About

Hi, I’m Erika. I’m a writer/author, swimmer, UX designer/researcher, tea drinker, and Sea Witch.

This blog is a place for me to park my brain dumps, unedited, rapid, stream-of-consciousness notes I type out after I swim. I’ve been struggling with serious depression and PTSD for a few years, and was not making any progress or finding relief until I started swimming regularly in the cold lake near my home.

After I swim I experience a euphoria that lasts an hour or two. It’s the only time I can get my addled brain to work for a few minutes. Depression has put a lead box around my brain. I can’t concentrate, think, solve problems, organize, ….. and I have no motivation. The only thing I can make myself do is swim.

I’m trying to take advantage of these brief euphoric states to find a way back to writing and to experiment with writing more openly about personal experiences, feelings, etc. I’m not keen on sharing the list of my maladies or disabilities, but I think it’s important to share my depression. I am slowly finding words to articulate what this disease is for me, how it impacts me. I hope others will read this and share their stories.

Contact me here.

Thanks for reading. If you have a lake or swimming stories to share, I am looking for guest bloggers!