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  • Mj Kelly

    Marie-Josée is a freelance writer, editor and keen observer. Her interests include politics, wine, yoga, environmental issues, mental health, coffee and commas.
Margaret Atwood Violently Burned 'The Handmaid's Tale' to Make a Powerful (and Pricey) Point
Celebrities

Margaret Atwood Violently Burned 'The Handmaid's Tale' to Make a Powerful (and Pricey) Point

In collaboration with her publisher Penguin Random House, Margaret Atwood released a short video that shows the author trying to burn a copy of her own book, because, as the caption on the video reads, "powerful words can never be extinguished." The author, however, is unsuccessful. And therein lies the point.To raise awareness about the recent rise of book bans, this copy of her novel, The Handmaid’s Tale, was made fire resistant specially for this display. It was displayed at Sotheby’s New York until the auction ended on June 7, with the $130,000 it earned in proceeds going to PEN America, a non-profit organization that works to defend freedom of expression.RELATED: Dr. Seuss’ Most Memorable Book Characters – And Ones You Might Want to ForgetMargaret Atwood’s famous dystopian novel has long been one of the most commonly targeted books since 1990 in the United States and has been the subject of controversy all over the world.“I never thought I’d be trying to burn one of my own books… and failing. The Handmaid’s Tale has been banned many times—sometimes by whole countries, such as Portugal and Spain in the days of Salazar and the Francoists, sometimes by school boards, sometimes by libraries,” said Atwood in an announcement.“Let’s hope we don’t reach the stage of wholesale book burnings, as in Fahrenheit 451.”The Handmaid’s Tale’s History with CensorshipThe Handmaid’s Tale is an award-winning novel that takes place in the fictional Republic of Gilead, which has overthrown the United States; a place where freedom of choice does not exist and women are oppressed in every imaginable way.It tells the story of a one-dimensional totalitarian society, where women are denied nearly all of their rights and are forced into roles of servitude defined by the state. They are indoctrinated into conformity and the handmaids’ only purpose is childbearing. The story centers around Offred and everything that’s been taken away from her.RELATED: 17 Margaret Atwood Quotes to Inspire the Writer in YouSince its publication in 1985, Margaret Atwood’s best-selling work has been adapted into a movie, an opera and a popular HBO series. But, along with its massive success, the classic book has been met with an almost equal amount of controversy over the years, typically due to its “vulgarity” and “sexual content.”Not one to shy away from controversial issues, Margaret Atwood has become one of the most vocal critics of book censorship, and her work and tenacity continue to inspire book lovers everywhere.Why Margaret Atwood Made a Fireproof Book (and How Much Money It Made)When Rethink creative directors Caroline Friesen and Robbie Percy heard about a list including hundreds of books slated for potential banning in Texas in late 2021, the two wondered if they could create a piece of work that could resist censorship. “We started looking into it and saw just how many challenges and book bans were happening, and that in some places elected officials were even threatening to burn books,” they said in an interview.RELATED: 14 Best Motivational Books for WomenDetermined to do something about it, they agreed that crafting an unburnable edition of The Handmaid’s Tale could deliver a powerful message.“For us, the book is a symbol of the importance of free expression and a reminder of just how important it is to protect stories like The Handmaid's Tale. Having access to a diverse range of opinions, perspectives and voices is so important for young people and for our society as a whole.”The Unburnable Book’s cover is made out of a thick black material called Cinefoil and it includes white heat shield foil pages with sections bounded together with nickel wire. There is just no way it can catch on fire, ever. The Recent Surge in Book Burnings and Censorship, ExplainedThe attempt to ban literature is hardly a new phenomenon but the drive to challenge books has gained momentum in the United States recently with the American Library Association tracking 729 challenges to library, school and university materials and services last year. Each challenge can include several books and the ALA found 1,597 separate titles were either challenged or removed.Among those were the 29 books a Kansas school district pulled out of circulation from its libraries last November, including The Handmaid’s Tale and its sequel, The Testaments, but both were quickly returned to bookshelves.More recently, in early January, a Tennessee school board voted unanimously to ban Maus, a famous graphic novel about the holocaust from an eigth-grade curriculum, citing language and nudity concerns.Freedom of expression defenders have noted that books by authors of color, books about the LGBTQ community, as well as books about sexual health are threatned the most.The History of Book Banning Is More Fiery Than You Thinkbooks on manifestingThe most challenged, banned and even burned books throughout history are for the most part known as literary classics today. Religious texts, Shakespeare, Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World and even the Harry Potter series have been repeat targets of censorship efforts for various reasons.Written work banning goes back to ancient times when books were usually burned in order to completely destroy the ideas expressed within them. Possession of banned books throughout history have been regarded as acts of treason and dissent, which were met with penalties such as imprisonment, torture and even death. RELATED: Why J.K. Rowling’s Controversies Crushed Harry Potter Fans and Changed Celebrity CultureLuckily, times have changed and the world has mainly moved away from such archaic forms of punishment, but book censorship is still very much “alive and well,” and intellectual freedom remains under threat. By the same token, censorship opponents such as librarians, authors and publishers continue to fight back and resist in droves. They believe that book banning, especially from schools, strips young people’ds agency away, depriving them of opportunities to read and learn about themselves and the world around them. Interestingly enough though, book bans usually have the opposite effect and lead to increased sales… which leaves one to wonder: why even bother? Reading is a gift: it broadens the imagination, entertains us and most important teaches us. The world would be a dull place without books, and the ideas inside them, just like Margaret Atwood's special edition, cannot be so easily turned to ash... for better or worse.KEEP READING:Who Was the REAL Dr. Seuss – And Is His Legacy Positive… or Problematic?

