In the past week I had an in-depth conversation about bipolar disorder with a friend of mine who knows very little about it. I appreciated her honesty and being open to learn about something that has been a big part of my life. One question that she asked me really...
All I have is a doctor or two, some friends, a bottle of pills, and a big mouth. These all serve as strategies to cope when I’m feeling especially hypomanic or depressed. I’m not the most strategic person in the world, but these few little “mental illness...
What Tools Do You Consistently Use to Effectively Manage Your Bipolar Disorder? The intention of this post is to get people sharing what works for them. And for those who are not as far along in their path to mental stability and wellness, it can serve as...
Last month, I wrote about my drop in center, Rebel’s Drop In, which offers peer mentoring, art classes, outings, and other activities. What would it take to start one? What is peer mentoring?A peer is someone who has personal experience living with mental...
This is the second article in a 3-part series. The author recommends reading the first article before reading this one.A good detective uses a variety of methods to solve cases: paying attention, asking questions, making connections. Those of us with bipolar disorder...
There is a saying, that we are as unique as snowflakes, that no one is the same, by just being human. I knew there was something happening in my mind but all of a sudden, I was grouped together with a bunch of especially unique snowflakes that were sort of like...
I’m not sure where I learned this string of 5 words but it has been a mighty big help in my life! For example: Today I was working on my Facebook page and for promotional purposes I wanted to view the people who had “liked” my page. I...
The purpose of this tool is to be reminded of good things that people have said about us. When I’ve felt low in the past and taken a look through this file, it has helped to improve my mood. This tool consists of both a physical file folder and a...
One of the reasons I am glad that I moved to Florida is that it led me to a peer run drop in center near my house called Rebels Drop In. In my small county, Broward, between Palm Beach and Miami-Dade, we have 5 of these centers. Peer run drop in centers average 5 per...
Are you worried? Thinking about a loved one or trouble at work? Worried about something you are in charge of or a relationship problem? Have you ever considered “rescheduling” your worry? Can you give yourself 5 minutes to worry about it today then...
I recently joined a bipolar support group. My doctor and therapist have been encouraging me for months to join the group. They believed it would help me “normalize” some of my feelings by being around others who might have the same experiences. I put...
This is the first part in a 3 part series. We recommend reading them together.Part 2: Understanding Triggers and Vulnerabilities in Bipolar DisorderPart 3: Management Strategies for Successful Relapse PreventionI recently watched a documentary called...
Yoga is more than what you want your body to look like. What do you want your life to look like? The core philosophy of Yoga – not just seeking fulfillment in the material world while still living in it – offers a structure of restrictions and...
I didn’t realize it, but I have been on a quest for the past 20 years. At first, it felt like I was just trying to figure myself out. I wasn’t happy with my life as it was laid out for me. So like many people in their late teens and early twenties, I bounced...
I just finished filling out a WRAP plan with the help of my therapist. WRAP stands for Wellness Recovery Action Plan. The plan can be found at mentalhealthrecovery.com and is free to print out. This isn’t the first time I’ve filled out the plan. Years ago while I...
My daughter was having challenges with her boss. Despite her best efforts all she got was verbal and non-verbal criticism. “I don’t like that…you need to do it my way…you’re not good enough.” Although she is naturally a positive person, every time her boss came...
I sat in a chair at a psychiatrist’s office and am asked questions that provoke me to describe both my depressive and hypomanic states. It was painful yet enlightening. When I am depressed I am stupid, lazy and useless. When I am depressed I am weak,...
It’s January and this is the month that we hear all about health. We start seeing more health and diet topics in magazines and healthy food goes on sale more. I don’t mean to sound like Mrs. Goody-Goody, but I love all this. That’s because I used to...
Much has been written and said about a potential link between the hypomanias of Bipolar Disorder and creativity. Last month’s Webinar, Igniting The Creative Fire: The Neurobiology Of Creativity In Bipolar Disorder With Dr. Mohammad Alsuwaidan, explored the link...
When I got my dog, Lena, just over two years ago, I didn’t yet know I had bipolar disorder. I had been diagnosed with major depression by my college’s health services and given only an anti-depressant to take. I had been high as a kite all summer – my apartment was...
At this time of year people are already starting to think of New Year’s resolutions. Have you? Think about the title question. What one thing can consistently do to make the biggest change in your mindset? It could be many things. Some examples...
What is EFT? It is a type of therapy used for physical and emotional pain. It utilizes acupressure from the east along with the “power of thoughts” from the west and creates a usable technique that can be used quickly and effectively. EFT helps us get from...
Long before I was diagnosed with postpartum bipolar one disorder, I led an active life. After college graduation, I became an American Council on Exercise certified personal trainer and I worked in a family-owned gym My duties included greeting members and...
