Category: Bipolar Disorder

My Experience in a Sober Living Home

My Experience in a Sober Living Home

Author: Mallory Beckwith, LPC   Sober living was a transition period for me. I was there for a total of nine months. I was staying sober from drugs and alcohol, going to IOP, and yet I still had not been formally diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Sobriety was the...

Bipolar Disorder and My Chronic Job Hopping

Bipolar Disorder and My Chronic Job Hopping

Author: Claire Gault   With an oft-labeled useless bachelors in English Literature, panic set in after college. I spent cumulative days on Indeed, scrolling through postings for receptionists and call center operators and teachers—I was overqualified for much of...

You’d Be Surprised at What You Can Accomplish

You’d Be Surprised at What You Can Accomplish

Author: Charles Kelly   Life with bipolar disorder has been filled with highs and lows, and even when I’d managed my symptoms, I found myself facing a deeper struggle—a lingering distrust of the stable version of myself. The manic episodes had cast shadows,...

Songs I’ve Gravitated Toward While Living With Bipolar

Songs I’ve Gravitated Toward While Living With Bipolar

Author: Matthew Palmieri In managing bipolar, I’ve learned that music is a crucial part of my ongoing recovery. When I discover new music, it gives me hope for the future, helping me avoid rumination from memories past. There are, however, songs that I can go back to...

Remember the Invisible Wounds of War

Remember the Invisible Wounds of War

Author: Gregg F. Martin, PhD   Ten years ago, I received a call on a Friday afternoon from my 4-star boss’s aide. He said, “The Chairman [of the Joint Chiefs of Staff] wants to see you on Monday morning at 1000 hours in his office at the Pentagon. I was a 58-year...

Dealing with Hypomania Through Metaphors

Dealing with Hypomania Through Metaphors

Author: Thiago Genaro   I like to use metaphors with my patients. I think it helps translate some of the raw technical medical knowledge and helps draw parallels. I love it when my ophthalmologist explains the prescription of my glasses to me through comparisons...

How I Cope with My Dark Thoughts

How I Cope with My Dark Thoughts

Author: Ivory Smith Causey   On a clear midnight sky there are stars twinkling and the moon shines bright in the vast expanse. It is dark but not black. However, in a severe depressive episode, unlike the midnight sky, there are no stars or no moon. There is only...

My Pros and Cons of Group Therapy

My Pros and Cons of Group Therapy

Author: Lisa Rabey   At the suggestion of my current therapist, I decided to try group therapy. His suggestion was based that while I saw him once a month for check-ins, a regular meeting with my peers could be helpful if I was not in crisis. His reasoning is by...

What I Turn to in Times of Need

What I Turn to in Times of Need

Author: Shirley A. Solanka The ancient words of consolation and reassurance echo, whether from Sunday school or portrayals of graveside services on TV: “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.” These words are from the Twenty-Third Psalm, the most well-known of a...

Finding Online Community and Support for Bipolar Disorder

Finding Online Community and Support for Bipolar Disorder

Author: Matthew Palmieri Living with bipolar can feel isolating, especially during severe depressive episodes.  Connecting with others during these periods, particularly online, has been a game-changer.  Understanding I’m not alone, while having a safe space to...

Addressing Bipolar Disorder Together

Addressing Bipolar Disorder Together

Author: Lexie Manion   A couple months ago, my entire life changed. I left my life as I knew it behind and started my new chapter pursuing my Master’s in Art Therapy. This career path has been my dream since I was a teenager.  In my early eating disorder and...

Mental Illness Awareness Week

Mental Illness Awareness Week

Mental Illness Awareness Week Millions of people worldwide are affected by mental illness, impacting not only those who experience them but also their families, friends, and coworkers. During the first week of October, Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW) emphasizes...

Raising a Family While Living With Bipolar Disorder

Raising a Family While Living With Bipolar Disorder

Author: Melissa Howard   Raising children is accompanied by an abundance of emotions. Anywhere from excitement, love and joy, to the less talked about, sadness, exhaustion and loneliness. Parenting does not come without its challenges. From conception or...

Falling – And Getting Back Up

Falling – And Getting Back Up

Author: Mihlali Mqushulu   The infamous slump. I for sure know it and cross paths with it at least twice a year. One may call it a burn out or end year fatigue. It is mostly referred to as a sort of depressive episode. And these vary with different people. It’s...

Self-Esteem & Bipolar

Self-Esteem & Bipolar

Author: Matthew Palmieri   Depending on my mood state, my sense of self worth can change drastically. While manic, I feel a larger than life sense of purpose. It often feels justified after extended depressive episodes because it feels like my brain needs to...

Gaining Hope From Faith

Gaining Hope From Faith

Author: Shirley A. Solanka   The three of us – my husband, my son, and I – were on a summer vacation, when one morning, while walking past the front yards of Ithaca, N.Y. wild with milkweed and purple coneflower, toward one of that city’s famous gorges, I saw a...

International Travel & Bipolar Disorder

International Travel & Bipolar Disorder

Author: Melissa Howard For people who live with bipolar disorder (bd), travelling internationally or across time zones, poses specific health risks that otherwise, do not affect individuals who do not live with a mental illness. Travelling can be stressful for...

Life After My Hospitalization

Life After My Hospitalization

Author: Charles Kelly   After being discharged from the hospital, I often felt lost and disconnected from the outside world. Conversations with others felt awkward and disjointed, leaving me confused about what had happened. Hitting rock bottom after a dramatic...

Channeling My Bipolar Symptoms

Channeling My Bipolar Symptoms

Author: Matthew Palmieri   Accepting a Bipolar diagnosis can take many years. Some may never come to terms with the illness, living in denial while it wreaks havoc on everything held dear. I know that was me for about 9 years after I was diagnosed.I wouldn’t even...