Euphoria Quotes: The Show's Most Biting and Powerful Quotes - And What They Say about You
TV Shows

Euphoria Quotes: The Show's Most Biting and Powerful Quotes - And What They Say about You

In case you missed the memo, Euphoria is not only the second-most watched HBO series in the network’s history (after Games Of Thrones), it’s also the most-tweeted about show of the decade.“The world’s coming to an end, and I haven’t even graduated high school yet.” That quote alone sets the tone for Euphoria, which takes an almost fatalist approach to one particularly intriguing character’s life. Then again, as the show also intimates, “Nothing in high school lasts forever.” Though sometimes, that may not be as positive as you think.Based on an Israeli miniseries of the same name, Euphoria is set in an unnamed Southern California suburb and centers around Rue Bennett, the show’s main character, as she struggles with loss, mental health issues, and substance abuse. At the same time, the hit HBO drama follows her friends, a group of Gen-Z teenagers, as they deal with some of the harsh realities of growing up, tackling subjects like trauma, addiction and identity. With no shortage of controversial scenes and a deep exploration of heavy topics, Euphoria paints a vivid picture of modern teenage life. From insecurities leading a young girl to date a boy who spent years making fun of her, to gun violence and overdose, Euphoria is not for the faint of heart.RELATED: How Euphoria’s Nude Scenes Helped Sydney Sweeney Fight a Degrading Double StandardActor and singer Zendaya’s portrayal of Rue has been so captivating throughout the show’s run that she recently made history by becoming the youngest performer to win an Emmy award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, and the second Black woman to win the award, behind Viola Davis.There are a million things one can say about Euphoria, but you can expect to see a blend of unique storylines and masterful cinematography. It's filled with intense moments that can follow someone throughout their entire life, and thought-provoking dialogue that sticks long after watching the show. But what are some of the most memorable lines from the show?You’ve Got To Believe In The Poetry...Full Quote: "You’ve got to believe in the poetry because everything else in your life will fail you, including yourself.” - Ali MuhammadSitting across from each other in a diner in the series' first special, Rue admits to her sponsor Ali that she is struggling with the Narcotics Anonymous (NA) program’s second step, which is to believe in a power greater than ourselves. She remembers how her whole world came crashing down after losing her father to cancer; she lost faith and now refuses to believe in anything. Ali demonstrates compassion and empathy for Rue but urges her to believe in something if she’s serious about changing her ways.RELATED: Inventing Anna’s 10 Best Quotes – And How They Can Make You Feel More AudaciousBy encouraging her to “believe in the poetry,” Ali emphasizes that having faith in something greater than ourselves helps to weather the ups and downs of recovery so that those in need can come out sober and healthy on the other side.It reminds us that keeping faith, even in something that can’t be explained, and especially when it seems impossible, can help us to become more clear, more grounded and more focused on our goals.What's A Bigger Feeling Than Love?Elliot and Rue enjoy a platonic relationship in Season 2, and usually end up doing drugs whenever they get together. In one intimate moment, as Rue describes her feelings for Jules, Elliot asks her this quoted question and she follows up with a raw and honest response.Rue answers “loss,” something she’s struggled with since her father died and is obviously a painful experience she’s afraid of reliving with Jules. It’s not uncommon for those who’ve experienced grief to spend their whole life afraid people close to them will pass. Of course, we all know that day will come eventually, but the feeling can be all-consuming if left unchecked. This heartfelt exchange reminds us that nothing in our life is permanent and that we should hold on tight to the things we have and appreciate them while we can. Plenty Of Great People Have Struggled...Full Quote: "Plenty of great, intelligent, funny, interesting, and creative people have struggled with the same things you struggle with.” - Leslie BennettRue’s mom, Leslie Bennett, tries her best to support her daughter through her addiction, as she herself recovers from losing her husband. Even as Rue pushes her away, Leslie refuses to give up. RELATED: The 11 Best Bridgerton Quotes to Make You Feel Powerful, Romantic and WiseLeslie tries to convince Rue that she is not alone in fighting her battles and that even some of the world’s most celebrated and famous people have struggled with serious mental health challenges. This quote helps put things into perspective by showing mental illness doesn’t discriminate. It’s a reminder that anyone can suffer at any point in their lives and that these challenges don’t define us.The Worst Part Of Depression Is [Being] Unable To Stop