NAMI Mercer County

Families Meeting the Challenge of Mental Illness

A New Perspective

Weekly blog series created by Summer 2025 Intern, Bella Santulli. Dedicated to bringing awareness to mental health conditions, talking about behavior connections between pop culture and psychology, and queer psychology.

The Object of All Desires

By

Bella Santulli, NAMI Intern

The definition of obsession is: an idea or thought that continually preoccupies or intrudes on a person’s mind. In some lights, obsession can be beautiful–a devotion to a routine, a person, an object of desire, and others–the mere actions of making you whole again are also tearing you apart. To have someone kneel to your every want and emotional satisfaction while their gloom spreads over their heart. To twist the doorknob three times before opening, so the doors in your mind will not collapse around you. But how far does that insatiable light extend? What are the connotations attached to the extent of our illness that consumes our souls? 

In the realm of psychopathology, or mental health disorders, obsessions frequently look like fears about becoming contaminated by things, aggressive impulses that one fears acting on, thoughts about keeping things in order, doubts about whether something happened or is true, or sudden and intrusive sexual thoughts. As you might imagine, given the content of these thoughts, they are frequently experienced as upsetting, especially by people with diagnoses of obsessive-compulsive disorder or an anxiety disorder. 

While people with certain mental health disorders experience more frequent, long-lasting, and distressing obsessive thoughts than people without mental health disorders do, most people–as many as 90% of adults in the general population–report that they have had obsessive thoughts at least once. These obsessive thoughts tend to be similar in their nature to the obsessive thoughts of people with OCD or anxiety, but just not as intense and difficult to learn to cope with. For this reason, psychologists think of obsessive thoughts as existing on a spectrum from relatively harmless to extremely distressing or impairing.  

I find the stigma surrounding obsessions an interesting study due to the particular standards we uphold as a society. Why is it that obsessing over your craft or work in attaining greed, fame, or pleasure is deemed acceptable, but it is “weird” or you are framed as a “geek” if you have obsessions about special interests or comic books? I have always been seen as a nerd/geek since my younger years. Whether through my obsessions with the Marvel Universe, the genre of horror, or my love of reading, there have always been those comments that have spread into my life. I believe it is essential to ask ourselves why we always look to judge others when we should be looking at ourselves. Because in the end, we never know what someone else is going through or what thoughts corrupt our minds. 

Compulsions are repeated behaviors aimed at dealing with obsessive or intrusive thoughts. Obsessions differ from compulsions, but they often go hand in hand–some obsessions may even cause people to develop compulsions. However, compulsions can take on obsessive or extreme intensity. For example, here are some common examples of compulsions:

  • Reiterating the notion that you cannot hurt anyone—by removing all knives from your kitchen
  • Making sure appliances are turned off multiple times
  • Checking if doors and windows are locked various times before leaving home
  • Checking your body to make sure you don’t have physical symptoms
  • Reviewing or going over events or conversations that have happened

Sometimes, people develop compulsions because they feel they can keep negative things from happening by taking these compulsive actions.

The National Library of Medicine proposes that obsessions are caused by catastrophic misinterpretations of the significance of one’s thoughts (images, impulses). These obsessions will persist as long as these misinterpretations continue and diminish when the misinterpretations are weakened. On the contrary, weakening or eliminating these misinterpretations is expected to lead to a reduction in the intensity and frequency of obsessions. I recommend taking a look at a fellow NAMI Intern’s blog, Angelina Villalva, specifically the Observing OCD Post that outlines obsession in OCD and how to cope with intrusive thoughts. Additionally, multiple toolkits outline resources, help, and coping strategies for living with OCD/intrusive thoughts.  

Book of the Week: The Secret History by Donna Tartt 

The Secret History by Donna Tartt explores the psychological unraveling of a close-knit group of classics students at an elite college, driven by intellectual elitism and a growing obsession with beauty, power, and control. As their fixation deepens, moral boundaries dissolve, illustrating how obsession can distort reality and lead to destructive consequences—echoing the these themes of psychological fixation. “I am nothing in my soul if not obsessive.”

