Author: Jayson Blair While Black Americans tend to experience similar rates of mental illness compared to other racial groups in the countries, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but there are strong important contextual differences that...
Something I am Proud Of: I’m very proud to be at a place in my life where managing my mental illness no longer fears like an insurmountable task and more like a regular part of my daily life. While it’s still a full-time responsibility and can be a lot to contend with...
Author: Cassandra Stout If you have bipolar disorder, it’s likely you’ve experienced some symptoms of mania while you’ve suffered depression, or vice versa, and believe me: it’s miserable. This awful set of feelings is colloquially...
Author: Major General Gregg F. Martin, US Army Retired The Army I joined the US Army in 1975, at age 18. My motivation for entering the US Military Academy at West Point was first and foremost, to obtain a top-notch education on a full scholarship. Once there, I...
Something I am Proud Of: I am proud of myself for having the wherewithal to recognize that something was wrong. I always thought that I was suffering from depression, but my gut was telling me it was more than that. I took the steps needed to connect with my therapist...
Author: Melinda Goedeke I have two children. One is low key, mild-mannered, and has a half tooth. The other is high-key, wild-mannered and has a double tooth. Both are brilliant, beautiful and better than me, but one is living, and one is dead. Laura died from bipolar...
Author: Major General Gregg Martin, US Army Retired In recent months, I’ve welcomed you to enter the mind of a person whose brain was damaged in combat, and literally went to war against him, driving him into bipolar madness for several years. This is a story I...
Something I am Proud Of: I am proud that I have been able to maintain a healthy and stable life for the past five years since being correctly diagnosed (though I have lived with this condition for over 20 years). I attribute this to consistently taking my medications...
Author: Christina Chambers I distinctly remember the moment my perspective on accepting Bipolar Disorder shifted. It was three years ago, in the midst of a severe depressive episode. I was seriously considering if giving up forever was the best option, which is...
Author: Gregg F. Martin, PhD, Major General, US Army (Retired) Bipolar disorder can strike virtually anyone, regardless of gender, race, education or class, from pre-teens into our sixties. It is an equal opportunity destroyer of lives and health, marriages and...
Something I am Proud Of: I always thought that my mental illness would get in the way of pursuing my passions and dreams. However, consistent therapy and the proper meds have been game changers for me. After my first year of consistent therapy and meds, I was able to...
Author: Claire Gault Esmé Weijun Wang, one of my favorite mental wellness advocates, has a workshop called “Dream Hunting with Limitations.” To me, that title encapsulates everything I’ve been wanting to do since my diagnosis four years ago: actualize what I...
Author: Gregg F. Martin, PhD, US Army (Retired) My oldest son Phillip insists that a major difference between my own case of bipolar disorder and many millions of others’ cases is that I was fortunate enough to recover. Indeed, I was alive and recovered with my...
“For those traversing, through darkness, may the light be strengthened from within.” – Sophia Falco Blogger Bio Sophia Falco Sophia Falco is a faithful poet since she finds poetry essential to her understanding of the universe. She is...
Author: Major General Gregg F. Martin, PhD, US Army Retired I gradually spiraled then crashed into depression after my resignation from the National Defense University (NDU.) My depression was increasingly characterized by diminished energy, hopelessness, anxiety and...
Author: Cassandra Stout I used to look at the new year, especially the month of January, with trepidation. When I was but a young college student dating my then-boyfriend–and now husband of several years–I had not yet been diagnosed with bipolar I...
Something I am Proud Of: I was diagnosed recently, but I’ve felt something was wrong in me since June 2021. Finally, I dared to go to a psychiatrist in October 2021. I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and of course I was shocked. My courage was to tell my...
Author: Dayna J. Living with bipolar disorder since 2006 has presented challenges to accomplishing New Year’s resolutions year after year. The fluctuations in my moods – especially crippling depressive episodes – puts a huge burden on the discipline it...
Author: Sophia Falco Call it an act of defiance against the self, but not self-inflicted more like by something opposite to a God. Darkness embezzled my words yet to be born. Each letter was stuck in no man’s land, and I was left staring at this sheet of blank paper....
Author: Sasha Kildare What if every Monday through Friday you were trapped in a room for eight hours with only 10 minutes in which to escape it? Unfortunately, I got to experience this particular brand of misery. I just left the worst job I have ever...
Something I am Proud Of: I’m most proud about my life that got back on track. It was as series of destructive behaviors that ruined my education, career, and relationships. At times I could be the life of the party, and most times I felt like a shell of a...
Don’t ‘Drop the Ball’ on your health, celebrate in style with IBPF at our Glitter Gala! December 31st, 11 AM PST – 1 PM PST Additional Timezones include 2 PM – 4 PM EST, 7 PM – 9 PM GMT, 8 PM – 10 PM CET, and 9-11 PM IST! Join...
Author: Dayna J. It’s common knowledge that fifty percent of marriages end in divorce. Psychology Today cites that statistic as high as ninety percent when at least one partner lives with bipolar disorder! I am grateful to be beating those odds and celebrating my...
Author: Melinda Goedeke We don’t have bonfires. We have scorching, searing conflagrations that silently raise our internal boiling points until we are nearly cooked and charred. We scoot back only an inch as we don’t really want to leave the warmth despite the fear...
Advice to Newly Diagnosed: Diagnosis does not mean ruination. Your diagnosis can feel like it’s taking over the trajectory of your life, but you are the creator of your path, and acceptance will come with time. I wholeheartedly believe that knowledge is power....
