Category: Treatment

Maslow’s (Bipolar Disorder) Hierarchy of Needs

Maslow’s (Bipolar Disorder) Hierarchy of Needs

Author: Brooke Rowland   Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs provides helpful structural guidance for the multi-faceted approach to treating Bipolar Disorder. Articulated in 1943, his theory stated that our needs can be visualized as a pyramid and that the needs at the...

DBT and My Experience

DBT and My Experience

Author: Subrina Singh   DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy)  founded by psychologist, Dr. Marsha Linehan of Stony Brook University, has recently gained a lot of popularity. It was Selena Gomez actually who brought light to DBT, discussing how greatly it had...

Lithium and Dialysis, Part VI

Lithium and Dialysis, Part VI

Author: Natalia A. Beiser I have been on dialysis since July 2021 and continue to take Lithium, which in some patients causes decreased kidney function. However, I continue to be prescribed Lithium because it is the only proven medicine to curb my personal experience...

Endurance

Endurance

Author: Catalina Bellizzi-Itiola Sometimes I look back at the timeline of my life’s volatile mood fluctuations, and it makes me worry about what on earth my future will look like. Will I hold a job? Will I have a child? Will I be able to survive more episodes? Even...

How to Ensure You Never Run out of Meds Again

How to Ensure You Never Run out of Meds Again

Author: Cassandra Stout Running out of meds is the worst. If you’re regularly taking medication and you run out of pills and stop suddenly, this is terrible for your body and your mind. If you’re bipolar, you may end up tripping into a mood episode that...

I Can Help Myself (You Can Too)

I Can Help Myself (You Can Too)

Author: Neil McCarthy   Life experiences, including a regular meditation practice, have shown me that all life predicaments and mental states will pass in time.  But more than just meditation has seen me through tough times; music has served as a constant,...

The Road to Healing

The Road to Healing

Author: Ambika Paul The road to healing has been like walking on a tightrope with no flashlight or map; and I don’t know if there’s an actual finish point. From my experiences with Bipolar disorder, I’ve learnt to not suffocate myself with expectations of what...

How I (Mis)managed my Bipolar Disorder During my Pregnancies

How I (Mis)managed my Bipolar Disorder During my Pregnancies

Author: Cassandra Stout Trigger Warning: This post contains a discussions of suicide. If you or someone you know is at risk of suicide, please: Call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 Text TALK to 741741 Or go to...

Finding Therapy That Fits Me

Finding Therapy That Fits Me

Author: Natalia A. Besier Therapy has benefitted my mental wellness journey by teaching me to reclaim my mental health “toolbox” by rethinking and restructuring my negative thoughts.  I find that I benefit most from cognitive behavioral therapy and this focus causes...

Hope with an Accurate Diagnosis

Hope with an Accurate Diagnosis

Author: Ellie Chiorino In this article, to celebrate World Bipolar Day, my deepest hope is to make you feel less alone if you were ever misdiagnosed and/or have encountered an incapable psychiatric provider along the way. I see you. I hear you. Your experience is...

What I Wish People Knew About Bipolar Disorder

What I Wish People Knew About Bipolar Disorder

Author: Sarah Ross   Bipolar Disorder is a complex mental illness, and it often gets categorized into solely consisting of sudden mood changes. But it’s not as black and white as that. Although we do experience mood changes, our days don’t involve our emotions...

Bipolar Disorder is My Superpower

Bipolar Disorder is My Superpower

Author: Dayna J.   In celebration of World Bipolar Day on March 30, I want people to know that I do not see this mental illness as a disability — it is my superpower!   So many see a bipolar disorder diagnosis as a frightening and negative experience that...

Lithium and Dialysis, Part V

Lithium and Dialysis, Part V

Author: Natalia A. Beiser Disclaimer: The experiences expressed herein are those of this writer. I appreciate the feedback that has been given to my other blogs on this topic, and I am writing now to address some of the questions and comments that were brought up but...

Trial and Error

Trial and Error

Author: Valéry Brosseau It took me years to learn that asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness. I refused to be a burden on people or a drain on resources. I’ve now learned to fight this way of thinking and remember that I deserve support and I can reach...

Chasing Mental Wellness During Winter

Chasing Mental Wellness During Winter

Author: Claire Gault For many people with bipolar around the world (and even those without), winter can bring shifts in moods. As someone who lives in Michigan, I definitely notice a change in my energy levels when the winter months arrive. I take special care to...

My Experiences with Mixed Mood States and How I Handle Them

My Experiences with Mixed Mood States and How I Handle Them

Author: Cassandra Stout If you have bipolar disorder, it’s likely you’ve experienced some symptoms of mania while you’ve suffered depression, or vice versa, and believe me: it’s miserable.   This awful set of feelings is colloquially...

Recovery from Mental Hell – Through Connection, Hope, and Medicine

Recovery from Mental Hell – Through Connection, Hope, and Medicine

Author: Gregg F. Martin, PhD, US Army (Retired)   My oldest son Phillip insists that a major difference between my own case of bipolar disorder and many millions of others’ cases is that I was fortunate enough to recover. Indeed, I was alive and recovered with my...

The New Improved Me

The New Improved Me

Author: Natalia A. Beiser Note: This article includes Natalia’s experiences of having taken antipsychotic medication, but individual experiences may differ and have different issues. If you have any questions about medications or treatment plans, please reach out to...

Researching the Numbers Behind My Lithium Experience

Researching the Numbers Behind My Lithium Experience

Author: Natalia A. Beiser Note: This article includes Natalia’s experiences of having taken Lithium Carbonate and undergoing dialysis, corroborated by online research found in the sources linked below.  Not everyone taking Lithium Carbonate, nor partaking in...

Lithium and Dialysis, Part IV

Lithium and Dialysis, Part IV

Author: Natalia Beiser Note: These are my experiences of having taken Lithium Carbonate and undergoing dialysis.  Not everyone taking Lithium Carbonate, nor partaking in dialysis will run into these issues.   I have Diabetes Insipitus (DI), which some people...

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