Yourself...Full Quote: "The absolute worst part of depression is that even though you know you're depressed, you're unable to stop yourself from getting worse." - RueRue’s bouts of depression are brutal and fuel a lot of her drug use. Throughout the show, Rue offers a much-needed and honest perspective on what it’s like to live with multiple mental health disorders. Mental illness makes it so that you don’t even recognize the person standing in front of the mirror. This powerful line raises awareness of just how frustrating it can be to live with depression. Basic needs take a backseat, whether it’s being unable to fall asleep, or being unable to get out of bed even to eat. No matter how painful it is to experience, it’s not something that you can simply "snap out" of.The Hardest Part Of Addiction Is That No One Sees It As A DiseaseFull Quote: "The hardest part of having the disease of addiction, aside from having the disease, is that no one in the world sees it as a disease." - Ali MuhammadIn his attempts to guide Rue towards sobriety, Ali dishes out some harsh truths about what life is like for those with addiction. He sheds light on one of the most painful realities of dealing with substance use disorder which is that most people don’t understand that addiction is a disease, which perpetuates stigma around drug use. Merely classifying people as "drug addicts" or referring to someone as a "drug addict," implies that the term is attached to the person. Further implying that they can't separate themselves from it, or overcome it. RELATED: Kendrick Lamar’s Most Powerful Quotes and Lyrics That Will Inspire Your LifeThis powerful line reminds us that addiction is in fact a chronic disease and that by treating it as such, we can help break the stigma surrounding it and help those who are suffering get the treatment they need.Memories Exist Outside Of Time And Have No Beginning Or EndIn Season 2, Rue delivers a speech at a gathering to mark her father’s passing and remembers some of the things he said to her before he died. With these comforting words, Rue’s dad suggests that memories are stored with us forever, they shape who we are and they stay with us as long as we choose to hold onto them.Baby, Trouble Don't Last AlwaysSitting at the diner with Rue, Ali turns to their waitress, Miss Marsha, a former addict, for advice. Drawing on her own personal experience with substance abuse, Miss Marsha repeats a saying her grandmother always said: “trouble don’t last always.”RELATED: 11 Stranger Things Quotes to Turn Your Life Upside DownWith these simple yet sage-like words, Miss Marsha suggests Rue stay focused on her recovery. The iconic quote was chosen to be the title for Euphoria’s first special episode.How Do you Want Your Mom And Sister To Remember You?In the emotionally-charged special, Ali asks Rue how she wants to be remembered after she finished telling him she doesn’t think she’ll live much longer, considering her vulnerability to suicide and overdose. Rue had suffered a near fatal overdose before and it was her little sister, Gia, who found her laying on her bedroom floor, covered in vomit.This profound moment serves as a reminder that even in her toughest battles, Rue has a choice in how she shows up in her life and for her loved ones, but she has to want to change. With watery eyes, Rue’s reply to Ali is, "As someone who tried really hard to be someone I couldn't,” which reflects the reality of her struggles.Without A Map Or A Compass, At Some Point, You Have To Make A ChoiceFull Quote: “I just showed up without a map or a compass, and at some point, you have to make a choice … about who you are and what you want. And therein lies the catch.” - RueIn the Euphoria Season 1 trailer, Rue opens with this insightful quote, which sets the tone for the show. Viewers get a sense that Rue is going through something and is at a loss for ways to cope. RELATED: Nina Simone’s Most Inspirational Quotes about Life and LoveHer lines serve as a reminder that without the proper tools, it can feel overwhelming and scary to confront difficult situations, but there comes a time where we are called to make choices, and they ultimately dictate the direction our lives will take. It’s important to get clear on what we want in life or else, before we know it, it might pass us by. All I Know Is, Life Is Not A Nicholas Sparks NovelOf all people, Rue knows firsthand just how messy life can get. Life isn’t fair, or perfect, and no matter how hard we try, there are things we simply can’t control.After losing her father to cancer and battling a worsening drug addiction, she’s had plenty of time to ponder the meaning of life and came to realize at a young age that it isn’t all sunshine and fairytales. With this quote, she reminds us that in reality, life is filled with ups and downs and teaches us the importance of staying grounded in the real world in order to avoid future let downs. As Cal told Nate, “The farther you go, the sharper their blade.” We all would do well to take those words and use them as fuel to move forward and overcome obstacles.KEEP READING:Bob Dylan’s Best Lyrics about Life, Love and Creativity

