It's only a 4 letter word. It's a terrific motivator. It determines whether or not I think life is worth living. And if it's lacking it's awfully hard to move on with daily tasks. Yes I am talking about hope. It's funny how quickly my concept of hope changes. But today I am feeling overly optimistic. You see among my illness I thought I lost...
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Brooke West
I made a friend through The International Bipolar Foundation’s Facebook page this spring. I had posted a target-market question, wanting to know what people wanted, what they couldn't find and what they hoped for in recovery. Andrea pleaded for a route to an inner place more brightly lit. Follows is some of our continuing conversation. Reprinted...
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The Bipolar Identity Shift
July 22, 2014
Dyane Harwood
Over tea, Dan recalled the young woman I had been at nineteen, long before I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder at thirty-seven. He mentioned that, sure, I seemed moody at times, but he noted that my moods didn’t swing to either extreme. While Dan isn’t a psychiatrist, I took his opinions as seriously as if they were the opinions...
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Allow Me to Introduce Myself
July 22, 2014
Sarah DeArmond
Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Sarah and I'm twenty-seven. As you've seen in my bio, I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder when I was twenty-two, but I had been struggling with it since I was twenty.Before I got married, I was seeing a doctor that had misdiagnosed me. We trusted him at the time because he had correctly diagnosed me with...
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Sarah DeArmond
July 22, 2014
Sarah DeArmond lives in Calera, Alabama and has been married to the love of her life, Sean, since January 31st, 2009. Sarah was diagnosed with bipolar disorder when she was twenty-two, just a few months after she got married. Sarah has been working hard ever since to treat her disorder. She has had one-hundred percent support from her husband,...
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Coming Out of the Mental Health Closet at Work
July 22, 2014
Jessi Lepine
Hello, I’m Jessi. I recently came out with my diagnosis at work on a large scale, by writing an article for our hospital bulletin. The response from friends, coworkers and strangers was so positive that it led me to find the confidence to start a blog about my road to recovery with this illness. Here is an adapted version of the...
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Jessi Lepine
July 22, 2014
My name is Jessi Lepine. I am Canadian, 32 years old, married to a psychiatric nurse, and we have a 13 month old baby girl. I work in mental health as Therapeutic Programming Lead on a Geriatric Psychiatry Program at the same hospital where my husband works. I am the third person in my immediate family to be diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder...
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My Experience With “I’m Here if You Need to Talk”
July 17, 2014
Doreen B.
As a woman with bipolar I disorder I have experienced many major depressive episodes. During those times I’ve not only relied heavily on family, but also on friends and church leaders. As a recipient of the compassionate phrase: “I’m here if you need to talk”, I want to provide some perspective from the talking end to help those who may...
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My Best Advice About Living with Bipolar Disorder
July 17, 2014
When I’m high, I can fly. When I’m low, I sink into the deepest, darkest place. I keep wishing I could change this.One of my medications in particular gets me through the day. It’s actually supposed to help with anxiety, but it sort of has the opposite effect on me. I’ve realized that without it, I am worthless. Less...
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Sara Berelsman
July 17, 2014
Sara Berelsman has an MA in Literature from Eastern Michigan University, and is currently working on an MA to become a substance abuse counselor. She published a memoir in November called My Last Rock Bottom, about her alcoholism and bipolar disorder. She was diagnosed as bipolar a few years ago and enjoys writing to educate others...
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