks, meth), a neurotic who triple-checks every lock (hello, anxiety), a professional couch potato who won’t move off the couch or out of yesterday’s clothes (depression), and someone who can’t stop asking if you’re mad at them (dependent personality disorder). Oh, and codependency? She’s the one who organizes pity parties and never lets you RSVP “no.” It’s a full house up there, and not the fun kind with cheesy ’90s theme music and hugs at the end. Who’s Running This Circus? That’s my headspace. That’s recovery, for a lot of us. The wildest part? Half the time, I couldn’t tell if I was dealing with withdrawal, a mental health meltdown, or just another Tuesday with my internal circus. Was it psychosis, or just the world’s worst hangover? Was I anxious...