Resources

  • NAMI Mercer Helpline Phone Number: 609-799-8994 x17
  • NAMI Mercer Helpline Email: helpline@namimercer.org
  • https://iocdf.org/ocd-finding-help/other-resources/

References 

  • VanDerBill, Brittany. “The Psychology behind Obsessions.” Psych Central, 8 Apr. 2022, psychcentral.com/ocd/psychology-of-obsessions.
  • Rachman S. A cognitive theory of obsessions. Behav Res Ther. 1997 Sep;35(9):793-802. doi: 10.1016/s0005-7967(97)00040-5. PMID: 9299799.

Pages of Peace

By

Bella Santulli, NAMI Intern

I live, breathe, and love characters across a vast spectrum of worlds. From letters of passion from the soul by Jane Austen to a character stricken with mad obsession and loyalty to his craft of scents by Patrick Suskind, I find myself in love with knowing the ins and outs of thousands of stories. The words inked on the page shape a movie in my mind and deepen themselves in the grounds of my memory, where I find new perspectives on society and myself, a changed person. Not only do I enjoy reading literary fiction, classics, and horror, among other genres, but I also find the colossal impact on my mental health to be full of benefits: and so does science. 
Studies using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) have demonstrated that reading is a complex task that engages various brain regions. 

  • Temporal lobe → which is responsible for phonological awareness and for decoding/ discriminating sounds
  • Broca’s area → in the frontal lobe, which governs speech production and language comprehension
  • Angular and supramarginal gyrus → links different parts of the brain so that letter shapes can be put together to form words.

By observing changes to blood flow, researchers can see that reading stimulates the brain’s neural pathways. This stimulation enhances brain activity, memory and cognitive function — ultimately boosting your creativity and expanding your capacity to learn. Additionally, I find the benefits to my emotional health & the capacity of my emotions increased from reading. Books can make you feel a scope of emotions, from pure joy, and surprise to fear, anger, or skepticism. Experiencing this variety of emotions helps to build your resilience and ability to face difficult situations & dilemmas. Furthermore, reading can help develop empathy and foster connections with others by learning about diverse experiences/cultures through storytelling. Not only does reading provide immense emotional health benefits there are multiple other mental health advantages as well. 

  • Stress relief: Speaking of stress relief, immersing yourself in the captivating world of books can help lower your heart rate and relax your muscles. Books are also a healthy way to help you compartmentalize when you focus on a story instead of a stressful event.
  • Cognitive health: Reading enhances your critical thinking skills and creativity. It also broadens your vocabulary, boosts your knowledge and stimulates your imagination.
  • Entertainment: There are many options for entertainment especially with digital devices and streaming services making shows, movies, music and podcasts more accessible now than ever before. Some of you may not consider books a form of entertainment, but they certainly can be. Books can make us laugh, cry, and create intrigue and excitement. Being entertained also has positive health benefits, including the release of endorphins in the brain. These feel-good hormones help you relax, manage pain, and relieve stress.
  • Social Engagement: Engaging with the world of books can enrich your social life. Staying social has significant benefits, including preventing isolation, which is a risk factor for depression and dementia.

Not only are there mental health benefits, but physical as well. Studies show that reading can help relax the body by lowering heart rate and easing muscle tension, with a reduction in stress of up to 68% in people who silently read a literary work for just six minutes. This results in an overall lower blood pressure and improved sleep quality. Similarly, researchers have found that, compared to using social media, reading helps improve concentration by increasing the capacity for longer attention spans. This can be particularly helpful for those who struggle with concentration or identify as neurodivergent. 

Especially with the rise of A.I. (Artificial Intelligence), it is critical to centralize physical media in our lives. A new study from MIT is raising concerns about how A.I. affects learning and how convenience may come at a cost to your brain. This study examined essay writing across three groups: individuals using AI, a search engine, or their own brainpower. The last group, with no tools at all, showed the most potent brain activity and better memory recall. They were followed by search engine users, and in last place, people relying on AI, who displayed a decline in neural connectivity, which can eventually lead to brain atrophy. Although the purpose of technology is to make our lives easier, is this worth the cost of our originality? Our humanity? The very essence of what makes us human, stripped away, to teach AI to think for us, not to think for ourselves. We attempt to teach AI the elements of our souls – something no machine can build or recreate in pursuit of less work, but how much less work do we need? In my active goal of prioritizing physical media in a digital era, these are recommendations that contribute to my overall well-being: 

