Monday, August 3, 2015

When Mental Illness Knocked On My Door





Imagine being in the middle of a church service and all of a sudden, you being to have uncontrollable shaking, dizziness, spasm in your head, neck and back, pains in your arms and your chest is beating 140 beats per minute. What is the first thing that comes to mind. Heart Attack! Stroke! Death! Yeah exactly you are totally clueless as to what is transpiring at that moment. The last thing you could ever imagine is that its Stress or the infamous Nervous Breakdown. For those who are unaware of what a Nervous Breakdown is let me tell you. Mental breakdown (also known as a nervous breakdown or to snap) is a colloquial term for an acute, time-limited psychiatric disorder that manifests primarily as severe stress-induced depression, anxiety, or dissociation in a previously functional individual, to the extent that they are no longer able to function on a day-to-day basis until the disorder is resolved. A mental breakdown is defined by its temporary nature, and often closely tied to psychological burnout, severe overwork, sleep deprivation, and similar stressors, which combine to temporarily overwhelm an individual with otherwise sound mental faculties. 

About 10 years ago, this happened to me. I couldn't explain anything pertaining to what I was feeling. All I could do is lay in the middle of my floor and cry. The feelings I was having were persistent and very anoying. I was afraid of going to sleep because I thought I would not wake up the next morning. I couldnt eat drink anything or even talk to anyone about my feelings. They wouldnt understand anyway. Thats what I thought in my mind. 

The next day I went to the Emergency Room, telling the doctors, I was having symptoms of a heart attack. The nurse asked "did you drive here today." I said yes of course. She then stated that it wasnt heart attack becasue I would not have made it to the hospital or even out my door. 

After the persistent pressure and pains I was feeling, I was finally able to go to my Primary Care Physician. He stated to me, I was having panic attacks and severe anxiety. What is that Doctor? Is it treatable? 

He asked me about my family history and if mental illness was in my family. I was totally clueless. The only thing I could tell him was I've been really stressed out and have had some traumatic things to happen in my life. 

In the black community, parents really don't explain to you the issues of stress at a young age. Neither did they tell you about people in the family having mental illnesses. It's like the best kept secret in my opinion. 

So after months of experimenting with medication and trying to get back on track, finally a medication to assist with stabilize the panic attacks. Now mind you, I was afraid to drive, go in stores like Walmart, target SAMs or Publix. I was too afraid that I would have an attack and no one would know how to help me. I felt trapped. I was afraid to live my life. What type of a person would I be if I was unable to live the life I once lived freely. There was no one to confide in and my friends thought I'd totally lost my mind. I could tell a soul. So then I out on a facade everyday which was suppressing my feelings to everyone and smiling like I normally would. After all, life had to go on the bills had to be paid, and the odds of me being disabled was not an option. 

Hiding my feelings wasn't easy. And the things people would say we're ridiculous. 
Some would say, that just doesn't happen to Black people. Its all in your mind. You need to chill out. Stop thinking that something is wrong with you. It was totally a lost cause in my mind. Just keep it to myself. 

So here I am 10 years later. Although mental illness doesn't just disappear. There is a lot of work that you must put into getting better. The body cannot operate without the mind. Not to sound insensitive but if your doctor say you have a deadly disease and it can be cured, are you going to lay down and die, or will you take the steps to cure yourself? Your brain should get the same attention. 

Many of us have had traumatic things to attack us, yet we have not taken the necessary steps to heal. It's imperative that we as individuals make a more conscience effort to not hold on to negativity and hurt. These things only snowball and become the trigger in which spawns a possible negative effect on our lives long term. 

Don't allow what other may think, feel, or say determine your feelings and your hearings. Mental illness attacks individuals differently. No one person will have the same symptoms. Choose the best healing technique for you, but always consult a professional first and remember try to relax. Your journey has not ended; it's just began. 

Mental illness is serious like any other illness. Don't allow sigma to keep you from taking the necessary precautions to healing. It takes patience and effort on your part to heal. 

Remember Kindness Matters!!!! 
You don't have to go through it alone. There are support groups, hotlines, and many other avenues of coping. 
You are never alone!!!!


Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Breaking Up Is Hard To Do




I am sure many of you have seen the movie "The Breakup" at some point, or maybe you even starred in it yourself.  Often times many of us have the tendency to get involved in relationships and assume that this is it, this is the one that you were meant to be with.  But, is it?  It’s pretty hard to figure that out in the beginning due to the constant smoke screen that we put up. I call it the "Can’t see the forest for the trees" type of thinking. Relationships are unpredictable and honestly take a lot of work on both sides. You can’t have one person working towards something and another working against it. That is why we have BREAKUPS.  