Beyoncé and Steven Spielberg Are 'Failures' - And That's Good News for You
Pop Culture

Beyoncé and Steven Spielberg Are 'Failures' - And That's Good News for You

What do Beyoncé and Steven Spielberg have in common? They’ve both failures. Or at least... they were at one point.No one likes to fail. Not even Beyoncé or Steven Spielberg, and it can be hard to imagine they ever did. Most of us have watched Beyoncé, who’s been in the spotlight for over two decades now, evolve into pop royalty. Steven Spielberg, meanwhile, has proven himself to be one of the most influential filmmakers of all time. But it wasn’t a smooth ride to the top for either of them.RELATED: At Almost 40, Beyoncé Finally Reveals Why She Had to Hide Her Real SelfBoth Beyoncé and Steven Spielberg overcame challenges early on in their careers that could have derailed them, but they chose to hold on tight and persevere.Failure hurts. It can feel devastating and humiliating; and yet, while many of us spend our lives trying hard to avoid it, it's an inevitable part of life. Luckily, we can actually learn from failing.By reframing how we view and understand failure, it can become a stepping stone to future success, and accepting failure is growth. Even the wildly successful celebrities we admire have failed along the way, which brings us again to Beyoncé and Spielberg.How Beyoncé Turned Failure Into Action(Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)It’s hard to fathom, but prior to the reign of Queen Bey, Beyoncé faced a number of obstacles early on in her music career.Displaying talent for song and dance in childhood, her parents encouraged her to pursue her interests, and by the age of seven, Beyoncé won her first talent show, after she beat contestants twice her age with her performance of John Lennon’s “Imagine”.Then at nine years old, she and her friend Kelly Rowland were chosen to form an all-girls hip hop group called Girl’s Tyme. Like many showbiz hopefuls, Girl’s Tyme’s manager signed them up to compete on Star Search in 1993, but to everyone’s surprise, they lost... to a band called Skeleton Crew.RELATED: 5 Daily Habits to Steal from Beyonce, Including Her Powerful Trick for Loving Her Flaws“In my mind we would perform on Star Search, we would win, we would get a record deal, and that was my dream at the time. There’s no way in the world I would have ever imagined losing as a possibility,” remembered Beyoncé.Up until that point, she’d collected a lot of wins, so the loss came as a shock at first, but she redirected her initial disappointment into action. Determined to not let the group’s potential go to waste, Beyoncé’s father, Mathew Knowles, quit his job to manage Girl’s Tyme on a full time basis.After changing their name to Destiny, Beyoncé and the girls signed a deal with Elektra Records. But before they even got a chance to release an album, they were dropped by the record company less than a year later. It was yet another devastating blow, but the team was determined, until Elektra’s loss became Columbia Records’ gain in 1996, and Destiny became Destiny’s Child.After enjoying phenomenal success, Destiny’s Child eventually parted ways and Beyoncé launched her career as a solo artist. “My mother taught me the principles of hard work, setting my own goals and visualizing my future,” Beyonce told Essence. Throughout her career, Beyonce has modeled determination, drive and discipline and today, she is the most Grammy-awarded female artist of all time. Can you imagine if she’d given up on her dream following her 1993 Star Search loss? The world would be a lesser place because of it.Steven Spielberg: Film School Reject to Academy Award Winning DirectorSteven Spielberg spent his teenage years dabbling in filmmaking, but his dreams of making it big were nearly shattered after the University of Southern California (USC) rejected his application not once, but three times.He was turned down because his “C” average didn’t meet the film school’s academic threshold. His clap-back at the time was pretty spectacular: "'Well,'" he remembers saying at the time, "'I understand you allow people in football and basketball to play here and they have C averages,’” remembered Spielberg. “'If you can make a basket or throw a football, you can get in here, too.'”He wasn’t ready to give up quite yet, though. Set on studying film, Spielberg tried his luck again and applied to California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) film school. This time, he got in.RELATED: Steven Spielberg: Listen to Your IntuitionNot long after his acceptance into the program, he landed an internship at Universal Studios, where he completed his first short film, Amblin. After the film caught the attention of Sid Sheinberg, who was vice president of Universal at the time, Spielberg was offered a seven-year directing deal with the company. This made him the youngest film director to ever secure a long-term deal with a major studio.He eventually dropped out to pursue his directing career full time, but returned to CSULB decades later and completed his degree in 2002. What would life even be without films like Schindler’s List, Jaws, Indiana Jones and E.T.? The Lessons about Failure Beyoncé and Steven Spielberg Can Teach Us(Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images for Disney)It’s crazy to think that the world could have been deprived of these two incredible talents had they stopped trying when they experienced failures. Perhaps what’s most inspiring is not their myriad of accomplishments, but what they had to overcome before getting there.Beyoncé and Steven Spielberg’s rocky paths to success remind us that no one is immune to failure and that, in fact, failing is a key part of the process of reaching our goals.RELATED: Top 15 Inspiring Steven Spielberg QuotesNext time you’re faced with a setback, no matter how big or small, remember what matters most is how you react to the perceived failure. Of course, it’s important to let ourselves feel disappointed, or even scared, but the key to eventual success lies in our ability to keep moving forward. Beyoncé and Spielberg didn’t let failure define them. Why should you?KEEP READING:Michael Jordan’s Most Powerful Life Lessons For When You Feel Like a Failure

Amber Heard's Histrionic Personality Disorder Diagnosis Is Vital to Understanding Celebrity Culture
Emotional Health

Amber Heard's Histrionic Personality Disorder Diagnosis Is Vital to Understanding Celebrity Culture

