Dear Chad,In the early 1990’s, we were such good friends. Outside of my family, I have never cherished anyone more. You supported me through a chilling hypomania and a catastrophic mania. You watched me deteriorate during medication trials and supported me. When I was alienated by many, you remained by my side. You assisted me in coping with a...
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Relationships
Navigating Communication During the Holidays
December 17, 2018
By: Courtney Davey, MA, LMFT
The holidays are a wonderful time: family, friends, feelings of good will etc. However, these additions to your schedule also can create high levels of stress. Holiday movies are notorious for making gags out of the difficulties with family as it concentrates on our interactions with them. As we go through the holiday season, living with Bipolar...
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The Masks We Wear: Being Honest About Our Feelings
November 21, 2018
By: Conor Bezane
I feel a lot of pressure. Pressure to take my meds and stay on them. Pressure to be a good son, brother, and uncle. Pressure to be a man. Pressure to conform and lead a healthy, happy life. It’s tough, but I’ve learned to maintain composure and grace among the people in my life, i.e. the normies, people who are not bipolar or mentally ill.“Look,...
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Jealousy and Bipolar: Lies My Head Tells Me
October 1, 2018
By: Alexis Zinkerman
I was chatting with another bipolar friend this weekend on the phone and the topic of conversation turned to jealousy. And I started to wonder how many other bipolar people struggle with the green-eyed monster old envy. Is this a feeling that goes hand in hand with bipolar? There’s delusional jealousy and then there’s out and out paranoia. I...
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It Took a Village
August 28, 2018
By: Liz Wilson
Dear Supporter; You are the Mother who answered little Liz’s incessant questions when my curiosity exhausted everyone else. You listened to me and that made me feel important and validated. Gave me a thirst for knowledge that remains insatiable to this day. Thank you for giving me a foundation to launch from. You are the teacher at...
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Trauma and Bipolar Disorder
August 3, 2018
Anonymous
I’ve always told myself that I would never submit anything anonymously. I guess the vain part of me wanted the glory. It wasn’t until I considered telling this part of my story that I felt I couldn’t truly be me. That’s not to say that I’m ashamed of what I’ve been through. I’m trying hard to work past that feeling, and this is step one.I didn’t...
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The Aftermath of a Crisis
July 25, 2018
By: Lori Lane Murphy
Summer started with a bang for me the first of June.My husband and best friend had a stroke. He’s ok. No lasting physical damage, but there are certainly some psychological ones we are both trying to manage.If I’m honest, it’s mostly me that’s dealing with the psychological aftermath and he’s dealing with how my dealing is not being dealt with...
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By: Courtney Davey, MA, MFT
When you care for someone who lives with Bipolar Disorder, there can be a variety of questions around how to handle discussions that involve their symptoms or their behaviors. Wanting to be sensitive and not overstep is common, and sometimes it may be necessary to bring something up, regardless of that feeling. Here are a few suggestions on how to...
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A Hug and a Whisper
July 16, 2018
By: Laura Sanscartier
In the battle against Bipolar Disorder, one often feels alone. This is nothing new. The disease is such that we are left feeling powerless. No one will ever feel the way that we feel, will never know the highs and lows, will never know the agony of suicidal ideation when things get so bad it seems there is no other way out. I have felt this way...
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By: Tosha Maaks
I am what I consider a true manic these days. For me, I teeter more towards mania than depression more often than I use too. It is still a constant balancing act and I still have rough days where I have depression. However, it is not the suicidal depression that once accompanied my bipolar disorder and that is thanks to medication.At one point...
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You Say "Co-Morbid" Like It Is a Bad Thing
June 22, 2018
By: Carissa Martos
When multiple diagnoses exist in the same person, and impact each other, they are known as co-morbid conditions. My bipolar diagnosis came when I was 19, but I'd struggled with the cycles of manic function and depressed inability since puberty. My PTSD diagnosis wasn't made until I was in my 30s, and I’ve never been able to pin down whether...
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Talking with Friends about Triggers and Boundaries
June 15, 2018
By: Courtney Davey MA, MFT
Talking about Bipolar Disorder can sometimes be difficult to do with people that you care about. It can be exhausting to educate people that you care about on the way that you interact with your symptoms and the world when you experience them. It is not your job to teach every person in the world about Bipolar disorder, unless you want to be an...
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