  • Swap scrolling through your phone for reading just once a day.
  • Develop a routine, such as reading before bedtime or listening to your favorite band while reading.
  • Select books on topics you’re curious about and have developed an interest in (Comics/Manga counts:))
  • Research what people you admire read to connect with them through books, whether a celebrity, colleague, parent, or best friend.
  • Join a book club, either in person or online/Create a book swap with family and friends.
  • Participate in groups on social media with fellow bookworms or enthusiasts of specific book genres.
  • Opt in for “suggested reading” lists, such as through your e-reader or social media.
  • Check out your local library — frequenting a library can also give you a sense of community. (It is also an option for those not interested in economically contributing)

It is not just a hobby; it is a form of care. Through the written word, we heal, grow, and awaken parts of our humanity that no algorithm can replicate. So turn the page, and in doing so, turn inward. Your mind, body, and soul deserve that moment of peace.

Book of the Week: Perfume by Patrick Süskind

Patrick Suskind’s classic novel provokes a terrifying examination of what happens when one man’s indulgence in his greatest passion-his sense of smell-leads to murder. In the slums of eighteenth-century France, the infant Jean-Baptiste Grenouille is born with one sublime gift–an absolute sense of smell. As a boy, he lives to decipher the odors of Paris, and apprentices himself to a prominent perfumer who teaches him the ancient art of mixing precious oils and herbs. But Grenouille’s genius is such that he is not satisfied to stop there, and he becomes obsessed with capturing the smells of objects such as brass doorknobs and fresh-cut wood. Then one day he catches a hint of a scent that will drive him on an ever-more-terrifying quest to create the “ultimate perfume”-the scent of a beautiful young virgin. Told with dazzling narrative brilliance, Perfume is a hauntingly powerful tale of murder and sensual depravity.

A Verse in Motion: 

[The Harmatia of Jean-Baptiste] 

A spritz of beauty and innocence– 

A love I’ve never felt in my days. 

Something I have wanted to achieve

since birth, finally within my grasp.

And I am left with a sensation of nothing. 

For I did not know yet–

The curse of achieving my life’s work

brings an unredeemable burden.

A void of loneliness and despair; 

Seeping through the marrow of my bones.

A dark hole clogs my olfactory senses– 

For smell is a gateway to the soul, and I 

have manipulated those to believe I 

venture the steps above when really 

I will burn beneath the weight of beauty’s deceit. 

A simple perfume distilled from virgin skins

bathed Paris in its light–

But the essence of purity is a poison we all inhale.

How beauty and innocence have corrupted our hearts 

to beat in sync with the sins we attempt to hide. 

Bella Santulli

Resources

  • NAMI Mercer Helpline Phone Number: 609-799-8994 x17
  • NAMI Mercer Helpline Email: helpline@namimercer.org

References 

  • Wright, Paul. “Physical and Mental Health Benefits of Reading Books.” Www.nuvancehealth.org, Nuvance Health, 8 Aug. 2023, www.nuvancehealth.org/health-tips-and-news/physical-and-mental-health-benefits-of-reading-books.
  • Edwards, Scott. “Reading and the Brain.” Harvard Medical School, 2016, hms.harvard.edu/news-events/publications-archive/brain/reading-brain.
  • Nataliya Kos’myna. “CNN: AI’s Effects on the Brain – MIT Media Lab.” MIT Media Lab, 2025, www.media.mit.edu/articles/a-i-s-effects-on-the-brain/.

Beneath The Folded Hands

By

In shared rituals of prayer and reflection, religious communities often foster a deep sense of connection. For many, these spaces serve as a refuge—a place to belong, to believe, and to find support during times of hardship. Yet beneath this sense of sanctuary, complex psychological effects often go unspoken.

Religious communities often fulfill essential psychological needs: structure, purpose, and identity. In the best of circumstances, faith-based belonging can act as a buffer against anxiety, depression, and loneliness. Studies have shown that people who are active in religious communities often report higher levels of well-being and lower rates of substance use and suicidal ideation. For individuals grappling with grief, trauma, or existential doubt, spiritual rituals and belief systems can offer grounding—a symbolic language to make sense of suffering.

But this psychological support comes with nuance.

While faith can soothe, it can also silence. In many religious spaces, suffering is spiritualized: sadness is seen as a lapse in faith, anxiety as a lack of trust in a higher power. This creates a culture where individuals may feel pressure to “pray it away” instead of seeking professional mental health care. The result? Silent suffering beneath the surface. Congregants learn to mask panic with piety and to suppress anger with grace.

