Category: Bipolar Disorder

Getting Past Being Our Community Horror Story

On Presidents’ Day, a school holiday, I awoke to an unscheduled day. I needed something to do with my daughter Marilla, so I decided to take her to the park. (My other little girl, Avonlea, headed for her best friend’s house.) The weather was clear and sunny, but my...

World Bipolar Day- CALL TO ACTION

World Bipolar Day – an initiative of the Asian Network of Bipolar Disorder, the International Bipolar Foundation, and the International Society for Bipolar Disorders – will be celebrated each year on March 30th, the birthday of Vincent Van Gogh, who was...

Broad Minded People: Mental Illness in the Philippines

I was having an intellectual conversation with a credit card customer services representative located in the Philippines. I asked her how mental illness was perceived in the Philippines, particularly psychosis. I asked her if there was stigma associated with mental...

First Breakdown

I don’t remember all the details of that night or what inspired the events that were about to take place. I imagine my father and mother had gotten into some kind of tug of war match over me and it was the last straw that broke the camel’s back so to speak. I can...

Waiting For the Other Shoe to Drop

Ever since my bipolar depression lifted last year, I’ve felt I’ve been tumbling around in my dryer. Maybe that’s not the best analogy, but it has been a long, strange, emotional trip! I’ve been holding my breath both literally and figuratively. ...

Breaking the Window on Stigma

Before I knew that I have Bipolar Disorder, I barely knew what it was.  I thought I did, but now I realize I didn’t know much about it at all.  Since being diagnosed I’ve done a great deal of research and study on BPD for a book that I’m writing.  With...

Search for the Strength Deep within

Where is the strength? When did I lose myself in this madness? When I look in the mirror, I only saw sad empty eyes staring back at me. I didn’t recognize who I was anymore. I was afraid of being ME. It was only my reflection, but that’s all I saw, fragments of a...

About Me

About Me

Disclaimer: Any information provided in this blog is based on my own personal experiences and opinions. No information I provide should ever replace the opinions and advice of a professional. I am not a doctor, psychiatrist or affiliated with any Mental Health...

Loving Someone With Bipolar Disorder

Loving Someone With Bipolar Disorder

I’ll be the first to admit that loving someone with bipolar disorder is not easy. My husband will be the second person to tell you this. We’ve certainly had our share of major ups and downs, but we’ve managed to make it through the past eight and a half years of my...

Good-bye Medication, Hello Withdrawal

I have Bipolar II. Usually, I am well managed by a combination of medications and counseling. I do not usually battle extremes because usually my meds work. But not today.Today, electricity pulses just underneath my skin, racing from my fingertips to my toes and back...

Are You Shocked That I Got Shocked?

Are You Shocked That I Got Shocked?

The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard...

Ok, I’m Bipolar! Now What?

My girls were three and five the first time I was admitted to a psychiatric facility.  I had just crashed from my biggest manic episode and the fallout from my poor decisions had thrown me into a horrible depression.  The year prior to this, I had had a...

Feeling Honored

Three years ago when I started this blog, my intent was to help as many bipolar parents as I possibly could. I wanted to share my experiences and feelings in hopes that others may be able to use what I am going through to feel less alone and be able to cope just a...

World Bipolar Day History

World Bipolar Day (WBD) celebrated its inaugural year on March 30th, 2014 the birthday of Vincent Van Gogh, who was posthumously diagnosed as probably having bipolar disorder.  The vision of WBD is to bring world awareness to bipolar disorders and eliminate...

I am bipolar, I am blessed with it, and get-it-over-with-itis

First of all, before I take off with my diatribe, if you happen to have bipolar and you use the wording I’m about to discuss, please do not take offense. That is the very last thing I want to do in this blog. I merely wish to play devil’s...

Grief

When you lose someone in your life that is close to you, there’s a part of you that dies as well.  As I was entering my 20’s, I knew that there would come a day when my parents weren’t with me anymore.  It still didn’t seem real.  It felt like if I just...

Who Can Have Mental Illness?

Who Can Have Mental Illness?

Ever wonder if mental illness affects some groups of people more than others? Why do I have Bipolar Disorder, and my friends do not? Did I do something to cause it to happen? Was there something I could have done to avoid it? Maybe it’s totally the fault of...

