It’s a paradox that outsiders rarely understand: How can listening to music that sounds so angry, depressed, or chaotic make you feel better? I grew up in the grunge era and spent years covering the intersection of arts and psychology, I’ve come to view heavy music—metal, alt-rock, grunge, hardcore—as essential mental health infrastructure for millions […]
The Catharsis of the Scream: Why Heavy Music Heal Us Read More »
We live in a culture that applauds the hustle. We give awards to the people who sleep four hours a night, answer emails at 3 AM, and juggle impossible workloads with a tight smile. Over my career, I’ve interviewed countless CEOs, elite athletes, and “super-parents” who fit this mold. And behind closed doors, many of
The Swan Syndrome: When High-Functioning Anxiety looks Like Success SEO Read More »
For decades, Hollywood has done a spectacular job of terrifying the public about Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), once known as multiple personality disorder. They’ve painted a picture of dangerous, unpredictable maniacs. The reality, as I’ve learned from sitting with dozens of people living with DID systems, is heartbreakingly different. DID is not a monster story.
Shattered, Not Broken: The misunderstood Reality of Dissociative Identity Disorder Read More »
In the archives of rock history, there are entire wings dedicated to what could have been. We are drawn to the darkness in music, to the artists who seem to feel things more deeply than the rest of us. Yet, as an alternative rock fan and a writer, observing this machinery for years, I’ve realized
Shadows in the Spotlight: A Requiem for Rock’s Lost Souls Read More »
There is a specific frequency of static that fills the room when I put on Alice in Chains’ Dirt or Nirvana’s In Utero. It’s not just nostalgia for a time when flannel was armor against the world; it’s the palpable weight of ghosts. As someone who obsessively chronicled the Seattle scene, I’ve spent decades wrestling
Faded Flannel and Open Wounds: The Hollow Echo of Seattle Read More »
There was a time I missed it. A friend, someone I cared about deeply, was clearly in pain, but I didn’t see the full picture. Or maybe, I saw glimpses and chose to believe they were just having a “bad day.” I offered platitudes, tried to cheer them up, suggested distractions. All with good intentions,
Practical Awareness for Supporting a Struggling Friend Read More »