This dynamic is especially harmful for those experiencing mood disorders, PTSD, or gender and sexuality struggles that clash with traditional doctrine. When mental health is treated as a moral or spiritual failing, rather than a clinical reality, shame festers.

Religious communities are not monoliths. Some nurture resilience through communal care, mutual aid, and faith-led therapy initiatives. Others, however, perpetuate cycles of guilt, spiritual bypassing, or even emotional abuse under the guise of discipline or “God’s will.” For individuals raised in rigid or fundamentalist environments, this can leave lasting trauma, including religious OCD, identity confusion, and chronic fear of punishment or abandonment.

Healing begins when we acknowledge both sides: the warmth and the wounds. Religion is not inherently a psychological cure or curse—it is a powerful force that shapes minds, behaviors, and emotions. When religious communities are trauma-informed, inclusive, and mental-health literate, they have the capacity to transform lives. But when mental health is ignored or stigmatized in favor of spiritual performance, the fold of the hands becomes a fold of silence.

To create truly sacred spaces, we must ask deeper questions beneath the rituals. We must listen to the quiet confessions that never make it into the sermon—the ones whispered in therapy rooms, or sobbed into pillows after church.
Because beneath the folded hands is not just prayer, but a person—aching to be understood.

Book of the Week: The Monk by Sinclair Lewis (Check Trigger Warnings)

Shocking, erotic and violent, The Monk is the story of Ambrosio, torn between his spiritual vows and the temptations of physical pleasure. His internal battle leads to acts of sexual obsession, murder, and yet this book also contains knowing parody of its own excesses as well as social comedy. Written by Matthew Lewis when he was only nineteen, it was a ground-breaking novel in the Gothic Horror genre and spawned hundreds of imitators, drawn in by its mixture of bloodshed, sex and scandal.

Resources

  • NAMI Mercer Helpline Phone Number: 609-799-8994 x17
  • NAMI Mercer Helpline Email: helpline@namimercer.org
  • https://mentalhealthgracealliance.org/

References 

  • Zarah, Fatimah. “The Stigma Attached to Mental Health in Religious Communities.” The Seattle Collegian, 25 Jan. 2023, seattlecollegian.com/the-stigma-attached-to-mental-health-in-religious-communities/.
  • Boateng, Augustine, et al. “Religiosity & Mental Health Seeking Behaviors among U.S. Adults.” The International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine, vol. 59, no. 2, 30 June 2023, https://doi.org/10.1177/00912174231187841.
  • Nicolini H, Salin-Pascual R, Cabrera B, Lanzagorta N. Influence of Culture in Obsessive-compulsive Disorder and Its Treatment. Curr Psychiatry Rev. 2017 Dec;13(4):285-292. doi: 10.2174/2211556007666180115105935. PMID: 29657563; PMCID: PMC5872369.

The Body Remembers the Break

By

Bella Santulli, NAMI Intern 

When mental health declines, the body responds as well. We often think of psychological issues as separate from physical ones, assuming that emotions only exist in our minds. However, stress, anxiety, and depression do not stay confined to our thoughts. They travel through our nerves, settle into our muscles, and resonate within our organs. These emotions can impact our bodies—bending our backs, twisting our guts, compressing our lungs, and weighing down our chests. Our bodies remember the pain long after our minds have tried to forget it.

One of the most compelling examples of the mind-body connection is Broken Heart Syndrome, also known as Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy. This condition is named after the shape of a traditional Japanese octopus trap, owing to the ballooning of the heart’s left ventricle. It typically occurs after intense emotional stress, such as the loss of a loved one, betrayal, or severe anxiety. The symptoms closely resemble those of a heart attack, including chest pain, shortness of breath, and even heart failure. However, there is no blockage in the arteries. Instead, it is the body’s intense emotional response—often triggered by a surge of stress hormones—that causes the heart to temporarily malfunction.This syndrome serves as a powerful reminder that we do not just experience heartbreak in a metaphorical sense; we feel it physically. Our bodies, with all their wisdom and vulnerability, absorb emotional trauma and manifest it through physical crises.

We say we have a “gut feeling,” but anxiety often turns that sensation into a storm. The enteric nervous system, frequently referred to as the body’s “second brain,” lives in our gastrointestinal tract.

