Author: Charles Kelly For most of my life in high school and college, I made friends with my undiagnosed bipolar disorder in the driver’s seat. Therefore, when I got my diagnosis, I couldn’t be the fun, energetic, and laughable person I once was....
Author: Jamie Hopkins It is often said that reaching out for help is one of the hardest things to do. But what if it wasn’t? There’s no doubt that it takes an incredible amount of strength, courage, and vulnerability to put so much trust in...
Author: Charles Kelly I sometimes found myself frustrated at work, looking for temporary escapes from the modern madness of life. I tried stress balls and taking walks on my lunch break, although these had minimal effects on me. I remember reading something...
Author: Charles Kelly Before my manic episode, I was completely unaware of how I came off to others. My ego controlled every part of my life. If something did not go my way, I would defend my position, even when I knew I was wrong. Classmates, coworkers, and...
Author: Che’ Lang When I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, I thought it was safe to assume there were only two sides of this medical condition that I would have to manage; mania and depression. Hypomania was also commonly depicted by my psychiatrist,...
Author: Jamie Hopkins Change is inevitable. Whether it be starting a new job, moving to a new city, joining a new sports team, or developing a new support system, the uncomfortable is going to set in. For many people in their early 20s, all those uncomfortable...
Author: Mihali Mqushulu What does it mean to possess something that is partly unaccepted by a society? Holding with you, the one thing that induces cold glances from strangers and familiars. Are you an outcast, a non-contender? No. You probably just have a...
Dyane Harwood Dyane Harwood graduated with a degree in English and American Literature from the University of California at Santa Cruz. She has been a freelance writer for over two decades, and has profiled bestselling authors including Kay Redfield Jamison, SARK, and...
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: 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...
Freelance writer Cassandra Stout blogs at the award-winning Bipolar Parent, a comprehensive resource for parents with mental illnesses. Cassandra holds degrees from the University of Arizona in Creative Writing and Journalism. A U.S. resident, she has been a judge for...
Lauren Yang is a doctoral student studying clinical psychology in New York, NY. Born and raised in California, Lauren began her mental health journey at the end of her senior year in college when she experienced her first hypomanic episode. Since then, it has been an...
Brandy Higgins, RN, BSN is the writer of Live Mentally Well – Better Living Thru Mental Wellness. Lifelong mental health survivor and former mental health nurse. Live Mentally Well is impacting our community and the world by empowering, encouraging, and...
In 1995, Allan was teaching English in Japan enveloped by a culture he adored and well on his way to achieving his dream of being a completely fluent Japanese speaker. His carefully laid out plans were derailed at the tail end of the year when he experienced his first...
Hi, my name is Sydney Batt. I am from the Sacramento, California area and I have bipolar II disorder. I was just recently diagnosed at the age of 18, and since then I have been looking for creative outlets to connect with fellow people that also have bipolar disorder....
I am a Writer/Author/Blogger. I am a twice divorced single Mother raising Two beautiful young girls. We also have two lovable puppy dogs who are very spoiled. I am also a recovering drug addict (Meth & Cocaine) and I used to have a pretty bad drinking habit too...
Diane Dweller considers herself an optimistic survivor. This attitude has propelled her from hiding under her bed as a child to appearances on “CBS This Morning,” CNBC, NBC, FOX, and QVC shows. Dweller has been a successful Simon and Schuster author and a columnist...
As a hi-tech CEO for over 25 years I led the evolution of two companies (Spyglass Inc. and Kinaxis Inc.) from start up ventures to public companies worth billions in market valuation. These two innovative companies both had to be reinvented (multiple times) in order...
Emily McGuigan resides in the Philadelphia area and currently attends West Chester University as a Junior. She is currently working on her Bachelor of Fine Arts with minors in International Business and Psychology. Emily’s passion for the arts and lifelong struggles...
Conor Bezane is a music-meister and expert wordsmith who has written for MTV News, AOL and VICE. A champion of the dually diagnosed, Conor is a recovering bipolar alcoholic whose first book is titled The Bipolar Addict: Drinks, Drugs, Delirium, and Why Sober is the...
I have a Bachelor of Arts Degree and a Diploma in Education (Secondary). I have also completed a short course in children’s writing at Chisholm TAFE, and I am a qualified Workplace Trainer and Assessor. I am privileged to be a member of the Lazy River Writers. We are...
Danielle Workman is based out of Salt Lake City, Utah. She has been writing for almost twenty years now, with forays into poetry, fiction, fan-fiction, journalism and blogging. She has finally found a niche in creative non-fiction and that is where she found the love...
Serena Goldsmith is originally from the East Coast of the United States (New Jersey and Virginia), but moved to San Diego County with her family at the age of 13. Serena graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Occidental College in Los Angeles in 1994, with a...
Aubrey lives with rapid-cycling bipolar 2 disorder and anxiety. She is a passionate advocate for treating the patient first, diagnosis second and prefers an integrative health approach to manage her mental health. Read more about Aubrey’s journey with bipolar disorder...
By: Allison Strong I’m in a year-long Dialectical Behavioral Therapy program. Many people repeat the course. More than once! They say in their first year they felt more like passengers than patients because there’s so much material to cover. I agree. Now that we’re...
By special guest: Chris Worfolk of Worfolk Anxiety Management Embed Video: Special guest, Chris Worfolk from Worfolk Anxiety Management, shares 5 suggestions for overcoming mental health stigma and taking care of mental health. For more information and resources on...
