Author: Sean Thoreby

Butters, My Extraordinary Friend and Secret Weapon to Conquer Depression

Butters helped ease the weight of the experience of a person with depression

10/23/2015 – 10/28/2025

I will always be grateful for your emotional support

Owning this dog was one of the most profound experiences of my life, but it started as nothing more than a crazy idea. When the idea to buy a puppy was introduced to me by my then-fiancé, it was a half-joke. The timing was awful. I’d recently finished school and moved in with my parents a few months before – buying a brand new puppy, bringing it into my parents house, and expecting them to take care of it for me while we went to work the whole day? Ridiculous.

If you spend enough time thinking about how to turn a ridiculous idea into reality though, it eventually stops sounding ridiculous, and a few weeks later, we were puppy shopping for a Golden Retriever.

Continue reading →
Posted on by Sean Thoreby 0

My OCD Recovery and Attempted Suicide Survival Story Will be Published

Reflecting on my OCD healing journey

September 21st of this year marked the five year anniversary of the day I nearly took my own life. The day will come when my story will help give people hope that OCD and depression can get better. I am determined to become a published author – it is a matter of when, not if.

With some chapters yet to be started, many incomplete, and massive amounts of editing and fine tuning ahead, I am officially at 26,923 words.

“There are people out there in the world who need what you have to create, and if you choose to withhold it, they will never get to experience it.”

Amie McNee

Posted on by Sean Thoreby 0

Fighting OCD – It’s Time to Get Your Life Back

Boxing champ on top of the mountain symbolizing overcoming OCD

An essay of encouragement for those battling OCD

  • Contains adult language

I can be a grinch when it comes to roller coasters. A handful of times I’ve enjoyed riding them, but the types I’m talking about are the ones that your grandma takes you on at the state fair the summer before you start your first year of “big kid school.” 

The sensation of my insides being heaved back and forth and up and down is unsettling to me. Then, when you mix in my steady stream of thoughts reminding me that I am literally riding a glorified mining cart down steep declines at highway speeds for shits and giggles, I feel no joy – I feel pure terror.

Continue reading →
Posted on by Sean Thoreby 3

What I Would Tell Teenage Me

Even children can be resilient and full of courage

A letter from a mental health blogging dad to his 13-year-old self

  • Contains adult language

Dear 13 year-old Sean,

Hello from the year 2023. Flying cars don’t exist yet, but cell phones went through a transformation. Now, they’re called “smart-phones,” and they’re more sophisticated than Dad’s computer downstairs. My phone can read me text messages aloud and control the lighting in the house. The football player Michael Strahan has visited space – for a fucking vacation! And future you? I’m full-on adulting at 35 years old! Don’t fret, it’s more exciting than it sounds. 

We’re living a fulfilling life. And Spoiler alert: fatherhood with your two little girls is a beautiful adventure. A wild ride is ahead of you, friend. The ride will be bumpy, and there will be times it goes too fast and terrifies you. There will be times you’ll feel ready to do anything to make it stop. But – I wouldn’t change my story if I could, because it has shaped me into the man I am proud to be today.

Continue reading →
Posted on by Sean Thoreby 0

How Being Obsessed with Feeling Good Makes Us Unhappy

An essay about the problem with chasing happiness

Most of us can probably agree that we value happiness and safety. Naturally, our brains would work hard to maximize opportunities to feel positive feelings and sustain our well-being. 

And our brains are incredibly powerful. Brains are hardwired to analyze and anticipate constantly, without us being aware of it. Although this is meant for self-preservation, the methods they use for pursuing these needs can create unwanted consequences and end up pushing happiness further and further away.

I want you to consider your answer to this hypothetical question:

What do you think would make you happier: winning the lottery or becoming a paraplegic? 

Continue reading →
Posted on by Sean Thoreby 0