EVERYBODY KNOWS ONE

EVERYBODY KNOWS ONE

 And sometimes it’s me!  Anyone who is around me when I’m in a mania knows that I’m loud, speak rapidly and make sure that everyone knows that I’m the expert on any subject that comes up.   My wife thinks that the resemblance is...

EVERYBODY KNOWS ONE

EVERYBODY KNOWS ONE

And sometimes it’s me! Anyone who is around me when I’m in a mania knows that I’m loud, speak rapidly and make sure that everyone knows that I’m the expert on any subject that comes up. My wife thinks that the resemblance is remarkable….      ...

Remembering Those In Mental Health Facilities

Remembering Those In Mental Health Facilities

I am going to touch upon a subject in which I might offend someone I know. I’m willing to take this chance, however, for if I influence anyone who may someday take action if given the chance, I will be thrilled. If someone you know is hospitalized in a...

Why Do I Fast?

When you hear or read the word fast (in relation to food), what immediately comes to mind? If you had mentioned the word fasting to me a couple of years ago, I would have instantly thought of one or more days without food and/or water. The word fasting...

Which Came First

We often hear people speak of the “chicken or the egg” theory.  Which came first?  The same can be asked of which comes first in people that are both overweight and depressed.  Which came first?  I know that I was overweight as a child.  Was I...

Refused Treatment

It’s very frustrating when you can’t get medical attention because of the medication you are on. Here… Let me explain.  Over the weekend I moved from my three bedroom house into a two bedroom apartment. There was a lot of sorting, packing, lifting,...

Six and a half year itch- Part One

On Wednesday, December 11 of 2013 I ended up somewhere I never thought I’d be again…in a psychiatric hospital unit room in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.  After having a manic episode.  It was also the exact same unit that I was in during my last manic...

Valentine, Heart Break Time

Doris was the prettiest woman among my friends. She was the kind of girl who always made people stop breathing when they first met her. She is the kind of girl who always gets the boy, be it the soccer team captain in Hong Kong or the football star in the states. She...

Happy New Year

Every New Year people become rather obsessed it seems with making new years resolutions. Many seem to think it is natural to suddenly make long and unobtainable lists of the things they ‘should’ or ‘must’ be doing. ‘I should be slim’ is followed by hopeless looks...

Bipolar Too

                 Middle of the Road Rapid Cycling War & PeaceMy name is Roger and I suffer from Bipolar Disorder 2. This blog almost did not get written. I informed Ashley at the International...

Birth of a New Brain: Healing from Postpartum Bipolar

After being a fan of the International Bipolar Foundation blogging community, it is an honor to share my perspectives about living with bipolar disorder with you. I wish to help you feel less alone in living with this mood disorder, and to emulate the I.B.F.’s mission...

Child Free

As far back as I can remember, we have always been fed the same philosophy about life.  You grow up, go to college, meet the man (or woman) of your dreams, get married, move into a big house with a white picket fence, and have a whole gaggle of kids.  That’s...

I Gotta Feeling

Every time I hear “I Gotta Feeling” by Black Eyed Peas ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSD4vsh1zDA ) I am instantly energized.  It brings me back to the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver which I was fortunate to go to.  I went to some events and heard this song...

An audience with Kay Redfield Jamison

Last week I attended a talk at the Wellcome Collection. For non-Londoners, the Collection houses the phenomenal range of medical objects gathered from around the world by Sir Henry Wellcome in the late 19th and early 20th century. It also plays host to relevant events...

Splitting the Holidays

Splitting the Holidays

When you go through a divorce it is inevitable that you will split everything.  That includes time with your children if you have them.  Every other weekend isn’t that bad.  It was in the beginning.  Believe me, it took a while for me to get used...

Bittersweet Holiday Treats: How Sugar affects your Mood

Bittersweet Holiday Treats: How Sugar affects your Mood

I don’t know about you, but this time of year is always tough for me. I am sure many of you can relate to a seasonal pattern for highs and lows – bright, sunny, energetic spring and summer almost always brings about the same in me, and so why wouldn’t dull,...

What Do You Have to Say?

As a writing teacher, I often get the question, “What should I write about?” My response is always, “Write about having nothing to write about.” Believe it or not, most of the time, these students end up with something they actually wanted to say and just...

