About Me

The Man Behind the Words

For a long time, I believed a lie.

Growing up with Harm OCD, I didn’t have a name for the violent intrusive images or the violent intrusive thoughts that played on repeat in my mind. I didn’t know about “mental static” or “glitchy brains.” I only knew what I saw behind my eyes, and it terrified me. I spent decades convinced that I was a horrible person—an ugly, hidden monster.

I was wrong.

My name is Tony Tone Vega. I am a professional, a family man, and a man in recovery. I also live with Harm OCD, Bipolar II, Depression, Anxiety, Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Alcohol Use Disorder.

The Feat of Engineering

Managing a full-time job and a family while your brain is tuned to a station of static is a daily feat of engineering. For years, I used a bottle to quiet the noise. Today, I choose clarity, even when that clarity is messy. I’ve traded the “I’m fine” mask for the raw reality of the ring.

Why This Space Exists

I started this blog because there are too many people sitting in silence, convinced that their intrusive thoughts and images, define their character. I’m here to scream into the void: You are not your thoughts. Here, we talk about:

  • The Intersection: Navigating career and family while managing Bipolar cycles.
  • The Ring: The daily work of wrestling with Harm OCD, Bipolar II, Depression, Anxiety and Generalized Anxiety Disorder without a drink to numb it.
  • The Truth: Dismantling the “monster” narrative and reclaiming our humanity.

I’m many things, but mostly, I’m still here. And if you’re reading this, you are too. Let’s quiet the static together.

A Note on Safety and Community

I am not a doctor or a therapist. I’m a fellow traveler. This is a space for raw honesty, a little bit of dark humor, and the reminder that even when the “static” is loud, we aren’t alone in the noise.

Resources: You Are Not Alone

If the “static” is getting too loud right now, please reach out to people who can help you navigate the noise. You don’t have to wrestle this by yourself.