Drinking From the Final Straw

“Alcohol was the breaking point. It’s what made me realize that I had so few allies in my family.”

Hurts Me More Than You: Robert’s Story

“With the help of my loved ones I am conquering my past.”

I Am Learning To Love Myself: Mara’s Story, Part Five

“Now I truly am learning who I am. I am learning my limitations and boundaries. I am learning how to love without pity. I am learning how to trust people that love me.”

I Am Learning To Love Myself: Mara’s Story, Part Four

“He was going to stop narcotics. She seemed assured and left me there with him. I remember trembling again as she left. The church only believed in divorce upon the grounds of physical abuse and adultery.”

I Am Learning To Love Myself: Mara’s Story, Part Three

“I had grown up very sheltered — I hadn’t been around an addict or drunk before. Unless they had a bottle in their hand, I had to be told when someone was drunk. I didn’t know what a bong was, I didn’t know what a pipe was. Nursing school and the internet had taught me what sex was and I used urban dictionary to pick look up references my friends or patients made.”

When Homeschoolers Turn Violent: Ben Simpson

“When Homeschoolers Turn Violent” is a joint research project by Homeschoolers Anonymous and Homeschooling’s Invisible Children.

When Homeschoolers Turn Violent: Kishon Green

“When Homeschoolers Turn Violent” is a joint research project by Homeschoolers Anonymous and Homeschooling’s Invisible Children.

I Cannot Write You a Happy Ending, Part Two: By Slatewoman

“Homeschooling and mental illness are a terrible combination. And chances are, if a parent is mentally ill, the child might as well be too — and this cycle can go on for generations. My way of ending it is to not have children. I don’t want them anyway and I would be a terrible parent. But I don’t want to spread my genes and the proclivities that go along with them.”

I Cannot Write You a Happy Ending, Part One: By Slatewoman

“My mom has been bi-polar for as long as I can remember, but she was diagnosed when I was 10. I remember when she started taking medication for it and things got bad. Real bad. This was back before many long-term studies had been done on the medications she was given, and she was given just about every one under the sun between then and now.”

The Most Controversial Thing I Ever Wrote, Part Two: By R.L. Stollar

“I was worried about the patterns I was seeing. I was worried about some of the struggles I myself had, that I was seeing my friends having as well. So I wrote about it, with the hope that it could start a conversation among the people I worked with and respected.”