Mill P Writes

  Ah, celebrities—they walk red carpets, grace magazine covers, and occasionally, pose for mugshots after a regrettable evening with one too many martinis. Reading through the article “ Celebrities with DUIs ” was like opening a yearbook of bad decisions, except instead of bad perms and braces, there’s a parade of stars who gambled their careers (and their licenses) on one too many rounds at the bar. But let me not get too judgy. I’d be a hypocrite if I pretended my own track record was spotless. Back in my day, I managed to collect a couple of DUIs like they were limited-edition baseball cards. Add to that a million disorderly conducts, and let’s just say my name was familiar in local courtrooms for all the wrong reasons. Sure, they made for some “hilarious” stories at the time—tales of stumbling out of bars, mouthing off to bouncers, and getting creative with excuses when flashing lights appeared in the rearview mirror. But in hindsight? They’re less “ha-ha funny” and more “cring...

If you’ve ever spent a foggy morning questioning life’s deepest mysteries—like why socks disappear or which came first, the chicken or the egg—you’ll understand why Universal Brain’s latest study on depression hit home for me. The study, which uses "multiple event-related potentials" (ERPs), dives into brain activity to understand depression better. It’s not just groundbreaking; it’s the kind of nerdy science that makes me think there’s hope for people like me, whose mental health sometimes feels like a squirrel on a caffeine high, frantically burying acorns it’ll never find again. The article explains: “Multiple ERPs provide a way to observe the brain's real-time responses to specific stimuli, offering unprecedented insights into the neural underpinnings of depression.” Translation: Scientists are now eavesdropping on our brain’s party line to figure out why some of us are stuck in the sad loop while others breeze through life with TikTok dances and almond lattes. Rea...

  Read Part One Read Part Two Read Part Three Read Part Four Read Part Five Read Part Six Part Seven   The past two days among the Seraphim had been nothing short of transformative for Aiden. The moon that humans called Theta-13 was known to its inhabitants as Aelrith’en, the Moon of Veils. Its surface, covered in glowing rivers and thick with what humans called the Theta Mists, was named by the Seraphim as Naerissyn, the Breath of the Veil. Even the Seraphim had a name for themselves—the Tyrsaelith. Living in the Tyrsaelith’s city was like stepping into a dream, a place so entwined with its people’s essence that distinguishing one from the other felt impossible. The city sprawled with a grace that seemed both alien and natural, the glowing mists weaving through the streets like silent guides. Structures rose into the air in sinuous curves, their translucent walls pulsing faintly, as though alive. It was a world defined by harmony, where every movement, every breath, seem...

Primary Care and Suicide Prevention: Captain Obvious Strikes Again, But It’s About Time If ever an article belonged in the Captain Obvious drawer, it’s this one: “Primary care can play key role in suicide prevention,” courtesy of the National Institute of Mental Health. I mean, isn’t that like saying umbrellas can play a key role in staying dry during a rainstorm? Still, sometimes the obvious things need to be shouted from the rooftops, because too often they’re whispered and then forgotten. Let’s unpack this groundbreaking (but not-so-groundbreaking) revelation. According to the article, “Primary care providers are uniquely positioned to identify and address suicide risk.” Why? Because these are the people we see for everything from suspicious moles to suspiciously stubborn colds. The average primary care doctor sees patients from all walks of life, making them the first line of defense in spotting the warning signs of suicide. Here’s the kicker: “About 80% of people who died by s...

  A Round of Applause for Politicians? Stop the Presses. It’s not every day that I find myself tipping my hat—or, more accurately, my metaphorical pen—to politicians. But hey, when the unlikely happens, you’ve got to call it out. Enter the National Council for Mental Wellbeing’s report on bipartisan support for mental health training programs. Yes, you read that correctly— bipartisan . For those unfamiliar, that’s political speak for, “We actually managed to agree on something without breaking into a food fight.” Color me shocked and mildly optimistic. According to the article, this rare act of political unity revolves around Mental Health First Aid (MHFA), a program designed to equip everyday people with the tools to recognize and respond to mental health crises. It’s basically CPR for the mind, and it’s the kind of thing we need a lot more of. “The program trains individuals to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illness and substance use disorders,” the articl...

Read Part One Read Part Two Read Part Three Read Part Four Read Part Five      Part Six             The Abyssal Crown loomed before them like the gates to another world. Its jagged spires jutted out at odd angles, cloaked in the dense, silvery Theta Mists that seemed to ripple with an eerie sentience. Each step into the mist-laden terrain felt like a step further from sanity, as if the moon itself resisted their intrusion. Orin led the way, his movements less confident now, his bravado replaced with a quiet intensity. The path wound through deep chasms and over slick, uneven terrain, the ground beneath them alternating between solid rock and a spongy, unfamiliar substance that pulsed faintly when stepped on. Aiden had stopped questioning what was natural on Theta-13; the rules here seemed to defy every bit of training and logic he had ever known. Kael, pale and sweating, stumbled along with Garret supporting her weight. Her wound was ...

  As a recovering alcoholic who also happens to be an author, let me just say: there’s no greater plot twist than deciding to give up the very thing that inspired half your metaphors and most of your questionable life choices. The Columbia Tribune’s recent article, “Let These Books Guide Your Sober Curiosity,” dives headfirst into the growing movement of sober curiosity, a trend that asks, “What if you just... didn’t drink?”—a revolutionary concept for those of us who used to consider a bottle of wine a “necessary writing tool.” Spoiler alert: it’s not. The article highlights a collection of books designed to help people reexamine their relationship with alcohol. Titles like “Quit Like a Woman” by Holly Whitaker and “We Are the Luckiest” by Laura McKowen are touted as guides for the sober-curious and the fully sober alike. These aren’t your standard self-help drivel; they’re raw, poignant explorations of what happens when you trade your happy-hour escapism for, well, actual self-aw...