It’s why anxiety so often shows up as

  • Nausea
  • Cramping
  • Bloating
  • Irritable bowels


When we’re stressed, the body diverts blood away from the digestive system to prepare for a fight-or-flight response. The stomach tightens, digestion slows or halts, and suddenly, your mental unrest is causing real gastrointestinal distress. Furthermore, chronic anxiety can lead to IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), appetite changes, and long-term nutritional deficiencies. It’s not “all in your head”—it extends into our microbiome, motility, and hormonal balance.

For instance, our gut hosts trillions of microorganisms that play a critical role in digestion and overall health. Stress can alter the composition of these microbiota, further exacerbating digestive issues. Thus, understanding the interplay between our emotions and gastrointestinal health serves as a reminder: caring for our mental well-being can have profound effects on our physical health. This emphasizes the importance of a holistic approach to wellness—one that considers both mind and body. Engaging in practices that reduce anxiety, such as mindfulness, yoga, or making informed dietary choices, can significantly impact our digestive health and overall quality of life. Ultimately, addressing anxiety is not just about feeling better mentally; it is also about fostering a healthy and functioning body.

Depression often feels like a heavy weight pressing down on the chest—something you simply can’t lift. This isn’t just metaphorical language; it’s a common physical symptom of major depressive disorder. People experiencing depression frequently report sensations such as tightness in the chest, shortness of breath, fatigue, and a slowed heart rate. These symptoms can sometimes be mistaken for heart issues, but they often stem from the body internalizing emotional pain. Low levels of serotonin and norepinephrine—key neurotransmitters that influence mood—also impact pain perception and muscle function. Depression can cause real physical pain, not just emotional distress. It slows the body down, leads to inflammation, and amplifies feelings of aches and fatigue. The tightness you feel in your chest when trying to get out of bed isn’t always due to laziness or illness; it can be a manifestation of grief, loneliness, or hopelessness turned into physical sensations.

Mental health struggles don’t stop at the chest or gut. Stress and trauma live in the body in numerous ways:

  • Chronic tension headaches from overactive stress responses.
  • Jaw clenching and TMJ linked to anxiety and suppressed emotions.
  • Skin breakouts or hives, as cortisol and histamines wreak havoc under pressure.
  • Fatigue, fibromyalgia, and body aches, often linked with prolonged trauma and depressive episodes.

Even posture can change—shoulders curve inward, backs hunch, breathing shallows. The body begins to shape itself around emotional pain.

If trauma and mental illness can live in the body, then so must healing. That’s why somatic therapy, yoga, massage, and even deep breathing can offer profound relief—not just to muscles, but to memories. Mental health treatment doesn’t only belong in the therapist’s chair. It belongs in how we treat our bodies—with rest, movement, nourishment, and compassion.

The body remembers the break. But it can also remember how it healed.

Book of the Week: An Apprenticeship or The Book of Pleasures by Clarice Lispector

An Apprenticeship or The Book of Pleasures is a meditative novel by Clarice Lispector that follows a quiet schoolteacher named Lóri as she navigates the complexities of love, solitude, and self-discovery in her evolving relationship with a philosophy professor named Ulisses. In Lispector’s lyrical prose, Lóri undergoes a quiet, inward transformation—one that blurs the boundaries between emotional and physical being. Just as this week’s blog post explores how mental wounds manifest somatically—heartache tightening the chest, anxiety churning the stomach—Lispector’s novel traces how love, loneliness, and longing settle into the body like memory. Lóri’s journey toward self-love and connection is not only psychological but physiological, emphasizing how the act of feeling deeply, even when painful, is a form of embodiment.

Resources
-NAMI Mercer Helpline Phone Number: 609-799-8994 x17
-NAMI Mercer Helpline Email: helpline@namimercer.org

References

  • Michel, Klaus, et al. “How Big Is the Little Brain in the Gut? Neuronal Numbers in the Enteric Nervous System of Mice, Guinea Pig, and Human.” Neurogastroenterology and Motility, vol. 34, no. 12, 5 Aug. 2022, https://doi.org/10.1111/nmo.14440.
  • Marks DM, Shah MJ, Patkar AA, Masand PS, Park GY, Pae CU. Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors for pain control: premise and promise. Curr Neuropharmacol. 2009 Dec;7(4):331-6. doi: 10.2174/157015909790031201. PMID: 20514212; PMCID: PMC2811866.
  • “Neurotransmitters.” Cleveland Clinic, 14 Mar. 2022, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22513-neurotransmitters.
  • ‌“Jonathan Abramowitz | University of North Carolina | Anxiety Disorders.” Unc.edu, 2024, jonabram.web.unc.edu.

