Author: Serena Goldsmith, LCSW As someone who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder thirty years ago, I used to be someone in the crowd who did not know that there was hope for recovery. I wish that there had been an organization like International Bipolar Foundation...
Something I am Proud of: In my journey to managing my mental illness, I am proud of overcoming the shame of my diagnosis and the embarrassment I felt after my two severe manic episodes that lead to two hospitalizations. When I was first diagnosed in June 2020, I...
Author: Sophia Falco There was no fire to pull out of that volcano like how there was no rabbit to pull out of that magician’s hat. “Where’s your fire at?”, she jokingly exclaimed. Instead of responding, I looked up and pointed, pretending that the airplane overhead...
Author: Sophia Falco These raindrops resemble teardrops that I believed were almost falling in slow motion, but with the blink of an eye, they hit the pavement despite—what once was 3-D now 2-D is now just an imprint on the sidewalk. A darker shade of gray than the...
Something I Am Proud Of: I am most proud of healing the relationships with my family and being able to work on my passions again. In 2009, I was a full-time artist and did show after show, spinning into mania until I crashed into a depression. During treatment, I...
Author: Melinda Goedeke I remember when my daughter was 22, and she started talking about wanting children some day. This was cause for celebration as Laura often didn’t believe she had a future; her bipolar disorder caused her to live fast, talk fast and...
Something I am Proud of: Growing up, I was ambitious and had big dreams for myself. When I was diagnosed with bipolar at 19, I thought my life was over. Over time, I learned that stringing together moments of stability and joy was one way of building a meaningful life...
Mariko Hewer The other day, I looked out my living-room window around 7:30 p.m. and was surprised to see how dim it had gotten outside. The vibrant goldenrod of the late-afternoon sun had already deepened into the burnt sienna, indigo, and magenta glow of sunset, and...
Author: Natalia Beiser Note: These are my experiences of having taken Lithium Carbonate and undergoing dialysis. Not everyone taking Lithium Carbonate, nor partaking in dialysis will run into these issues. I have Diabetes Insipitus (DI), which some people...
Author: Lisa MacDonald I was diagnosed as a young teen with a mental illness but I hid it from others. I was so ashamed and embarrassed about it. Even my best friends didn’t know how badly I was suffering. I didn’t realize this until much later, but...
Something I am Proud Of: I’ve spent 6 months working on a new kind of peer support experience for people with bipolar. The unique capabilities of the Clubhouse technology is what makes this possible. More information is available at linktr.ee/bipolarsupportclub....
Author: Ben Davis I have Bipolar Type II. Receiving that diagnosis changed my mental health trajectory for the better. Although it’s a big part of who I am, it’s not all of who I am. I am more than my diagnosis, and so are you. While I recognize that my story is...
Something I am Proud of: Simply starting my mental health journey. Walking into a therapist’s office, admitting I was afraid of myself and had tried everything under the sun to calm that fear was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. The awareness of my diagnosis,...
Author: Sophia Falco The light was unable to filter in between the small spaces of the yellow leaves belonging to a quaking aspen. Instead, the light was stuck behind that dense tree canopy until one leaf fell slowly unleashing the freedom for a single...
Author: Stanley Clark Gaming gives people the opportunity to try something new. Engaging in such an activity lets individuals form alliances, complete quests, and make new friends. Playing video games is fun and exciting. But there’s a different kind of rush and...
Something I am Proud Of: I am proud that over the past 7 years (since I first began mental health treatment) I have consistently stayed in therapy and taken my meds, despite relapses, medication issues, and major life stressors. I am also proud that during each...
Something I am Proud of: When I was finally medically compliant two years after my initial diagnosis, the hospital psychiatrist told me I would never work again. She encouraged me to seek disability. Give up my professional aspirations. I fired her. Then I fought my...
Author: Aubrey Good I woke up this morning well before noon after going to bed well before midnight. I greeted my husband and baby, ate a well-balanced breakfast, and glanced at the headlines before shutting down the app and heading out the door for a run. As I ran,...
Author: Melinda Goedeke Destigmatize: to remove association from shame or disgrace (according to Miriam Webster). I like destigmatizing; it feels honorable and worthwhile. And it is. I destigmatize all over the place often with tears streaming down my face as I...
Author: Natalia A. Beiser My need for dialysis started largely because of long term Lithium use. I began taking Lithium in 1994 at the age of twenty two and have what is described as lithium induced nephropathy. This means that I have small cysts all over my...
September is Suicide Awareness Month “Pilar’s Corner” addresses a common question: How can I tell if my family member/friend is severely depressed or suicidal and what can I do? By recognizing signs and symptoms of depression and knowing factual information about...
Something I am Proud Of: A moment I am most proud of when it comes to managing my bipolar diagnosis is launching my podcast, “Master Your M.E.N.T.A.L” to share my story to inspire others on how to shatter the stigma, conquer obstacles and craft the life...
Author: Sophia Falco I once wrote, sorrow strikes as lightning, but really the bright flash is nonexistent, but really strikes is an understatement. Darkness has permeated into my world like a heavy cloak that I am unable to shake off. If only sorrow really did strike...
Author: Sasha Kildare My manic episodes arose out of severe depression and were mixed episodes—euphoria and boundless energy interspersed with despair. Although I found myself bursting with ideas, they never led to anything. Today, I’m still bursting with ideas, but I...
Author: Natalia Beiser Please note: These are the experiences of this writer and do not reflect the outcomes of every patient taking Lithium Carbonate. I have taken Lithium Carbonate since I was twenty two years old. I am now approaching my fiftieth birthday and have...
