Tag: Merge News
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Living with Seasonal Affective Disorder and ADHD: Becky shares her story
Becky Barnes always gets anxious as the cool weather starts setting in because she knows it can be an especially difficult time of year for her. Barnes is one of many people with Seasonal Affective Disorder, a type of depression where seasonal changes in weather have a drastic effect on mood and energy. According to…
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How an Autistic Advocate Turned Personal Loss into Lifesaving Work
Caleb Rader was 13 when his cousin died by suicide. He remembers the funeral vividly—and the decision it sparked in him. “There was wailing, people were fainting,” he said. “That sort of sparked something in me of ‘I don’t want this kind of thing to happen to other people.’ As I learned more about suicide…
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From Dungeons & Dragons to Romance: Writing, Identity, and the Power of Representation in Disability and Mental Health
“I think the first stuff I ever really wrote were backgrounds for my D&D character when I was in high school,” Jaz Brown said. As a fellow pen and paper role-playing game (RPG) enthusiast who likewise enjoys a detailed backstory, I can understand that. I came to writing through a different pathway, but still ended…
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Loneliness and Isolation: Unseen Barriers for People with Disabilities
Just like anyone else, people with disabilities experience mental health conditions like anxiety and depression, as well as feelings of loneliness and isolation. Merge, an HDI project focused on mental health, interviewed people with disabilities and mental health conditions across Kentucky to learn more about their experiences. People with disabilities get stressed about everyday life,…
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Flexibility and Accessibility at Work: One Data Analyst’s Journey at HDI
As we move past October’s Disability Employment Awareness Month, meet Jacob Mason, a data analyst at the Human Development Institute HDI whose experience shows how an inclusive, flexible workplace boosts both productivity and well-being. His story highlights the power of accessibility. Jacob is a data analyst for HDI’s evaluation department. It’s his job to enter…
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“All people offer perspective that is valuable to the rest of the world.” HDI Staff Erin Fitzgerald speaks on their experience with Neurodiversity and mental health
The following article discusses suicide, which some readers may find distressing. Erin Fitzgerald could always see the signs that she was different growing up – the tools to recognize how simply didn’t exist yet. “I grew up in an era where mental health was talked about very differently from how it is talked about today.…