Before the ongoing and highly publicized Johnny Depp v. Amber Heard defamation trial took a break last month, a mental health professional testified that Heard suffers from two distinct personality disorders.RELATED: Does Johnny Depp’s Rumored ‘Beetlejuice 2’ Role Set a Dangerous Precedent for Hollywood Redemption?After a thorough evaluation, Dr. Shannon Curry, a clinical and forensic psychologist hired by Depp’s legal team, diagnosed Amber Heard with both borderline personality disorder (BPD) and a lesser known but equally serious mental health condition called histrionic personality disorder (HPD).In order to better understand what this means, it’s important to get clear on what personality is.What Is the Definition of Personality - And What Is a Personality Disorder?“Personality is the way of thinking, feeling and behaving that makes a person different from other people. An individual’s personality is influenced by experiences, environment (surroundings, life situations) and inherited characteristics,” according to the American Psychiatric Association. In other words, personalities can be understood as the unique lenses through which we experience the world. Our individual personalities usually stay consistent throughout our lives but this isn’t the case for someone who suffers from a personality disorder.RELATED: Signs You’re Dealing With Narcissistic Abuse“A personality disorder is a way of thinking, feeling and behaving that deviates from the expectations of the culture, causes distress or problems functioning, and lasts over time.”Dr. Dawn Hughes, a psychologist hired by Amber Heard’s legal team, disagreed with Shannon Curry’s previous findings, arguing that Heard suffered from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) instead, as a result of the intimate partner violence she experienced during her relationship with Johnny Depp.What Is Disease Overlap and How Is It Affecting Amber Heard?In reality, it’s possible that Amber Heard may suffer from all three conditions mentioned above in this article at the same time, which in the medical field is called comorbidity.“Disease overlap is common,” according to Psychology Today. “Multiple disorders can exacerbate one another and make treatment a longer process or more difficult to achieve.”RELATED: Here’s An Understanding Of How And Why Narcissists Get To Where They Are In LifeFor example, borderline personality disorder and histrionic personality disorder fall under a category of mental conditions called Cluster B disorders. This means they are both categorized as involving unpredictable and dramatic behavior, and while they share similarities, there are also key differences that set them apart. It’s important to understand these differences in order to spot the signs of each disorder, to better understand their impact and make way for targeted treatment options. While BDP is more commonly diagnosed, histrionic personality disorder still impacts a considerable segment of the population. So, what is it exactly and what does it mean for Amber Heard?What Is Histrionic Personality Disorder?Histrionic personality disorder is a Cluster B disorder, which is an umbrella term used in psychiatry to describe a group of conditions that can cause a person to have difficulty controlling their emotions and exhibit erratic behavior.The American Psychiatric Association defines histrionic personality disorder as “a pattern of excessive emotion and attention seeking.”“People with histrionic personality disorder may be uncomfortable when they are not the center of attention, may use physical appearance to draw attention to themselves or have rapidly shifting or exaggerated emotions.”In her testimony, Curry explained that Amber Heard used impressionistic speech on several occasions during her 12-hour assessment, which is a style of speech that is described as vague and dramatic.“It tends to be very flowery, it uses a lot of descriptive words like magical, wonderful, and it can go on for quite some time and yet it really lacks any substance,” said Curry. “They might describe emotions, they might describe the events but very rarely, and Miss Heard did not, say 'I feel vulnerable.' She never really indicated a vulnerable feeling of her own.”People online have been quick to describe Amber Heard’s testimony as overly dramatic, almost as if she’s been acting, and have even accused her of lying. Holding into account Curry’s diagnosis, Amber Heard’s behaviors and mannerisms on the stand could very well be symptoms of histrionic personality disorder.RELATED: What Is Emotional Blackmail? How to Spot It and How to Handle It“For people with histrionic personality disorder, their self-esteem depends on the approval of others and doesn’t come from a true feeling of self-worth. They have an overwhelming desire to be noticed and often behave dramatically or inappropriately to get attention,” explains Cleveland Clinic.“People with histrionic personality disorder often don’t realize their behavior and way of thinking may be problematic," the Cleveland Clinic goes on to explain. And this is where the importance of diagnosis comes in: Receiving an accurate diagnosis can help the person who’s suffering recognize their symptoms, understand themselves better and most importantly get the support they need. Hopefully, this will be the outcome for Amber Heard.Not only is histrionic personality disorder a difficult (but crucial) disorder to identify, especially if there are coexisting conditions, it’s still widely misunderstood and the exact causes remain unknown.RELATED: A Goal Setting Guide For DepressionThat said, ongoing studies point to childhood trauma or abuse, genetics, and exposure to certain parenting styles early in life as factors. Unfortunately, the common thread is that events of the past and heredity are elements of life beyond any one person’s control.What is within Amber Heard’s control, and anyone else who’s been recently diagnosed with histrionic personality disorder, is the choice to seize the opportunity to practice self-compassion, get to know oneself better and get treatment before symptoms get worse.The Important Link between Celebrity Culture and Mental HealthTelevised trials and celebrity obsession are nothing new, but because of its high-profile nature, the Amber Heard v. Johnny Depp defamation trial has become one of the most famous celebrity court proceedings since the O.J Simpson trial.Both actors now have the details of their private lives on full display, including mental health conditions, for the public to consume. This spotlight on Amber Heard and Johnny Depp’s otherwise personal lives continues to fuel the media, and now social media’s obsession with celebrity culture.RELATED: The Hero And The Villain: Narcissists Deserve Empathy TooThat said, if anything, the public airing of Amber Heard and Johnny Depp’s dirty laundry serves as a reminder that celebrities are human just like us when it comes to dealing with relationship problems and struggling with mental health issues.It’s not clear whether Amber Heard ever received a diagnosis of histrionic personality disorder before the trial, but in the event that it was the first time she ever heard of it (like many of us) , Heard is now equipped with more information about herself and she has the choice of what to do with the information next, if the diagnosis turns out to be accurate.If you or someone you know shows signs of a personality disorder or has been recently diagnosed, let this also be a reminder that help exists and that change is possible.KEEP READING:Johnny Depp Vs. Amber Heard: Why the Worst Thing about Hollywood’s Biggest Battle Might Be… Us?

How Elon Musk's Dark Past with Mental Health and Neglect Created a Controversial Icon
Celebrities

How Elon Musk's Dark Past with Mental Health and Neglect Created a Controversial Icon

