Asst prof of health & culture @FordhamNYC. Research on suicide, disability, mad justice. Alum @UUtah, @UofDenver x2, @LPSk12. Dog's best friend. 🧗🏼🚲🌲
Feb 15, 2023 • 14 tweets • 3 min read
Let's talk about #meditation and chronic illness: 1) It's not gonna cure your medical conditions. 2) It might improve your life in some ways, IF you're committed long term and have reasonable expectations for what it should do. 🧵
There are many types of meditation. What I'm talking about here are calming & insight meditations, aka the types @Headspace uses. This involves lots of focusing on bodily sensations, paying attention to breathing, & noticing when thinking or feeling gets in the way of that focus.
I was watching Netflix with my cat laying on the couch. All of a sudden he got up, eyes wide and ears forward, and ran over to the wall. 1/
Now this cat is not a playful guy. He's a couch potato. So I paused the TV and followed him. He was staring at a spot on the wall, then up slowly moved his gaze toward the ceiling. Then he started walking around my apartment, looking up and chirping. 2/
Sep 11, 2022 • 16 tweets • 5 min read
It's #WorldSuicidePreventionDay!
As a suicidologist and someone who has experienced chronic suicidality since age 9, I want to offer some insights that mainstream prevention orgs don't often share. 🧵
Suicidal ideation does not mean a person needs to be immediately hospitalized against their will. A significant portion of the population experiences suicidal ideation and never acts on it. I'd argue that it's a "normal" response to many difficult life situations.
Jul 31, 2022 • 11 tweets • 3 min read
The journalist that interviewed me for this article said he wanted to better understand the criticisms of 988. In addition to talking to me, he spoke to @LizWinston9, a survivor of involuntary psychiatric care. Her quotes have since been removed, at her request. 🧵
The journalist reached out to both of us because we had popular social media posts cautioning people about 988. The article frames our posts as misinformation with no evidence other than the fact that people who work for 988 say our critiques are misguided/irrelevant.
Jul 18, 2022 • 21 tweets • 6 min read
My research as a critical suicidologist means I often critique nonconsensual (carceral) psychiatric care. Lots of people have asked what I recommend as an alternative. 🧵
First of all, this is a fantastic question! While we critique oppressive systems, we also need to build and support better alternatives. Here are some ideas:
Jul 17, 2022 • 17 tweets • 5 min read
Thoughts from a suicidologist on the new 988 crisis hotline: 1. Having a simple number is good. 2. Having more trained crisis teams is good. 2. It's still linked to nonconsensual active rescue which means they can & will trace your call & send police if they deem it necessary.
This is hugely problematic & a barrier for folks who want help. They won't call if they know it's not truly confidential. This is for a good reason, as people can & do get fired from jobs, lose housing, lose access to their kids, etc. after being deemed a danger to themselves.
Jul 21, 2021 • 21 tweets • 4 min read
#AcademicTwitter: What are the best ways you've made and/or seen college instructors make courses more accessible?
Some peers asked me for tips so I’ll start with my own, but please add to the list! I’m always looking to learn about more best practices and ideas. 🧵
The biggest tip: 1. Don't wait until a student hands you an accommodations form to start thinking about accessibility.
Jun 6, 2021 • 14 tweets • 4 min read
On unsolicited advice for chronically ill folks: Why do we get so upset when you recommend a book, diet, vitamin, exercise, essential oil, tea, meditation, etc?
THREAD. 🧵 #NEISvoid#ChronicPain1. Because it’s condescending. It suggests that we haven’t done our own research, or aren’t smart enough to consider these ideas. (Anyone recommending yoga or veganism, this is for you. It’s not like we haven’t heard of these things.)
May 7, 2021 • 11 tweets • 3 min read
This semester my @UUtah Disability & Comm students did Community Activism Projects instead of exams. They identified an issue related to disability and access in their communities, then spent the semester planning and doing something about it.
The projects were AMAZING. 🧵
The only rule was that the projects had to be outward-facing and engage audiences beyond our class, which is why I’m sharing a few here.
There were several more, including some personal/medical ones that I’m not sharing for the sake of privacy, but they were just as awesome.
Apr 6, 2021 • 25 tweets • 6 min read
What makes disabled people #HighRiskCOVID19? I'm lesson prepping for next week's lecture on disability justice, so I made a list!
Heads up: Only the 2 items are directly medical. The rest have to do with sociopolitical issues related to ableism.
THREAD. (Please add to it!)
Starting with the obvious: 1. Medically, some disabled people are more likely to die from COVID or have severe cases if infected. Chronic conditions related to immune, respiratory, & cardio systems are major factors here, but this isn't anywhere near a comprehensive list.
Dec 11, 2020 • 6 tweets • 2 min read
I know many folks are struggling with getting things done these days, but I’ve been more productive since the pandemic began than I ever was before it. Why? Academia has been more accessible than ever to chronically ill grad students.
#AcademicChatter / @chron_ac THREAD ⤵️
Without mandated wake up times, evening classes, or extra events to attend, I can work when my body works best—and rest when I need it. Virtual events & conferences also mean I can participate while taking care of my body at home and avoiding flares from travel.
Sep 15, 2020 • 10 tweets • 3 min read
THREAD // On forced sterilizations and ICE: This is not new for the US. Especially in closed-door systems like immigration centers, prisons, asylums, institutions for disabled people, etc., it’s a long-standing form of eugenics and social control. Sources below ⤵️
The current ICE issue: google.com/amp/s/lawandcr…