Dorian Gray’s Mirror

By

Bella Santulli, NAMI Intern

Beauty is both currency and a curse. In association with society’s strive for vanity and indulging a life of hedonism, our reflections have become a worship for image, and not a person. Collectively, we forget that flesh was never meant to be flawless, but lived in. And in this forgetting, we starve ourselves of freedom and compassion, all in a pursuit of a standard that was never real to begin with. 

This is where eating disorders place their foundations: the fracture between personal identity and societal pressures. Although according to Mayo Clinic there is not a known set of causes, there are several risk factors, including biology/genetics, bullying, trauma/mental health issues, stress, and frequent dieting. Additionally, there is a spectrum of eating disorders– although anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating are the most common, there are approximately eight disorders recognized by the DSM-5. 

  1. Anorexia nervosa → Characterized by restriction of food intake leading to low body weight, typically accompanied by intense fear of gaining weight and disturbed perception of body weight and image.
  2. Bulimia nervosa → Binge eating is followed by compensatory behavior to prevent weight gain like forced vomiting, laxatives/diuretics usage, restricted eating, or excessive exercise.
  3. Binge eating disorder → Chronic, compulsive overeating. Eating large quantities of food in a short period, accompanied by loss of control during binge-eating behavior.
  4. Avoidant or restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID)→ A significant limitation in the amount and/or types of food a person is willing or able to eat. This differs from other eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa, because the food restriction is not driven by concerns about body weight or shape.
  5. Pica → One of the eating disorders in which an individual craves non-food items like soil, chalk, soap, paper, ice, or hair.
  6. Rumination → A new addition to the eating disorder in which an individual regurgitates the previously swallowed food, chews it again, and then swallows or spits.
  7. Other specified feeding and eating disorders:
    1. Purging disorder → Characterized by purging behaviors like vomiting, excessive exercising, using laxatives or diuretics to control weight.
    2. Night eating syndrome → Characterized by overeating, often after awakening from sleep. It has a strong association with sleep disturbance.
    3. Atypical anorexia nervosa → Has similar features to anorexia nervosa except for BMI in the ‘adequate’ range of 20–25 kg/m2 or higher. Management is similar to anorexia nervosa.
    4. Subthreshold bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder → Do not meet the ideal definition criteria of bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder. 
    5. Orthorexia → An obsessive focus on healthy eating. Individuals with orthorexia may eliminate entire food groups, fearing they are unhealthy.
  8. Unspecified feeding and eating disorders → Experiences symptoms which are characteristic of a feeding and eating disorder, causing significant distress or impairment in social, occupational or other important areas of functioning.

Generally, Eating Disorders are behavioral conditions marked by disturbances in a person’s relationship to eating, food, and/or their body that affect at least 9% of the population worldwide. These conditions can impact physical, psychological, and social function in varied and severe ways. Among the deadliest of mental illnesses, eating disorders are responsible for over 10,000 deaths each year, but in the vast majority of cases, full remission is completely possible with early intervention. 

In this new age of digital media, we see the monumental impact it has on people, specifically the immense pressure to conform to narrow beauty standards. This pursuit of achieving thinness enhances shame in others everywhere, creating an unsafe space for millions. Although there are benefits to this online presence, hence recovering communities, it is overrun with triggering and deteriorating videos, with many slipping back into the horrors of this mental challenge.

  • Monetized Insecurities: The weight-loss industry, worth billions of dollars, banks on the premise that bodies need to be “fixed.” Countless products—from detox teas to appetite-suppressant lollipops—reinforce the message that weight loss is the ultimate key to health and happiness.
  • Language Around Food: Everyday terms like “clean eating” or “cheat meals” moralize our choices. This mindset can trigger guilt or anxiety when people deviate from rigid “rules.”
  • Underrepresented Body Types: In mainstream media, bodies that deviate from the thin or toned archetype are underrepresented or depicted only in “before” pictures. As a result, many people rarely see images of body diversity in positive, empowering contexts.

Early detection and intervention can mitigate these harmful cycles. Therapies focusing on body acceptance—such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), or body image–specific interventions—are critical for challenging negative thoughts and improving self-worth.