Serial entrepreneur Elon Musk made a name for himself by rolling out revolutionary ideas, products and companies for the last three decades, and he shows no signs of slowing down.Musk, who’s often been referred to as the real life Tony Stark, is best known as the leader of electric car maker Tesla, the mastermind behind SpaceX, and more recently, for striking a deal to take over Twitter.RELATED: Elon Musk’s Reaction To Brief Stint As World’s Richest Was Asking How To Give His Fortune AwayFrom co-founding PayPal, to bringing electric cars to market and launching rockets into space, Elon Musk, who’s now the richest man on planet Earth, has proven time and again that he is laser-focused on his vision, and that he isn’t the type to give up.Despite his impressive amount of accomplishments, though, Elon had to overcome an even more impressively difficult past, as well as many failures throughout the years. How Elon Musk Built His EmpirePhoto Credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images Before he started making billions of dollars, Elon Musk was fascinated by computers and science fiction, and could often be found lost in daydreams of innovation. “I thought I was insane,” said Musk infamously on Joe Rogan's podcast. “Because it was clear that other people did not… Their mind wasn’t exploding with ideas.”“I hoped they wouldn’t find out, because they might like put me away or something.”Elon MuskBorn in Pretoria, South Africa, Elon lived with his mother Maye and father Errol until he was eight, but hardly remembers ever seeing them. Most of the time, he was left unsupervised. “I didn’t really have a primary nanny or anything,” Musk said. “I just had a housekeeper who was there to make sure I didn’t break anything. She wasn’t, like, watching me. I was off making explosives and reading books and building rockets and doing things that could have gotten me killed. I’m shocked that I have all my fingers.” RELATED: What Elon Musk And Grimes Teach Us About Finding The OneElon Musk found comfort early on in computer games and taught himself how to code, which set him apart from his fellow classmates. Not only was he nerdier than most kids his age, he was also the smallest and youngest in his class, which made him a target for bullying. It was so bad that he was once hospitalized for two weeks after he was thrown down a flight of stairs by a group of boys.His parents' marriage and home life was just as turbulent. After his parents divorced, Elon Musk decided to go live with his father out of sympathy. “I felt sorry for my father, because my mother had all three kids. He seemed very sad and lonely by himself. So I thought, ‘I can be company,'” said Musk.But he quickly regretted it. “He was such a terrible human being,” he remembered. “Almost every crime you can possibly think of, he has done. Almost every evil thing you could possibly think of, he has done.” To this day, he barely speaks about his father.As a way of escaping his unhappy childhood, Musk became increasingly obsessed with computer programming. At the age of 12, he wrote the code for a game he called Blastar, which he later sold to a PCX magazine for $500. The experience ignited his entrepreneurial spirit.Rather than look up to his father, Elon Musk deeply admired the achievements of American astronaut Neil Armstrong. He saw North America as a land of opportunity, and his desire to relocate grew stronger with time.RELATED: Elon Musk Says This Surprising Thing Helped Him Become A Billionaire, Offers Unusual Parenting Lesson In The ProcessElon Musk was 17 when he moved to Canada, where his mother was born, and eventually enrolled at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, where he met his first wife, Justine Wilson.His goal was to get closer to Silicon Valley, so he transferred to the University of Pennsylvania, where he graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Physics. He finally moved California in 1995 with plans to attend Stanford University, but chose to focus on his career and ambitions instead.That same year, Elon Musk founded his first company, Zip2, with his younger brother Kimbal, which was acquired a few years later for $307 million. Then, he used some of that money to co-found X.com, an online bank, which became PayPal. And that's when things got really interesting.What Almost Broke Elon Musk?Photo Credit: Chris Saucedo/Getty Images for SXSW)In 2000, Elon Musk married Justine Wilson and soon after was fired from Paypal while the couple was on their honeymoon. They welcomed their first child, Nevada Alexander Musk, two years later.Sadly, their little boy passed away from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) at just 10 weeks old. Amid the tragedy of losing his firstborn son, at a time when he could’ve retreated into a dark place, Elon Musk’s response was to throw himself deeper into his work instead.Having always been fascinated by space exploration, Musk held the conviction that in order to survive, humanity would have to become a multi-planet species. His next big aspiration was to expand on his vision of colonizing Mars. So that's exactly what he did. In 2002, Elon Musk founded SpaceX, a company that aims to revolutionize space travel and eventually land humans on the Red planet. After a series of setbacks, SpaceX made history in 2010 when it became the first private company to launch and recover a spacecraft. RELATED: Mark Cuban and Elon Musk Agree This Is The One Skill AI Will Never ReplaceThere have been many failed launches over the years, but they have never stopped Musk from trying again. In fact, nothing seems to stop him, not even when his heroes Neil Armstrong and Gene Cernan expressed concerns about space commercialization."What I'm trying to do is to make a significant difference in spaceflight, and help make spaceflight accessible to almost anyone," said Elon Musk. "And I would hope for as much support in that direction as we can receive."All the while, the tech genius had also been interested in electric cars, so when he saw an opportunity to bring them to consumers by way of Tesla Motors, a start-up founded by engineers Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning, he didn’t hesitate.In 2004, Elon Musk made a $6.5 million investment in the company and joined the company’s board of directors. Just four years later, Musk was named CEO.Elon Musk’s Controversial SuccessPhoto Credit: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin / Getty Images In 2021, Elon Musk revealed he has Asperger Syndrome while hosting Saturday Night Live. Asperger’s is a condition that falls on the autism spectrum and presents itself as repetitive patterns, highly focused interests, trouble expressing feelings and interpreting non verbal communication.People diagnosed with Asperger syndrome are described as “neurodivergent,” while people that are not on the autism spectrum are referred to as “neurotypical.”"I don't always have a lot of intonation or variation in how I speak... which I'm told makes for great comedy," he joked at the time. "I'm actually making history tonight as the first person with Asperger's to host SNL."RELATED: Elon Musk Says This One Habit Is the Secret to Becoming SuccessfulThis diagnosis explains a lot of his unique behavior as a child and while the condition may have been difficult to navigate in his youth, Elon Musk used his unique set of challenges to his advantage.Musk has been known to stir the pot, especially with his controversial tweets, but regardless of whether you love him or hate him, there is no denying that he is one of the most influential visionaries of our time. What’s more is that he’s exemplified that obstacles don’t have to be barriers, and that it’s worth it to pursue our dreams, no matter what life throws at us.KEEP READING:Elon Musk’s #1 Tactic to Never be Afraid of Failure

At 266 Lbs, She Took On a 90-Day Challenge And Completely Changed Her Life
Success Stories