I own a psychiatric service dog. He’s similar to a dog that would assist a blind person, but he’s trained differently. He’s not a therapy or emotional assistance dog, he’s a certified service dog and is allowed anywhere that a dog for the blind would be allowed to...
I am fortunate to be mentally stable and manage my bipolar disorder well. That being said I sometimes have a tendency to not always have a positive mindset throughout my day. At times negative things that people say or do bother me and I’m not able to let...
Since I was diagnosed bipolar I’ve found myself in a constant cycle. I remain compliant with medications and avoid substances and I enjoy euphoria and life for that matter. However, the second I deviate from my prospective recovery regimen everything goes awry and I’m...
Resilience is defined as the ability to become strong, healthy, or successful again after something bad happens or the ability of something to return to its original shape after it has been pulled, stretched, pressed, bent, etc. If you want a real-world example of...
I’ve been wanting to write about this topic for a while, but I kept putting it off. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to do it, but more and more I found myself easily distracted. (Thank you social media! I’m blaming you!) 😉 I realized that the...
Do you have a hobby? I don’t know if you do, but if you don’t, then you might want to think about getting one. When I first told a good friend of mine that I have bipolar disorder, she recommended that I find a good hobby. She was right! I’ll...
A little backstory: I was diagnosed with bipolar type II disorder in January and started taking medication then. I am still on the original medication I started with, because it seems to work well for me, and have since added a second medication to the mix to help...
Talk therapy is a big part of my treatment plan. I cant go without it. I know medication is a necessity for me, but I need my therapist. I need cognitive behavioral techniques, and I need coping skills. Its a struggle for me to simply...
‘Sometimes I just want to crawl under a rock. It seems as if that is the safest place; the hardness of the rock will protect me from what I don’t want to face and I don’t need to exert energy into doing anything anyone asks of me. I can escape to the darkness this...
I read a study once that stated the incidence of obsessive-compulsive disorder was 10-fold greater in bipolar patients than the general population (see more at: http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/bipolar-disorder/anxious-bipolar-patient#sthash.RRY1nBjh.dpuf). This made...
Even before I knew I had bipolar disorder, I have always loved art. I used to spend my afternoons in high school (I was unschooled) wandering around the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh, where I grew up. Since moving to Saint Louis for college, I have spent many...
As a counselor with a background in vocational rehabilitation, Im a big believer in meaningful work for people with mental health disabilities the research shows its an effective path toward recovery, and Ive seen this firsthand over and over. In my last post, I...
I woke up on Thursday, September 4th and the torture struck instantly. My head filled up like a water balloon, except it wasn’t water I was filled with, it was disturbing, bizarre, negative and pesky thoughts. I recognized immediately from waking up I was...
Although I was officially diagnosed in March 2009 with Bipolar I disorder and began treatment, I am confident in saying that my bipolar episodes started well before that time. If I could guess somewhat accurately, I would say it all started somewhere around the...
For a number of years I worked in the financial industry and HAD to closely follow the news to be well-informed. Near the end of that time I started taking various self-improvement courses and started having different sessions with various non-traditional...
I’ve turned to writing during many times of bipolar depression. I know that many of you are writers too. We write in blogs and in our journals. We email, take notes for classes, and once in a while, we even handwrite letters the old-fashioned...
I was diagnosed with Bipolar Type II disorder on January 28, 2014 and I want to write my first blog post in this space about some of the things I wish I had known then. Here is what I wish someone would have sat down and told me on that Tuesday morning: It...
Its been over eight years since I was first diagnosed with mental illness. I have bipolar disorder type 1 and have been blogging about living with my condition for three years now. As a mental health advocate, people who are in the exact same place I was years ago...
A childhood friend from my old L.A. neighborhood passed away in July, the same way that my sister, D’Arcy, died: by a drug-overdose. Both my sister and Susie experienced untreated bipolar disorder-related addiction. Susie’s affluent, educated Hollywood friends did not...
During my recovery from bipolar illness my therapist suggested that I increase my physical and spiritual health. He said I should establish routines that could make daily prayer and exercise something I could look forward to (are you kidding me?) After many...
I hate myself right now. I hate myself every time I’m depressed. I just started a new medication after gaining 9 pounds in a month on the previous med I tried, so I’m depressed about that on top of having general depression. Since I’m starting over...
Every time someone suggests I read an article on having Bipolar, I discover that articles written or paraphrased by normal people always find a way to quip on how people with mental illness should adopt more normal activities in order to enjoy life. It is appalling...
Therapists are useful in helping a consumer understand how one is feeling and thinking, this is also known as talk therapy. Many issues are discussed and it has been proven useful to help with stability and managing symptoms. But what do you do when you’re struggling...