Author: Natalia A. Beiser “Bipolar is not a disability. They can take a pill and be okay. Those people just need to go out and get a job.” The ignorance displayed in the above sentence is unreeling to me. That person does not know of the financial devastation of a...
My Hyperthymia and Bipolar Disorder Helped me Until They Didn’t…. Author: Gregg F. Martin, PhD, Major General, US Army (Retired) My first four decades of life were healthy, happy and successful, from childhood through West Point and throughout most of my...
Author: Trevor Simonson For years I’ve been fighting. Climbing this beast of a mountain called bipolar disorder. I’ve scaled steep cliff faces and walked through blinding storms. I’ve been buried by avalanches and I’ve fallen into crevasses. But through it all...
Something I am Proud Of: I am proud of myself for completing school. I was struggling with a manic episode and then slipped through a long depression. I even had to delay my final project, but I did it! It’s only been about nine months since my diagnosis, but I feel...
Author: Major General Gregg Martin, US Army Retired Formerly known as ‘manic depressive illness’, bipolar disorder is a general term that, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), comprises a cluster of related disorders that are...
Author Liam Gildea joins us to discuss his experience living with Bipolar II for the last 20 years, as he has written about in his recent book “High Life Low Life”. You will be able to listen and ask questions about this patient’s perspective on how...
Author: Maria Eva Jacobs My name is Maria Eva Jacobs and I have lived with Bipolar Disorder my entire adult life. I’m here to tell you, there is life after diagnosis! Though still on medication, I live today in remission and while that is not a perfect walk, it is...
Something I am Proud Of: Before my hospitalization & diagnosis, I thought I had control over my mental health. I thought the really bad days were canceled out by the really good days. I thought my suicidal ideations were just intrusive thoughts that came and went....
Author: Savannah Spurlock Zillennials face a great stigma when it comes to mental health. Society says it’s the way we were raised that led us to our ultimate downfall. They say it’s the technology we use, the lack of education we received, and the work...
“Resign or you’re fired… You’ve done an amazing job, but you need to go get a mental health exam.” Author: Gregg F. Martin, PhD, Major General, US Army (Retired) It was mid-July 2014. I was 58 years old and after more than three decades in the Army, I was...
Author: Allison Hatch Disclaimer: The experiences and techniques described in this blog are based off the authors’ personal experiences and successes. These tips may not work for everyone. If you are struggling with negative thoughts or have any questions, we...
Something I am Proud Of: I’m proud of owning up for my actions and my mistakes. I never used my mental illness as an excuse for my behavior, but I was letting it take control of me. I used to do things that would destroy my relationships, not only with others, but...
Author: Gregg F. Martin, PhD, Major General, US Army (Retired) I am a 65-year old husband, father, grandfather, combat veteran, and a proud, thankful bipolar survivor. A qualified Airborne-Ranger-Engineer and strategist, I served globally, from my West Point...
Author: Yuval Dinary Some people’s need to create beauty is as fundamental as their need to eat. It’s an instinctual hunger for creation that carries great mysteries and awe along with it. The link between creativity and madness is one that’s been discussed since the...
Something I am Proud of: It was March 2016. My apartment was chosen, and my boxes were packed. My move-in date approached, but my mood took a turn for the worse. I didn’t end up moving out on my own anytime soon. Five years later, my little sister began applying to...
Author: Sophia Falco I’ve learned to hold on to my dreams even more tightly unlike that kid who witnessed his red balloon when that string slipped out of his grasp rise up up up into the blue sky—like how I will continue to rise from the depths of sorrow, and how I...
Author: Gregg F. Martin, PhD, Major General, US Army (Retired) November 11th is Veterans Day. It’s a national tragedy that more than 22 veterans a day commit suicide and that nearly two serving military service members per day die by their own hands. These are...
Author: Natalia A. Beiser Note: This article includes Natalia’s experiences of having taken antipsychotic medication, but individual experiences may differ and have different issues. If you have any questions about medications or treatment plans, please reach out to...
Something I’m Proud Of: When I was 20 years old, I experienced my first panic attack, and for 7 years, I’ve struggled with depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts. Last year, I suffered my first psychosis episode and was admitted into a psychiatric...
Author: Stanley Clark Anxiety is a common human emotion experienced by everyone. People sometimes feel somewhat worried about a future event or outcome, for example. Past research indicates that at least half of people with bipolar disorders (BD) will also develop an...
Author: Dr. DeeAnn Wong, IBPF’s Medical Director Finding a competent psychiatrist physician that is a good fit can be tricky. Physicians have different bedside manners and some may work better for others. There are number of places you can get great name...
Author: Dayna J. When I first became ill with bipolar disorder I stopped talking with many of my friends and family. I also hid my diagnosis in the workplace. I isolated myself in embarrassment. I was filled with shame. I was grieving the person I thought I had lost...
Something I am Proud Of: I am proud of not giving up on myself eight years ago. After my first hypomanic episode, I was often confused and frustrated, as I tried to find the right treatment team for myself. Eventually, I found providers who have helped me not only...
Author: Natalia A. Beiser Note: This article includes Natalia’s experiences of having taken Lithium Carbonate and undergoing dialysis, corroborated by online research found in the sources linked below. Not everyone taking Lithium Carbonate, nor partaking in...
Retired Major General Gregg F. Martin will be joining us Thursday, October 28th, to share his battle with bipolar disorder during and after his 36 years of service in the US Army. In 2003, Martin commanded a combat engineer brigade during the Iraq war, and the intense...