At 266 Lbs, She Took On a 90-Day Challenge And Completely Changed Her Life

After struggling to conceive a second child and being diagnosed with infertility, Rachel Winston was determined to keep trying and began aggressive fertility treatment, but the process took a toll on her health.“I underwent countless fertility medications, tried intrauterine implantation,” Rachel, of Summerlin, Nevada told Women’s Health Mag.When that didn’t work, she decided to undergo in-vitro fertilization cycles and met with over a dozen specialists across the country. “Still, no baby. As if that weren’t hard enough, I also gained 120 pounds,” Rachel said.Challenge acceptedIt was an emotional rollercoaster and the process left her feeling frustrated and depressed, but she wasn’t ready to give up on herself, or her dream of expanding her family.Following her doctor’s recommendation, Rachel was two years into her IVF journey when she decided to put a pause on her treatments to focus on her health and wellbeing. “A lot of people said that it would take years to lose the weight, but I didn't want to wait that long,” she said.Rachel wanted nothing more than to give herself the best chances of having a healthy and successful pregnancy, so when she found out that her gym was hosting a 90-day weight loss challenge, she jumped at the opportunity.I saw it as my chance. I weighed in for the contest at 266 pounds—by far the heaviest I had ever been.Rachel WinstonA lifestyle changeDetermined to get healthy, she changed her eating habits and started going to the gym six days a week.During the first month of the challenge, Rachel’s weight dropped rather quickly until she eventually hit a plateau. “I learned that I was eating too little, given all of my exercise,” she said.Rachel started eating six mini-meals per day and always kept nutritious snacks on hand.“Knowing that I always had these healthy foods squashed my anxiety over the food aspect of losing weight,” she remembered.She set herself the goal of achieving 30,000 steps a day through a combination of regular treadmill and free weight group classes. She also took up weight lifting to keep her metabolism up and prevent muscle loss. Whenever she had free moments, she would walk and if she felt short of her steps goal by the end of the day, she jogged around her neighbourhood at night to reach her target.Don't give up, even if it seems hopelessIt was a lot of hard work and it wasn’t always easy. Rachel recalled texting her trainer one day, feeling completely overwhelmed ready to quit the contest. Instead of giving up, her coach recommended prioritizing sleep, scaling down her daily steps goal and prescribed a de-stressing practice, like yoga or pilates.“I had to learn to relax to hit my weight-loss goals,” said Rachel.Through perseverance and determination, Rachel lost 90 pounds by the end of the challenge and won a $10,000 prize.I’m not going to lie, the money was awesome, but the biggest reward is feeling healthy and more like myself during the in-vitro process.Rachel WinstonRachel's story proves the value of perseverance. Even when things seem impossible, the simple act of persisting can lead you to conquer mountains. Keep going no matter what"Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out." - Robert Collier

At Nearly 200 Pounds, Woman Makes One Major Realization And Turned Her Life Around
Diet & Exercise

At Nearly 200 Pounds, Woman Makes One Major Realization And Turned Her Life Around

For years, Jennifer Riveira made excuses for her weight gain, even as she struggled to keep up with her young son and often had to say no when he wanted to play.“I was overweight and I was tired,” Jennifer told People. “My son said I yelled from the time I got up in the morning until the time I went to bed at night.”At her heaviest weight of almost 200 pounds, the mom of two was exhausted and miserable.Jennifer felt her relationships with her husband and son break down“My marriage was at an all-time low,” she remembered. “My husband and I weren’t getting along because frankly, I made it really hard to love me because I stopped loving myself.”In March 2017, Jennifer made a doctor's appointment, thinking there must be a medical reason she was getting heavier. Instead, she got a rude awakening.“My doctor said, ‘Your tests all came back fine. But what we really need to look at is what are you eating,’” she said.Rather than address the root cause of her weight gain, Jennifer continued to insist she couldn’t prioritize healthy eating because of her hectic schedule as a busy mom.“In reality, I had just given up on myself,” said the California native. “Everybody became more important than I did and fast-food became my way of life. It was fast. It was easy.”Then, something clicked when she stumbled across a friend’s weight loss post one day on social media.After successfully losing weight, she decided to help others on the same journey “She had posted that she was able to be on the floor and play with her son,” Jennifer said. “I remember thinking, ‘Gosh, I just want that.’ I reached out to her and asked her what she was doing.”Her friend told her about how she’d been able to lose weight with Isagenix, a popular meal replacement program.“I remember thinking, ‘I’m going all in. What do I have to lose?’”She signed up for the Isabody challenge, a 16-week transformation contest and it turns out, it was the exact support she needed.Not only did Jennifer successfully drop 76 pounds, but she was also named the 2019 Isabody grand prize winner and awarded $25,000 for her achievement. “The challenge itself is to feel better about yourself, to be the best version of you, whoever you are.”These days, she is more active and healthier than ever and has made it her mission to help others feel good about themselves too.One of her favourite moments throughout her weight loss journey was when she asked her son to describe her using three words as part of a personal development assignment. “He said: dedicated, loving, and inspiring,” Jennifer said at the time. “It’s about so much more than just the weight loss — I have a happy healthy 13-year-old who now sees what good nutrition can do for you. That means the world to me.”More inspiring stories: At 290 Lbs, Woman Embarks On Incredible Transformation Journey After Making The Wrong ChoicesWoman Dumped And Trolled By Boyfriend For Being Overweight Gets The Last LaughWoman Changes the Game and Loses 55 Lbs Without Depriving Herself of AnythingInspiring Couple Loses Over 200 Lbs Together Before Their Wedding Day

At 290 Lbs, Woman Embarks On Incredible Transformation Journey After Making The Wrong Choices
Diet & Exercise

At 290 Lbs, Woman Embarks On Incredible Transformation Journey After Making The Wrong Choices

