Megsanity
Women, psychology and expletives.

A year ago, my father passed away. Massive coronary, completely unexpected, utterly devastating. I wrote about it in Grief From Love. The outpouring of support was humbling and I cannot thank you enough. But I also got many questions about it. Did it get better? How did things change? Today I will do my best to answer those questions but I may have done it even better in "Alien Landscape," a short story I wrote that used metaphor to explore my emotions. For more on "Alien Landscape," click here. Otherwise, read on....  continue reading

Ever wonder whether learning a new language is beneficial outside of being able to talk to new and interesting people? If so, I have a special treat for you. And if you want more information on the benefits and struggles of bilingual individuals, check out The Psycholinguistics of Bilingualism, Bilingual: Life and Reality, Tongue-Tied: The Lives of Multilingual Children in Public Education and A Parents' and Teachers' Guide to Bilingualism (Parents' and Teachers' Guides).

By: Olga Mecking

Even before I became a linguist and had my own trilingual kids, I was a language geek. I speak five languages (Polish, German, English, French and Dutch) and use at least three of them in everyday conversation. 

Being bilingual is not uncommon in other parts of the world the way it is in America. Instead of languages, guns and bacon, I associate America with superheroes. And each of you people can become super human and have fun doing it.  All it takes is learning a language. I am going to go all nerdy and science-y on you, but stick with me to learn how new languages gives you super human powers. (Cue evil laugh)....  continue reading

Previous posts have discussed the unique struggles that women in the military face (see more here in Fuck This Shit: Female Veterans, Trauma, Informed Consent and Working Towards Something Better). But when it comes to sexual assault, there is some gray area that we need to address, particularly in cases where women consent under duress. Just because we don’t — or can’t— fight doesn’t mean we are consenting. It doesn't mean you wanted it. And today I have one brave military woman here to share her story with you. 

By: Annonymous

I was 18 years old, fresh out of Basic Training for the United States Air Force.  I was assigned to the 99^th Logistics Readiness Squadron and was a Vehicle Operator. The dorms were co-ed and 95% male. I was treated as “one of the guys” by most. 

But not by all....  continue reading

Stress and the immune system have a relationship as complicated as Common Core math (so I’ve heard). In the short term, acute stress — or the kind you get running from a tiger —  boosts immune function and improves our ability to fight off illness and infection. Escaping from a tiger only to die of an infection would have been a bad evolutionary move and would surely have pissed off even the most chill cave man. 

So, if you’re going to the jungle gym and want to make sure you don’t catch a cold from those germy, monkey-bar-climbing heathens, make sure to be in full-on panic mode by pretending there’s a tiger behind a tree. Plus, what a fun game for the kids!

“Dude…your mom is whack.”

It’s the long term, chronic stress that does us in. That initial immune burst after run for your life is great. But when we can’t come down after it, say because instead of a tiger it’s a pile of paperwork, our stress stays at a lower but ultimately constant level. When that happens, our body starts producing more than the chemicals needed for fight and flight and things go a little haywire.

Okay, okay, a lot haywire....  continue reading

Self harm is a beast not easily overcome. While previous posts have discussed the evolutionary triggers to self harm and possible coping skills, sometimes hearing from those who have suffered is the best way to glean understanding. If you or someone you love is dealing with self harm, get professional help and check out some of my favorite books on the subject: Freedom from Selfharm: Overcoming Self-Injury with Skills from DBT and Other Treatments, A Bright Red Scream: Self-Mutilation and the Language of Pain, Helping Teens Who Cut: Understanding and Ending Self-Injury and Cutting: Understanding and Overcoming Self-Mutilation.

By: Ashley

When you discuss your issues with self-harm, there are a few different responses.  Some will say nothing. People who love you might beg, lecture, or threaten you. But most people ask what I've come to call the "Frequently Asked Questions of Self Harm”: the who, what, when, where and most importantly... the WHY....  continue reading

"I just want the pain to go away. The blade....it helps. I just don't know how else to make the feelings stop."

The woman in my office was not alone. Self-harm is an issue that is notoriously difficult to cope with, for individuals and families alike. There are several models that explain why these issues may come about, some of which have adaptive significance. Though it is unlikely that only one of these is triggering the behavior on its own, understanding them in combination may help those who engage in self-harm, those who love someone who does, and those who treat them. 

This blog is for informational purposes only. If you or someone you love is engaging in self-harm, please seek professional help and check out the books at the bottom of this post....  continue reading