Crazy for Life

Therapeutic Alliance

Why a Loved One Might Not Engage in Mental Health Treatment

Victoria Maxwell on March 31, 2026

Personal Perspective: I don’t know about you, but given a choice between spirituality and mental illness, I know which one I would choose. And I did.

Personal Perspective: I don’t know about you, but given a choice between spirituality and mental illness, I know which one I would choose. And I did.

Workplace Dynamics

When Mental Illness Meets Workplace Resentment

Victoria Maxwell on March 22, 2026

When one employee has an untreated mental illness, resentment can build if coworkers have to pick up the slack. Here's what managers can do to navigate the tension and ensure everyone feels supported.

When one employee has an untreated mental illness, resentment can build if coworkers have to pick up the slack. Here's what managers can do to navigate the tension and ensure everyone feels supported.

Depression

How I Help Prevent the Onset of Depression

Victoria Maxwell on March 7, 2026

Personal Perspective: Long before my mood changes, my daily patterns do. Noticing these pattern shifts early allows me to recalibrate before depression can take hold.

Personal Perspective: Long before my mood changes, my daily patterns do. Noticing these pattern shifts early allows me to recalibrate before depression can take hold.

Depression

A Surprising Way to Support a Depressed Person

Victoria Maxwell on December 29, 2025

Personal Perspective: When I'm depressed, sometimes all I need are my friends to witness me and acknowledge that I exist, just as I am.

Personal Perspective: When I'm depressed, sometimes all I need are my friends to witness me and acknowledge that I exist, just as I am.

Personal Perspectives

I Do This When December Feels Lonely

Victoria Maxwell on December 24, 2025

Personal Perspective: Being among others affirms that I am part of life, reminding me that I exist.

Personal Perspective: Being among others affirms that I am part of life, reminding me that I exist.

Personal Perspectives

Before You Share Your Mental Health Story, Read This

Victoria Maxwell on November 9, 2025

Personal Perspective: I needed to get past the acute stages of healing to share my story safely; otherwise, I risked re-traumatizing myself.

Personal Perspective: I needed to get past the acute stages of healing to share my story safely; otherwise, I risked re-traumatizing myself.

Personal Perspectives

An Accidental Path: Mental Illness and Keynote Speaking

Victoria Maxwell on October 2, 2025

A Personal Perspective: I gave in to my creative itch and wrote about my psychosis. Writing wouldn’t derail me from my comfortable, albeit slightly boring, office job. Right?

A Personal Perspective: I gave in to my creative itch and wrote about my psychosis. Writing wouldn’t derail me from my comfortable, albeit slightly boring, office job. Right?

Psychosis

Psychosis Didn’t End My Career, It Redirected It

Victoria Maxwell on September 11, 2025

Personal Perspective: At the festival, I am scheduled to read excerpts from my book Crazy for Life, about my psychosis. But I don't have a book, and I barely have any excerpts.

Personal Perspective: At the festival, I am scheduled to read excerpts from my book Crazy for Life, about my psychosis. But I don't have a book, and I barely have any excerpts.

Depression

For Anyone Who Has Said They Feel Depressed

Victoria Maxwell on August 25, 2025

There's Big-D Depression, the clinical kind, and little-d depression, the passing mood kind. All of us experience little-d depression sometimes, but not necessarily Big-D.

There's Big-D Depression, the clinical kind, and little-d depression, the passing mood kind. All of us experience little-d depression sometimes, but not necessarily Big-D.

Personal Perspectives

Transform Your Healing Journey

Victoria Maxwell on July 1, 2025

Personal Perspective: If you have trouble finding what you like or getting out of your comfort zone, try following uplifting nudges.

Personal Perspective: If you have trouble finding what you like or getting out of your comfort zone, try following uplifting nudges.

Stress

Use This 4-Step Approach to Find Balance & Rediscover Joy

Victoria Maxwell on June 30, 2025

I have a 4-step approach called the Four R's. They're learned habits, cultivated daily. Practised regularly they can enhance mental health and improve quality of life.

I have a 4-step approach called the Four R's. They're learned habits, cultivated daily. Practised regularly they can enhance mental health and improve quality of life.

Personal Perspectives

Treatment Made Me Stable, Work Made Me Well

Victoria Maxwell on June 24, 2025

Personal Perspective: Mental illness took away many things from me: my car, job, home, money, and even friends. But the most significant losses weren’t external, but internal.

Personal Perspective: Mental illness took away many things from me: my car, job, home, money, and even friends. But the most significant losses weren’t external, but internal.

Mental Health Stigma

Watching a Stage Play Can Reduce Stigma of Bipolar Disorder

Victoria Maxwell on March 24, 2025

Individuals who saw a play about a personal experience of mental illness and recovery shared that it made them reflect on decisions of taking or not taking treatment.

Individuals who saw a play about a personal experience of mental illness and recovery shared that it made them reflect on decisions of taking or not taking treatment.

Psychosis

Aftermath of Psychosis and Hypersexuality

Victoria Maxwell on March 21, 2025

Personal Perspective: I had a lot of shame about things I did in mania and psychosis. To forgive myself, I needed to separate my behaviour from who I was.

Personal Perspective: I had a lot of shame about things I did in mania and psychosis. To forgive myself, I needed to separate my behaviour from who I was.

Depression

Why Am I Still Depressed? I’m on Meds

Victoria Maxwell on March 21, 2025

Personal Perspective: I was still struggling with depression, but I was taking my medications. This is as good as it gets. Right? Maybe not.

Personal Perspective: I was still struggling with depression, but I was taking my medications. This is as good as it gets. Right? Maybe not.

Bipolar Disorder

Do This to Build a Life Beyond Anxiety and Bipolar Disorder

Victoria Maxwell on December 30, 2024

Personal Perspective: Being proactive in your recovery doesn't mean blindly following what health professionals tell you. It means engaging in shared decision-making.

Personal Perspective: Being proactive in your recovery doesn't mean blindly following what health professionals tell you. It means engaging in shared decision-making.

Perfectionism

Try This When Perfectionism Rears Its Perfectly Ugly Head

Victoria Maxwell on December 29, 2024

Personal Perspective: When I’m depressed I fall under the cruel delusion that what I do and what I am must be perfect. Cue perfectionism. But this approach can ease it.

Personal Perspective: When I’m depressed I fall under the cruel delusion that what I do and what I am must be perfect. Cue perfectionism. But this approach can ease it.

Psychosis

When You're Afraid Everyone Knows You've Been Psychotic

Victoria Maxwell on October 11, 2024

When I had my psychotic breaks, I feared everyone could tell I'd ‘gone mad.' But what I feared even more was that I would never belong. Never matter.

When I had my psychotic breaks, I feared everyone could tell I'd ‘gone mad.' But what I feared even more was that I would never belong. Never matter.

SSRIs

5 Myths of Antidepressants and Why I Needed to Bust Them

Victoria Maxwell on October 1, 2024

Personal Perspective: When I was first diagnosed with bipolar disorder, medication was the last thing I wanted. The major reason was the stigma that accompanies it.

Personal Perspective: When I was first diagnosed with bipolar disorder, medication was the last thing I wanted. The major reason was the stigma that accompanies it.

Bipolar Disorder

When Mom and Daughter Both Have Bipolar Disorder

Victoria Maxwell on September 28, 2024

Personal Perspective: My mom’s mental illness ironically played a healing role in my own. My mother would say two of the most curative words: "I understand." And she did.

Personal Perspective: My mom’s mental illness ironically played a healing role in my own. My mother would say two of the most curative words: "I understand." And she did.