So you have invested all this time effort energy money and all matters of stock into this person. The person has been your comforter, you friend your, Confidant, your lover your best friend and yet, the time has come when it is over. What do you do with all of those emotions and energy? Of course as a woman you will probably cry. Some men will as well depending on how deep their feelings are for that woman and how good the relationship was benefiting his needs and desires and or the depth his feelings. In my opinion, men bounce back so much faster than women. This is only my opinion because I am a woman and I have only seen it from a woman's perspective. 

So the thing is how do you get over the hurt and the absent presence of this person that was in your life? It’s not going to be easy. But you know you have to do it. Moving on is all you can do. It’s going to hurt and there are days that you will feel that you can’t move because that person is no longer there. I will never sit here and honestly tell you that it will not be a day by day challenge. But what I will tell you is you learn to get past it day by day. It’s a process. So let’s start with these tips to get you started. 

  • Don't sit and waste time looking through old photos videos and other paraphernalia of that relationship. That is going to drive you up a wall and you will never get a break to heal. I am not saying throw it away but store it all in a safe place and leave it there. 
  • Find love in yourself again. Take yourself out on a date. Shopping, a trip to the spa, dinner, movies (not a sad one). You will have to love on yourself more because that person is no longer there to do those things for you. Love on your as much as possible because in the grand scheme of this entire relationship is, you were with yourself before you were with that person.
  • Get out as much as you can with your friends. Be around people that make you laugh and enjoy life again with people that make you realize what this life is all about anyway. Enjoying it!
  • Realize your worth as an individual and make you your happy place. .
  • Don't not run out and get into a rebound relationship. It could be hazardous to your health. That never works out for people in the long run and you are really not filling that void. You are actually allowing another person to take up more space in your heart that probably should not be in there. That is food for thought.
  • Whatever life throws at you, meditation is always one of those things that can bring you back to yourself and your center. This one discipline can assist you in all the complicated emotions you have about yourself and your heart. Getting to the heart of your pain and the reasons things didn’t work out is a miracle worker if you’re willing to sit with it.
Take these things in consideration and begin the healing process. You will be fine and remember, it’s all about you now. LIVE LAUGH AND LOVE YOURSELF.






Sunday, May 31, 2015

Kim K is Pregnant!!!! Congrats to Kanye and Kim




North West is going to be a big sister ... Kim Kardashian and Kanye West are expecting baby #2.

After struggling to conceive, Kim made the big announcement Sunday night during "Keeping Up With the Kardashians."

North was born on June 15, 2013, several weeks before her due date. Kanye and Kim have been trying for a second child for some time ... visiting several different specialists and fertility doctors.

No word yet on how far along she is or the sex of the baby.

Saturday, May 30, 2015

Beau Biden, the son of Vice President Joe Biden, has died of brain cancer. He was 46.




Beau Biden, the son of Vice President Joe Biden, has died of brain cancer. He was 46.

“It is with broken hearts that Hallie,Hunter, Ashley, Jill and I announce the passing of our husband, brother and son, Beau, after he battled brain cancer with the same integrity, courage and strength he demonstrated every day of his life,” Biden said in his statement.

“The entire Biden family is saddened beyond words. We know that Beau’s spirit will live on in all of us—especially through his brave wife, Hallie, and two remarkable children, Natalie and Hunter,” he continued.

Read the rest of the family’s official statement below:

CGTEXxDWoAAgYrD

RIP. The Biden family is in our prayers.

Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Goddess Jones is Back!!!!

 

For Immediate Release:  

 

 

 

 

Tenacity Radio Welcomes The Return of Goddess Jones And Her Love Jones Experience 

Fans of independent radio show are excited over a hiatus’ end

 

Atlanta, Ga. (May. 2015) How do you measure the importance of soul music? For some, it's always the depth of the lyrics; mere content with an unrelenting ability to plug into the listener's heart and proceed to inject the equivalent of medicinal emotion and subsequent nostalgia. Conversely, others may find escapism in the melody's construct; that thing that grants momentary euphoria only when the body is moving and in accordance with the rhythmic frequency of the composition. How about the total package? Others would say that achieving the delicate balance of both is what is most important for it validates the skill of the artist. 

 

 

Now what if I told you that The Love Jones Experience radio show speaks directly to and celebrates all of these sensibilities and best of all, its back! 

