Struck By Living

Coping with depression and living life to the fullest.

Julie K. Hersh

Rock painted with a friend during the suicidal summer of 2001

Can I Help Someone Who is Suicidal?

How can one create barriers to prevent suicide?

Stewart Lake, Pecos

Being Alone: When Does It Help Versus Hurt?

Can you get depressed by too much good stuff?

Gym Pick Ups and ECT: 2 topics from 1 Episode of The Doctors

"The Doctors" taught me that sometimes great information can be wrapped in a package I'd normally discard.

“Shots Fired” Cry Havoc’s take on Dallas Shootings of 7/7/16

Two thought-provoking plays in Dallas, Texas address the anger and pain associated with race in the United States.

The Tipping Point Toward Mental Health

Dr. Madhukar Trivedi and Dr. Vikram Patel suggest a change in mental health care to promote early detection and better treatment and ensure longer-term wellness.

Can Empathy Heal?

With one out of four people managing depression, chances are the person next to you can empathize and offer help.

The Miracle of Gratitude

Can a chance meeting with another person influence our attitude?

Finding Gratitude in Mistakes

Are you having trouble coping with the holiday family get togethers? This might help.

My Soul Needs More Than a Sound Bite

A walk in the woods provides a welcome alternative to the news.

What’s Your Mental Health Resilience Playlist?

Has anyone measured the impact of playfulness on mental health? Be a kid, make your playlist and dare to sing and dance out loud. How do you measure the power of the human spirit?

Parenting a Parent Toward Life’s End

How do you manage end of life care for your parent? There is no handbook but here is one story.

Walking the Walk of Mental Illness

How can one rebuild after a relapse of depression and the loss of a friend?

Untreated Mental Illness Leaves Two Dead, One Life Shattered

Be bold. Be compassionate.

Detection and Management of Depression and Bipolar Disease

On September 1, 2015, the Center for Depression Research and Clinical Care at UT Southwestern under the direction of Dr. Madhukar Trivedi was officially launched. Dr. Trivedi, an internationally recognized expert in depression and mood disorders, received the 2015 American Psychiatric Association Award for Research, the Association’s most significant award for research.

Trade-in Transition: Mom Looks at a New Role as Kids Depart

Hersh finds closure of a part of her life by letting go of an old car.

Predicting Who We Will Be

After 25 years of marriage, I return to the Great Barrier Reef with my 19 year-old daughter to reflect back to who I thought I'd be.

Fixing the Neural Circuit to Combat Mental Illness

A trip to Stanford gives a look into the work of Dr. Amit Etkin and Stanford's NeuroCircuit Group.

Can Too Many Good Things Lead to Squirrely Mental Health?

Managing the good things in life as well as the tragedies can impact mental health.

The Shocking Truth About ECT

The rampant misinformation about this procedure compels me to offer my story as evidence of what ECT can do.

One Pilot’s Suicide Prompts a Call for Common Sense

The Germanwings crash causes a new look at regulations for pilots. Do current FAA regulations cause pilots to hide depression and bipolar disease, resulting in more severe illness?

Discussing Illness Without Alienating the Ill

The arts offer an unthreatening microscope and telescope to examine stories, which we can adapt to our own healing.

Can a Bad Boy Ever be a Good Role Model?

Can the lessons of Stagger Lee teach a new generation to make lasting change?

The Presence of Absence - Holidays without Parents

A discovery of memorabilia on Christmas morning brings back memories of parents who are no longer with us. The good news for those who are encountering this experience for the first time - it does get better.

An Unexpected Thanksgiving Story

A mother gets an unexpected surprise when she hikes to the point where she attempted suicide in 2001 with her now 20 year-old son.

Shared Experience of Depression Heals Two from Two Cultures

Decidí Vivir, the Spanish translation of Struck by Living, released this week. The translation process helped heal two families of different languages and culture, but a shared experience of depression.

How to Survive Your Spouse's Depression

Being there for a suicidal spouse means protecting yourself first. Here are five ways to maintain your mental health while a loved one is suffering from suicidal depression.

Mental Health Needs More than a Wake Up Call

After a flurry of interviews the week of Robin Williams death, a writer reflects on the change needed to cause a quantum shift in mental health.

Faith, the Intangible Force in Resilience

Inspired by the faith of immigrants in the "Lost in Translation" speaker series, Hersh explores the impact of faith on resilience. This event took place at the Dallas Museum of Art as part of Arts and Letters Live.

Jacob Schick: Resilience Through Staying on Mission

Marine Corps Corporal Jacob Schick, veteran of Iraq who sustained 46 operations and 23 blood transfusions after nearly dying on duty, gives his credo for maintaining a positive attitude.

Finding Balance in May Madness

How do you appreciate those important spring moments when there are too many of them?

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