Author: Mariko Hewer Trigger warning: Brief discussion of suicide The past 18 months (and counting) have been remarkable by any standard — we’ve battled a worldwide pandemic, faced natural disasters dramatically heightened by climate change, and begun the hard yet...
Pilar Cárdenas-Gimber One of my favorite aspects of IBPF is how it unifies us as a global community, providing resources and shepherding us through the maze to wellness. “Pilar’s Corner” was conceived to be a specialized section of the website dedicated to moments or...
Author: Pilar Cárdenas-Gimber, LMFT Whether you are choosing a new psychiatrist or have already chosen one, there are a multitude of factors that come into play and your psychiatrist will be vitally important in your successful treatment. Psychiatrists are medical...
Author: Angela McCrimmon Someone stated something that startled me recently. It also left me in a state of reflection and eventually led me to a feeling of encouragement so it might surprise you when I share what their words of wisdom were to brighten up my day. They...
Author: Lesly Garcia I want to remind others that there are millions of us with bipolar disorder. I was diagnosed in 2019, at the age of 22 when I had my first episode. I think part of me knew a long time ago that I was bipolar. But I didn’t know what bipolar disorder...
Something I am Proud Of: I’m proud of myself for never giving up on ME, even in the hardest moments. I chose every day to fight my way towards the right treatment, med combo, & therapy modalities. There were some unbelievably dark days- especially since things got...
Author: Melinda Goedeke Recently, I went on an incredible rafting trip down the Colorado River in Moab, Utah. If I fell out of the raft, I was told to put my hand on my head signaling I was okay. The guide said that okay meant I was alive. I might be bleeding,...
Author: Violette Kay It has been two years since my last major episode, and although I will always push back against the notions that mania/depression/suffering in general magically makes people creative and that taking medication (or any other steps towards...
Author: George Hofmann Meditation can be a key practice toward coping with or avoiding episodes of mania and depression, but I’ve become increasingly troubled by proponents of mindfulness as therapy. From companies touting meditation as a means to help workers deal...
Author: Maria Jacobs Hello, I’m Maria Eva Jacobs, and I have lived with Bipolar Disorder my entire adult life. The dark details of my struggle with bipolar mania include paranoia, suicidal ideation, subsequent inpatient treatment. That is all in my past. I am in...
Author: Ivory Smith Causey Janet* a first year college student has just found out that she is pregnant. She had inclination that she might be was not for sure. She has no idea who the father is nor can remember the name of one of the potential fathers. She is...
Author: Sophia Falco I stole the wand of that magician to try to fix this embodiment of the feeling of brokenness. How can it be possible to embody something not whole? Unlike shards of glass that litters the ground, he hit his autographed baseball (the autographer...
Author: Grace Oh, what I’d say to 24-year-old Grace now. I’d tell her that her body is perfectly fine and wonderful as it is. I’d tell her that movement makes her brain and heart feel better. I’d say that she doesn’t have to work three jobs to “make up” for her time...
Something I am Proud Of: I thought I was going to get married to him, until I realized I was hypomanic and only in love with a dream. I thought my best friend would always be by my side, until she chose not to be, and died by suicide. I thought I had the independence...
Author: Curtis Hier Great success and great misery come with the bipolar life, and the Adamses had their share of both. John Adams is believed by many to have had bipolar II disorder. Thomas Jefferson described him as “sometime absolutely mad.” But Jefferson had a...
Author: Claire Gault For me, self-stigma comes from the what if? questions I ask myself. What if my manic episode never happened? What if it happened, but I decided to remain at my college instead of transferring to another school? What if I made different choices,...
Author: George Zou As a 30 year old single man, I can tell you Bipolar Disorder affects men in a special way. Having a Bipolar Disorder diagnosis means staying away from the lively parties and concerts. During this Covid pandemic, Bipolar Disorder has prepared me for...
Author: Melinda Goedeke Every time I drive home, I have to decide exactly when to turn onto my street as that split second decision could be the difference between making it safely home or not. My timing has to be perfect. I am sometimes forced (in my mind) to cut...
Something I am Proud Of: Since my diagnosis of bipolar type 2, I have been blessed to experience many victories. I have graduated college with high honors, got into graduate school, and work as a recovery coach and peer specialist. I have done all of this despite...
Something I am Proud Of: I’m proud of my overall journey; I have come a long way since my proper diagnosis at age 28 (four years ago), and even further since struggling with severe depression throughout my late teens and into my early 20s. I spent the majority...
Author: Stacey Isaacson Trust your gut. That’s what they say, right? But what if your gut sometimes leads you in the wrong direction? What if, in a spurt of creativity, you come up with a fantastic idea, only to find it less than fantastic when you carry it out in a...
Something I am Proud Of: Before being on injection, I was hospitalized 10 times and spent 5 years completing 1 year worth of college. However, once I found the right medication, I successfully completed 4 degrees total in 4 different disciplines: Liberal Arts,...
Author: Emily Ellison “Please don’t be bipolar” I thought to myself as I sat in the waiting room for my first psychiatrist appointment. I feared this diagnosis. Having done my degree in psychology I understood bipolar clinically and I believed that this diagnosis...
Something I am Proud Of: The thing that I am most proud of during my mental health journey, is that I have managed to continue furthering my education. Even though I’ve not reached my goal yet and I’ve ran into many different obstacles along the way, I...
Author: Natalia Beiser At the age of eighteen, I experienced my first full blown manic episode. I was not diagnosed with bipolar disorder at that time; it is not uncommon for bipolar patients to be misdiagnosed with schizophrenia. In 1990, there were few treatment...