 

 

With new perspectives on love and life, new co-hosts, and the intent of providing an unparalleled experience for the listenership, the show is sure to meet and quite possibly exceed what the existing audience has come to expect. And as usual, the discussions will be entertaining and relevant and the showcased artists will exemplify the definition of "talent".  

 

 

So, it is with sincere revel and excitement that we invite you to share in the return of Goddess Jones and The Love Jones Experience, every Tuesday from 8 to 10pm (est) beginning on May 12th, only on tenacityradio.com

 

 

-End- 

 

For more information on Goddess Jones and The Love Jones Experience, visit  thelovejonesexperience.com

Tuesday, April 7, 2015

TCOHHL_RADIO Debuts On WWW.TenacityRadio.Com Tomorrow 8pm est

Hip Hop Fantasy/Sci-Fi Literary Series Expands Reach With Radio




The Chronicles of a Hip Hop Legend Radio Looks to Provide An Experience for its Listenership

Brooklyn, NYC (April. 2015) - The Chronicles of a Hip Hop Legend Radio Show (TCOHHL_Radio) provides a listening experience that encompasses its own interpolated version of arguably the single most important phrase ever to be coined concerning the intent of the culture of Hip Hop; "[Knowledge ], Peace, Love, Unity, and Having Fun".

Serving as a strategic extension of The Chronicles of a Hip Hop Legend brand, Chaz Staton, Ishmael Street, and D.D. Turner regards this foray into radio as an opportunity to share their reverent regard for the culture, while offering recognition to Legends and future legends alike. And understanding that Rap music, being the soundtrack of the culture, is subject to a generational interpretation that is largely structured by the respective members of that generation, the radio show intends on taking what D.D. Turner refers to as a "Jump Generation" approach to the way in which the show programs its music selections.

"Chaz, Ishmael, and I spoke programming and we agreed that the approach would be to always allow the show's music programming to tell the history of Hip Hop. From break beats to Joey Badass/ProEra back to Rakim to Sage The Gemini, we'll have every fathomable Hip Hop palette covered. And because of our independence, never will there be any big corporation restrictions interrupting the flow or intent of our format. If you were fortunate enough to experience underground Hip Hop radio in the early 90's, we are, in some ways, attempting to recapture and provide that feeling."

In addition to music programming that will reflect the culture's 40 plus year history, the show will provide exposure for up and coming artists to its audience of more than 30k listeners via the use of aggregated distribution offered by the hosting network, TenacityRadio.com. Secondary distribution in the form of pod - cast conversion will also be used for the purpose of sharing show archives.

But the show's approach to music selection is not what will make it unique, nor will the interviews, dialogue, or exposure opportunities that it will afford its quests. Interestingly enough, The Chronicles of Hip Hop Legend Radio Show is a derivative venture of The Chronicles of a Hip Hop Legend literary series; the 1st Hip Hop Fantasy/Sci-Fi multi-installment literary series. 

By leveraging the same boundless creativity expressed in the literary series, the team is extremely focused on creating an undeniable listening experience for its listenership.

"What makes this opportunity so dope is that we have an additional platform for sharing lit series developments and chapter details as they are unfolding," D.D Turner stated.

"Also, because of our decision to option the audiobook method for each installment's release, we can share selections with the listening audience," he continued.

As it masterfully achieves in its literary series, The Chronicles of a Hip Hop Legend Radio Show (#TCOHHL_Radio) is sure to take the listener on a journey; a journey that will not only offer a purposeful and sincere recognition of Hip Hop's Legends, but also, evoke the pleasant memories of nostalgia that can only be achieved by the melodic beckoning of music. And while all of this is unfolding, you just might find yourself captivated by stimulating and entertaining dialogue regarding current topics.

This is the place where true Hip Hop legends are celebrated and the pursuit of legend status is nurtured. This is, TCOHHL_Radio, where we’re, Always ALL About The Culture.


By: F. Sampson Kincade / A RedLuk Concept

Thursday, August 7, 2014

Pan African Film Festival will be premiering Shomari Smith's “93 Til Infinity” Documentary today at 9pm est

Pan African Film Festival will be premiering Shomari Smith's “93 Til Infinity” Documentary today at 9pm est Plaza theatre 1049 Ponce De Leon Ave NE, Atlanta GA.http://www.paff.org/paff-atl/film-guide/

"This documentary will show the Souls of Mischief as you have never seen them before. They are discussing their early creative process while making the legendary demo. They share personal stories about each album track. They discuss the single “93 ‘Til infinity” and it’s longevity, and they talk about going independent and moving forward into the future." They have cameos from artists like Talib Kweli, The Roots,and many more 

- Shomari Smith, Director