Pet Therapy and Emotional Support Animals for Bipolar Disorder

Pet Therapy and Emotional Support Animals for Bipolar Disorder

Author: Sam Bowman   Pet therapy can meaningfully improve your quality of life if you live with bipolar disorder and have a love for animals. This sentiment is echoed by research published in News in Health, which found that people who spend time with pets and...

Bipolar Disorder & Telemedicine: A Psychiatrist’s View

Bipolar Disorder & Telemedicine: A Psychiatrist’s View

Author: Thiago Lopes Genaro   Brazil is a giant country. It is the fifth largest country in the world, behind Russia, Canada, China and the United States. The Amazon region is immense. There are municipalities in the Amazon that are 7 days away by boat from the...

How Yoga Has Helped Me Manage Bipolar Disorder

How Yoga Has Helped Me Manage Bipolar Disorder

Author: Ros   Growing up I was never into exercise. I was that kid that didn’t do well in gym class and did everything to not have to run. So you can imagine my dismay, when fast forward to varsity, my therapist told me I should exercise more. My therapist didn’t...

Making Therapy Our Own: How I Get the Most Out of it

Making Therapy Our Own: How I Get the Most Out of it

Author: Lexie Manion   Therapy has been a part of my everyday life since I was a teenager seeking help for my eating disorder and self-harm for the first time. When I first began this healing process, I was ambivalent and distrustful. The first therapist I saw...

You Can Chase Your Dreams with Bipolar Disorder: My Story

You Can Chase Your Dreams with Bipolar Disorder: My Story

Author: Birdie Thorn   When we are young, we want to be things like doctors, astronauts, and firemen. We picture the day when we will become an adult and live out those dreams. When we are young, we can’t grasp the amount of work, time, and sacrifice that will go...

The Link Between My Childhood Trauma and Bipolar Disorder

The Link Between My Childhood Trauma and Bipolar Disorder

Author: Melissa Howard There is not a definitive conclusion that childhood trauma (CT) may be responsible for the onset of bipolar disorder (BD), however, there have been multiple case studies that have shown that childhood adversity can trigger and impact the...

10 Things to Know About Inpatient Psych Treatment

10 Things to Know About Inpatient Psych Treatment

Author: Subrina Singh   Majority of people living with bipolar disorder would agree that one of the most daunting experiences is inpatient treatment. For many psych patients, including myself, inpatient treatment is viewed as a punishment or failure. While...

How Bipolar Has Impacted My Worldview

How Bipolar Has Impacted My Worldview

Author: Matthew Palmieri   When symptomatic, bipolar illness can be all consuming. During manic episodes, I have overwhelming feelings of euphoria, grandiosity and extreme irritability. When I’m depressed, it feels like my life is over and I’ll never get out of...

How Unbalanced Hormones Worsened My Bipolar Symptoms

How Unbalanced Hormones Worsened My Bipolar Symptoms

Author: Melissa Howard I was fourteen when an ovarian tumour was discovered on my left ovary. I had been menstruating for just over a year when the diagnosis was made. The large tumor was removed along with the majority of the small organ. A minimal amount of...

Why Therapy is Integral for Me

Why Therapy is Integral for Me

Author: Matthew Palmieri   There was a time when I believed therapy was simply a means to an end. If I spoke with someone about my problems, I was there for solutions to eventually conclude the sessions. My views have changed over the years. Therapy is now an...

Self-Care vs. Self-Love

Self-Care vs. Self-Love

Author: Subrina Singh   Two phrases you see everywhere: self-care and self-love. But what do they actually mean? What is their relationship with mental health and mental illness, more specifically with bipolar disorder? I often ask myself, which of the two is...

A Light Upon Allies: The Importance of Safe Spaces

A Light Upon Allies: The Importance of Safe Spaces

Author: Lexie Manion   In my late twenties, I have grown to be very fond of carving out safe spaces of community; safe spaces are an important part of my identity. The people who support me mirror my brave heart and vast authenticity. Feeling wholly supported...

Work, School, and Stress – With Bipolar Disorder

Work, School, and Stress – With Bipolar Disorder

Author: Matthew Palmieri     As someone suffering from a severe mood disorder, one of the hardest things to come to grips with is how stress with work and school impacts my ability to function on a day-to-day basis. While I have had extended periods of...

Maternal Mental Health Month

Maternal Mental Health Month

Maternal Mental Health Month Maternal Mental Health Month is celebrated each May to raise awareness about parents’ mental well-being before, during, and after pregnancy. Celebrating this month can mean acknowledging the importance of monitoring maternal mental...

Creativity as My Outlet

Creativity as My Outlet

Author: Sara Trejo   Creativity has always been an impactful outlet for me. For a long time, I’d struggle expressing myself, I’d doubt my creative abilities, or question whether I would even consider myself creative at all. It wasn’t until I eventually asked...

The Impact of Bipolar on Relationships

The Impact of Bipolar on Relationships

Author: Matthew Palmieri   It’s no secret that if left untreated, bipolar illness can have a devastating impact on relationships. So when symptoms take over, it’s crucial to start looking at the triggers that lead to a change in thinking and behavior. A few...

Therapy Saved and Changed My Life

Therapy Saved and Changed My Life

Author: Lee Formella   After being diagnosed with bipolar disorder, there were many emotions that ran through me immediately, and for a long time thereafter. Among these feelings were two that were hard to overcome; confusion and defeat. I was confused about what...

My Experience with Mania

My Experience with Mania

Author: Ricardo Pavão   My first manic episode was about 4 years ago, and now I understand that before that I also had long periods of depression. I can say that experiencing mania was a really tough time. I was hospitalized 4 times, basically once every year,...

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