Additionally, the National Alliance for Eating Disorders is a great resource when struggling, as they have helplines, can connect you to therapists, and provide more resources on the road to recovery. For more information, I would recommend reading the toolkit by a fellow NAMI Intern, A Parent’s Guide to Eating Disorders, to help navigate supporting someone with an eating disorder. Furthermore, the National Alliance for Eating Disorders gives helpful advice and steps to take to move towards a healthy body image:

  • Curate Your Social Media Feed: Unfollow accounts that trigger harmful comparisons or promote restrictive behaviors. Instead, seek out body-positive creators or mental health advocates who remind you that all bodies are worthy.
  • Expand Your Media Exposure: Seek body-diverse TV shows, magazines, or campaigns that celebrate diverse body types, ages, and cultural backgrounds. Representation can ease the sense of isolation.
  • Practice Self-Compassion: Tools such as mindfulness, journaling, or guided meditations can help counteract negative self-talk. Feeling guilty about what you ate, or how your body looks, can be met with gentler internal language: “It’s okay to be learning. My body deserves kindness.”
  • Avoid “Diet” Language: If “diet talk” pervades your social circles or family gatherings, politely redirect the conversation. Normalizing a wide range of eating behaviors helps everyone reevaluate harmful norms.
  • Celebrate Function Over Form: Focus on what your body can do—dance, hug loved ones, enjoy nature—instead of how it appears to others. Physical activity can also be reframed as a way to reduce stress or increase energy, not just alter appearance.
  • Seek Professional Guidance: Therapists, dietitians, and support groups can help unravel deep-seated beliefs about body image. Early intervention is proven to reduce risk of severe eating disorder behaviors.

Book of the Week: The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

Dorian Gray, enthralled by an exquisite painting of himself, soon realizes he will not be young and beautiful forever. His new friend, Lord Henry Lotton, reminds him that there will be a day when he accumulates wrinkles and turns sour. Outraged at this idea, he makes a deal and exchanges his soul for immortal beauty, but there is a price. The painting will become a reflection of his sins and the deterioration of his age. In the eyes of society, he is a beautiful, polite gentleman, but in secret, he indulges in his corrupt desires and in the process, corrupts his soul. 

For I am nothing if not beautiful. 

A Verse in Motion

But with every pulse of my pupil,
I see an agonizing reflection,
a reflection I wish to fully love.

I yearn for a kiss that wakes me,
but am left with the apple’s rotten taste—
clinging to the first sweetness.

Before hunger became obsession.
Before the mirror whispered back—
that beauty is measured in empty spaces.

Somewhere, in the depths of this glass,
a portrait rots where I cannot see it.
Each moment of indulgence is carved into my skin.
Marks that only once will never be satisfactory.

The gods ignored my prayer,
in a victory more agonizing than defeat.

I was given no such bargain to trade my soul for youth—
only a body I cannot return,
a face I must wear,
even when I no longer recognize it.

Resources
-NAMI Mercer Helpline Phone Number: 609-799-8994 x17
-NAMI Mercer Helpline Email: helpline@namimercer.org
-https://www.allianceforeatingdisorders.com/

References

-“12 Different Types of Eating Disorders | DSM-5 & Related.” Withinhealth.com, 2023, withinhealth.com/learn/articles/types-of-eating-disorders#types-of-eating-disorders-in-the-dsm-5. Accessed 18 June 2025.
-Mayo Clinic Staff. “Eating Disorders.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 28 Mar. 2023, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/eating-disorders/symptoms-causes/syc-20353603.
-jkandel@allianceforeatingdisorders.com. “Body Image & Society: How External Pressures Fuel Internal Struggles – National Alliance for Eating Disorders.” National Alliance for Eating Disorders, 12 June 2025, www.allianceforeatingdisorders.com/body-image-and-society/. Accessed 18 June 2025.
-Balasundaram, Palanikumar, and Prathipa Santhanam. “Eating Disorders.” National Library of Medicine, StatPearls Publishing, 2023, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK567717/.

Pride & Prejudice

By

Bella Santulli, NAMI Intern

As we head into June, it is crucial to reconigize the historical significance of this month for the LGBTQIA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, plus) community. Without Stonewall (June 1969) or Marsha P. Johnson, a black trans woman who threw the first brick, the LGBTQIA+ community would not have the same rights today. That being said, the lack of rights within the queer community along with confronting discrimination, risks to physical health, and lack of comapssion & care dignifes the high rate in which queer people experience mental health conditions. 