I’m 30 years old, and I go by the name of Kryss. I was born in Texas and raised mostly by my grandmother, but other family members helped as well. I have a significant other and a daughter, and I feel like the world’s worst mother at times. I also have three cats that...
Alexis A Zinkerman is a writer, author, journalist, and advocate. She holds two Master’s degrees, one in Writing from DePaul. She is the author of Brooklyn’s Song, a novella about teen suicide and its consequences and healing. She is content creator at the...
Through pain comes the need to outlet into many other forms, but one that resided with me was through poetry. I’m Kiarra Hope Lynch, I’m 23, and I grew up in a small town called Maryborough in Queensland, Australia. My poetry journey began when I was first admitted to...
I am a freelance writer and editor who has bipolar disorder, type 2. My symptoms started showing up in my childhood and teen years, though I was not properly diagnosed and medicated until I was an adult. I blog weekly on Bipolar Me, and am an administrator for Mental...
Hi, my name is Emily. I am 26 years old, and I have bipolar type 1 with psychotic episodes.I knew something was wrong when I was 15. My cousin died and I answered the phone when my aunt called to tell us. She was 8 years old. I was just getting over mono, so that tied...
My name is Amorlina L. Ranosa, but people call me Amor. I am 34 years old and was born August 11, 1982 in Manila, Philippines. I am currently teaching in a private school here in the Philippines. My interests includes painting, making art projects, writing blogs,...
Nicole Fleming is a qualified accountant, but is presently a stay-at-home mum to her 2-year-old daughter, Georgie, and three Burmese cats. She lives in Brisbane, Australia.In recent years, she has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, initially as type II, but more...
Danielle Hark is a wellness writer, photographer, freelance photo editor and certified life coach whose mental health diagnoses include bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder. Her work has been featured in The Huffington Post, Psychology Today,...
Bipolar type II has been a part of my entire life. When I was a child, my father was hospitalized and given shock treatments, and my daughter now suffers from mood swings that are far worse than mine. I first sought professional help from our small-town...
Starting off with the basics, I’m a mother of three boys (mere words can’t describe them) ages 21, 15 and 12. They all have ADHD, and one has autism. I’ve also unofficially adopted one or two other people. Its a thing that just sort of happens.To...
Hi! My name is Virginia Gibb. I am 37 years old. I live with my loving husband, my husband’s elderly parents and our three beautiful children in Huntersville, North Carolina. I’m a stay at home Mom, as well as an independent designer for a custom jewelry company. When...
Taylor is a wife and mother of two special needs children. She is also a self-employed writer, editor, nature photographer, and social media manager. Diagnosed with Bipolar Type 1 in 2004, she strives to help others live the best life possible while managing the...
Laura Sanscartier is a professional singer, part-time librarian and mental health advocate. She is the wife of the most hilarious, loving man in the world. Her parents and siblings are rockstars, and she is lucky to share their DNA! When Laura isn’t singing or...
Hey, I’m Pippa, a new blogger for IBPF. I am currently 16 years old and am studying year 10 in Australia. I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder type 1 in late 2014, and it has been a very tough time for me and my family. But bipolar also has its highs, and I feel very...
Stephanie Renee Kauffman is a comedian, writer and artist based in Marysville, Ohio and Chicago, Illinois. She is a graduate of the Second City Acting and Improv Conservatory and the iO Training Center. Stephanie has also directed shows and coached improv teams...
My name is Sarah Carraher. I was born and raised in Iowa, and still live amongst all the corn fields with my husband and sweet puppy. I graduated college with a degree in exercise science and currently work in the fitness industry. I enjoy helping clients reach their...
Tom Roberts is a mental health speaker and writer living in Huntington Beach, CA. He is the author of Escape from Myself: A Manic-Depressive’s Journey to Nowhere. Tom tells his audiences about his experience living with a devastating mental illness. He was...
Tannika is 32 years old and a freelance interior designer living in Kolkata, India, with her husband and brother as her support system. Fighting bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety and PTSD since her mother died when she was 20, she now shares her story and her...
Zaeli Eliza is a visual artist and a writer from the Philippines. She is an only child and struggled growing up in a dysfunctional family. Her mother died by suicide when she was 16. Eliza was also diagnosed with, and is being treated for, bipolar disorder type I,...
My name is Laura Low. I am a single mom to two girls. I live in Shingle Springs, California with my daughters, our two dogs and cat. I also have a small farm where I raise chickens, goats and pigs. Growing up, I knew my thoughts were different from...
Jess Melancholia is blogger who resides in San Diego, California with her husband and cat. In May of 2014, she was diagnosed with Bipolar II Disorder. Since then, she has suffered from severe manic and depressive episodes. Nowadays, through medication and a strong...
The Rev. Aaron Maurice Saari is an Ordained Minister of Word and Sacrament through the United Church of Christ (UCC), currently serving a More Light Presbyterian Church (USA) congregation in his hometown of Yellow Springs, Ohio. Pastor Aaron has bipolar disorder and...
My name is Ros Limbo. I’m a writer, blogger, vegetarian and yogi. I wish to get accepted into Cambridge University’s Masters of Creative Writing programme in 2017. I was always a sensitive child. I took everything a little too personally, and cried more than was...
My name is Jodi Lee. I’m 31 years old, I grew up in Connecticut, but I live in Arizona with my husband and our dog. I have two adult step-kids and a granddaughter; I can’t have children of my own, but I love being a grandmother. I’m fortunate to have the love and...
