Weighing the Benefits and Risks of Ozempic
Newspaper headlines, magazine articles, subway posters, highway billboards, and more are all talking about Ozempic. Why? Ozempic (semaglutide) is approved for people with type 2 diabetes. It is gathering attention as an effective weight loss drug, with some touting it as a miracle drug. Certainly, the medical benefits of Ozempic
Some Reflections on Grief
As the days turn to weeks since the passing of my mother, I find myself hyper aware that grief has become a daily companion. Taking time to grieve has allowed me to laugh, cry, yearn, and reminisce. It’s a layered experience that includes a mix of emotions. 1. Grief is
My Local Hardware Store
I love my local hardware store. It is a real hardware store. The kind that has staff mulling about waiting for you to ask them something. Customers show up with chewed up extension cords they want to replace, paint samples they want to match, and creepy crawlers in Ziplock baggies
Both Sides Now
I remember it as if it were yesterday. After gently lowering the needle onto the spinning vinyl record, a brief prelude of static would give way to some of my favorite songs. I am one of the thousands who listened to Joni Mitchell’s 1969 album, Clouds, until the lyrics were
Prescription Problems
Last month, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Biogen’s new medication, aducanumab, for the treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease. Marketed with the brand name, Aduhelm, this is the first medication that targets the fundamental pathophysiology of Alzheimer’s disease and the first new treatment approved for Alzheimer’s since 2003. With 44
ForLikeMinds
“Stigma, Meet Hope.” This is how Katherine Ponte begins her story. Katherine knows a thing or two about stigma. She has lived with bipolar I disorder with psychosis for twenty years. In manic episodes, she thought she was a prophet, bought a house sight unseen, and engaged in all kinds
The Confess Project
Hair. It’s a major strand in the braid of our pandemic stories. Women have gone gray. Men have gone from crew cut to ponytail. People are cutting and coloring their own hair (at their own peril). Some have feverishly tracked daily public health notices, jumping at the first available appointment
Diana
Okay. I admit it. I am one of those Americans who is irrationally beguiled by British royalty. So what better way to indulge my fascination than to watch The Crown this past year? I finished Season Four just before last week’s Golden Globes. This Netflix TV drama took home multiple
The Madness of Framing Britney Spears
I didn’t know quite what to expect from the newly released documentary, Framing Britney Spears. It is the story of Princess of Pop, gone mad. But it is not just a story about a little girl from Mississippi whose talents launched her into the stratosphere at a young age only to
Power of Community
Something happened every day this week that reminded me of the power of community to protect and promote mental health. It’s not just that being connected in community is good for our mental health, which it is. It was the aha moment – both familiar and new – that when
Another Side of Technology
Your mic is muted. You catch a glimpse of your hair and wish you washed it last night. Your connection is unstable. You are feeling fatigued and have a slight headache. You send a message about your doctor’s appointment to “Everyone” that you meant to send only to your friend
Light
We lit the first candle of Hanukkah yesterday. White match head pressed against the rough side of the box. Swift strike. Flame ignites. Gentle touch. Wick burns. Candle glows. The light is mesmerizing. Hanukkah is in good company. Around this time of year, all over the world, people are also