Members of the LGBTQ+ community are more than twice as likely as heterosexual people to experience a mental health condition in their lifetime, according to the American Psychiatric Association. This isn’t because queerness itself is a problem—it’s because of how society often responds to it.
Discrimination, rejection, and social stigma continue to be daily realities for many queer individuals. From family rejection and religious trauma to school bullying, workplace bias, and underrepresentation in healthcare systems, LGBTQIA+ people are often left feeling unseen, unsafe, and unsupported. These stressors can contribute to higher rates of:

  • Anxiety and Depression
  • PTSD
  • Substance use disorders
  • Suicidal ideation and attempts

Mental Health of America studies convey that forty-eight percent of transgender adults report that they have considered suicide in the last year, compared to 4 percent of the overall US population. Additionally, in a survey of LGBTQ+ people, more than half of all respondents reported that they have faced cases of providers denying care, using harsh language, or blaming the patient’s sexual orientation or gender identity as the cause for an illness. Fear of discrimination may lead some people to conceal their sexual orientation or gender identity from providers or avoid seeking care altogether.
When we talk about queer mental health, we can’t ignore intersectionality—the way systems of power overlap and intensify for those who are both queer and BIPOC. It’s not just one layer of identity; it’s a web of lived experience that shapes how people move through the world. For queer BIPOC individuals, the mental health toll isn’t just about sexuality or race in isolation—it’s about how they collide. That’s why affirming, accessible, and culturally aware mental health care isn’t optional. It’s needed. But seeking support isn’t always easy. Many LGBTQIA+ individuals report:

  • Lack of culturally competent providers
  • Fear of discrimination or being outed in clinical settings
  • Limited access to affordable care, especially for trans and nonbinary people
  • Mistrust of medical systems, often rooted in past harm

These barriers leave many feeling that their identities are misunderstood or pathologized, rather than affirmed and supported. Nonetheless, mental health care should be a space for healing, not another site of erasure. Whether through affirming therapy, queer support groups, chosen family, creative expression, or simply existing authentically, visibility in the queer mental health space becomes an act of healing and a reminder that sentiments and experiences deserve to be seen, supported, and celebrated.

How You Can Help

  • Listen without judgment when queer friends and loved ones talk about their mental health.
  • Support LGBTQIA+ mental health organizations, like The Trevor Project, Trans Lifeline, or National Queer & Trans Therapists of Color Network, Mindout, etc. 
  • Educate yourself on how systems of oppression affect mental health. 
  • For more educational resources, check out the toolkit, “Mental Health and the LGBTQIA+ Community,” sourced by another intern, which includes definitions, explanations of various topics within the community, and outreach resources. 

Book of the Week: Disappoint Me by Nicola Dinan

This tender, layered novel follows two timelines: Max, a transgender woman navigating a new relationship in the present, and Vincent, the man she’s begun seeing, whose story unfolds a decade earlier. I was especially moved by the way the novel explores romantic dynamics between men and trans women, intergenerational family trauma, forgiveness, and shared cultural identity, as both Max and Vincent are of Chinese heritage. 

But what stayed with me most was the profound affirmation that while Max’s transness is central to who she is, her experience of womanhood carries a universal resonance. Nicola Dinan captures the quiet strength of queer storytelling–how identity and mental health are deeply intertwined, echoing the heart of this week’s blog. Happy Pride! 

Resources 

  • NAMI Mercer Helpline Phone Number: 609-799-8994 x17
  • NAMI Mercer Helpline Email: helpline@namimercer.org
  • LGBT National Help Center: https://lgbthotline.org/
  • The Trevor Project: https://www.thetrevorproject.org/resources/

References 

  • “LGBTQ+ Communities and Mental Health .” Mental Health America, mhanational.org/resources/lgbtq-communities-and-mental-health/. Accessed 9 June 2025.
  • American Psychiatric Association. “Psychiatry.org – Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer/Questioning.” Psychiatry.org, 2024, www.psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/diversity/education/lgbtq-patients.
  • Intersect. “Intersectionality | LBGTIQ Intersect.” Lgbtiqintersect.org.au, 2019, www.lgbtiqintersect.org.au/learning-modules/intersectionality/.