When We Get Bad News: Seeking the Opportunity — Slaying the Tragedy

Having Bipolar Disorder is hard enough. From day to day, from moment to moment, we are always adjusting, monitoring. Am I getting manic? Is this depression creeping in? Should I talk to my doctor about a medication change? We are constantly trying to find that perfect...

Dear Dr Third Eye aka Dr I don’t want your drama!

Dear Dr Third Eye aka Dr I don’t want your drama!

Dear Dr Third Eye aka Dr I don’t want your drama!Albert Einstein once remarked that ‘insanity was doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results’. I have often thought of the aptness of this quote, as I perpetually visited psychiatrists. The...

Can Bipolar be Eliminated?

I often have wondered to myself about the possibility of Bipolar Disorder being eliminated, cured, completely dealt with and stricken from the record. After living with the illness for most of my 41 years I have little faith this will happen in my lifetime, but it...

What’s it like to be a rapid cycler?

What’s it like to be a rapid cycler?

I will attempt to try to describe it the best way I can. When I am cycling and in a low mood, I become angry as it appears to arrive out of nowhere. One moment I am feeling fine, then boom without any warning it rears its ugly head. I imagine it as a super villain who...

Please welcome our new blogger, Christine!

Please welcome our new blogger, Christine!

Christine resides in Houston, Texas where she was born and raised. She is employed full time as a Senior Human Resource representative and has worked at the same company for 13 years. She was an accountant for most of her career, but decided she needed a change of...

One Step Forward; Two Steps Back

One Step Forward; Two Steps Back

This year has been particularly difficult for me. When depression hit, it hit hard. When it rains, it pours ? as they say. Right as I thought I was pulling myself through, I hit rock bottom. With sinus infections and chronic migraines all year, it’s no wonder...

My Journey

It has taken me a long time to get where I am. It has been 34 years if you take into account my whole life, 18 if you start from my first venture into the world of psychiatry. More than half my life, just to be here. But here is a great place and was worth the...

Suicide Awareness Day

Suicide Awareness Day

DISCLOSURESTOP and read the following clearly. This article may be troubling to somebody thinking about suicide. This article is about personal and factual experiences regarding suicide. Please do not read if you are in a dark place and feeling suicidal. Suicide...

Can I Advocate from the Shadows or Is That Hypocrisy?

Can I Advocate from the Shadows or Is That Hypocrisy?

As some of you may know, my 21 year old bipolar son was incarcerated last March during a manic episode where he did something that was, in his words “very stupid.” He was in the midst of denying his illness and he was running with the wrong crowd, and self-medicating...

Sometimes it seems like I am the only one fighting for my child

Sometimes it seems like I am the only one fighting for my child

My daughter is 11 yrs old. We’ll call her Bug. Bug was diagnosed bipolar when she was 7. It has been a long, difficult road of ups and downs since then. We went through three schools before anyone would listen to me enough to give her an I.E.P. Finally at the end of...

NORMAL—A look at Darren Stein’s Art Work

This week I wanted to highlight an artist who both creates art and has been diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder. While searching the Internet I came across Darren Stein, an Australian artist and poet. Although Stein was previously diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress...

The Give and the Take – Mental Health Group Support

Recently, I went to my first mental health support group meeting. I must admit I was nervous. What would people talk about? What would people think of me? Would I have to talk? If so, what would I say? Though I’ve never been afraid to speak my mind, this was...

What is Medicare?

This is one of the hardest blog topics thus far. This topic of Medicare is so complicated and this topic could go on forever. I have summarized the information that I feel will help others understand the in’s and out’s of Medicare, which is very difficult for those in...

Remission – Is it a Good Thing?

Remission – Is it a Good Thing?

I think one of the less talked about aspects of Bipolar Disorder is what happens when one is stable. I mean we hear lots about both the depression side and the mania/hypomania side. But ,what about life as a stable person? Some call it remission. No depression and no...

Racing, Obsessive & Grandiose Thoughts

I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder eleven years ago. Over the years, I have become familiar with my symptoms and I’m actually good at recognizing them for what they are (which is a good thing) and addressing them. One of the main issues I have always had are my...

Story Tradition

What is it about stories of past episodes in our life. We all love to tell them. The amazing thing is we retell and retell the same stories to our family and friends as if they constituted a fresh audience every time.My in-laws are well into their seventies and,...

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