After Marsha Parker became a mom in 2010, she fell into the trap of neglecting her health and kept gaining weight until she realized the impact it was having on her daughter.As a single parent, Marsha had to give up her high-paying job as a financial advisor for a job that paid less but provided more flexible hours so that she could take care of her little one.“I had to start from the bottom,” Parker told People. “There wasn’t a lot of money.”Whatever money she did have for food at the time went to her daughter, Kumari, first.Marsha would buy healthy food for her daughter, but eat junk food herself to save money “I made a choice,” said the now 41-year-old from The Bronx, NY. “If either of us was going to eat healthy, it was going to be her. I gave her the green smoothies while I was eating $1.25 fried chicken.”When Kumari was just a newborn, Marsha was already overweight at 210 pounds, but it was the least of her concerns at the time.“I was stressed and I think I was going through a bit of postpartum depression without realizing it,” she said. “Kumari would be asleep and I would be crying, eating chocolate pudding and drinking Pepsi. I would buy foods that I knew were bad, but they gave me comfort at the time.”I know that I have to do certain things and all of them are priority and they all must be done. So I do them.Marsha ParkerShe continued on the pattern of self-neglect until she reached 290 pounds, heaviest weight. Kumari was five when her mom developed high-blood pressure and was diagnosed as pre-diabetic.“Kumari started worrying about me,” Marsha remembered. “She’s very smart, and smart kids will keep you on your toes.”“I would have headaches from the food and she would say, ‘I need you to be healthy, I’m really, really worried about you. Please eat healthy.’ I realized that my health was connected to her wellbeing.”Hearing Kumari say those words inspired her to take action and she signed up for kickboxing classes. Marsha was on a limited budget but she knew that spending the money was the incentive she needed to stick with the program. Then, she discovered The Mile High Run Club, a studio that offers treadmill running classes and she was hooked.Her daughter was a huge support system to her At the same time, she started making changes to her diet, prioritizing nutritious foods that fuelled her workouts in return.“I was so determined, I didn’t miss the foods I used to eat,” said Marsha. “I knew that it was do or die, so I was on board.”A year later, she was down 100 pounds and after hitting a training plateau in July 2018, she decided to give weightlifting a try.“That was a game changer,” remembered Marsha. “I was losing weight and gaining muscle.”She has since run a 10K race, completed a half-marathon and her daughter is her biggest cheerleader, often joining her on runs around Central Park."She'll pat me on my back and say, 'Mommy you're doing great,'" she said.These days, Marsha juggles five-day-a-week workouts with homeschooling Kumari, Ph.D. classes and her job as an online teacher. She is down 155 pounds.“I know that I have to do certain things and all of them are priority and they all must be done. So I do them,” said Marsha.“Kumari saved my life.”More inspiring stories: Woman Dumped And Trolled By Boyfriend For Being Overweight Gets The Last LaughWoman Changes the Game and Loses 55 Lbs Without Depriving Herself of AnythingDedicated Man Loses 150 Lbs During Lockdown After His Scale Read 430 LbsInspiring Couple Loses Over 200 Lbs Together Before Their Wedding Day

At 376 Lbs, Woman Made One Major Mindset Change and Lost 200 Lbs
Diet & Exercise

At 376 Lbs, Woman Made One Major Mindset Change and Lost 200 Lbs

Crystal Benes battled obesity since she was a child and knew something had to change when at 25, she was struggling to breathe and get a good night’s sleep.She weighed 376 lbs at the time. "Every choice I made regarding what I fueled my body with and how much exercised I did was all up to me," Crystal told People. "I had no one else to blame for my poor decisions that led me to being nearly 400 lbs."It took several failed attempts to control her weight over the years before she eventually stumbled across the opportunity that completely transformed her life.Crystal decided that she was the one who had the power to change her life In the spring of 2018, everything changed when Crystal heard about Fort Wayne’s Smallest Winner, a local weight loss competition.The intense boot camp program was open to the public and free of charge, so Crystal decided to sign up and was selected to be a contestant.“That first day was just grueling, just to know you’re the biggest person, you have the furthest journey to go, and for someone to tell me that I would have to lose 200 pounds to even get within a normal range of where I should be is just hard to believe, it’s impossible to believe,” Crystal said in an interview.Over the course of the next 15 weeks, she lost 102 pounds through consistent boot camp classes, diet coaching and the support of a personal coach, and although she didn’t win, she wasn’t far behind.Once the competition was over, Crystal was left to her own devices which was a little unsettling at first, but her dedication prevailed."I had to understand that this was no longer a diet, and that it had to become my lifestyle," she remembered.Determined to transform her life, she continued her regular workouts and nutrition plan until 10 months later she hit another milestone, dropping an extra 100 pounds.At the time, she recalled it felt like a dream. "My weight-loss journey came at a point in my life where my weight was something I faced every day and led me to a constant state of depression," Bene said.She stopped making excuses One of her biggest challenges throughout was having to be brutally honest with herself and stop with the excuses, so she could finally get out of her own way, to pursue the healthy lifestyle she deserved.Through the struggle I encountered during my journey, I came to realize that the most difficult road had led to the most beautiful journey of my life.Since her 200 pounds weight loss, Crystal maintains her exercise routines and balanced diet, while enjoying all the things she couldn’t before.“I want to go out and experience things I couldn’t experience as a kid like ride roller coasters, or go skiing, or ziplining, I can do all that now,” she said.“I always ask myself ‘What if I keep going?’ and that allows me to become stronger, and it shows that it’s possible.”More inspiring stories:Woman Loses Over 200 Pounds By Facing Her DemonsThis Man Lost Over 600 Pounds After Choosing To LiveWoman Dumped And Trolled By Boyfriend For Being Overweight Gets The Last LaughAt 280 Lbs, She Kept Gaining Weight Through Yo-Yo Diets, Today, She’s A Personal Trainer