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A Letter to my Fellow College Students

Author: Claire Gault Receiving a bipolar diagnosis is difficult in any stage of life, but as a senior in college, I can testify to the challenges of balancing priorities between mental health and school. College culture often encourages unhealthy habits, and...

The State of Our Nation & How Racism, Division & Discrimination Have Affected Me

Author: Kim Barnett I have kept my personal opinions and thoughts, about the state of our nation, mostly to myself. I have been extremely open about my mental health struggles, but now that the state of our nation is having an impact on my mental health, it is no...

How Does Social Media Impact Bipolar Disorder?

Author: Stan Clark As physical distancing measures are continuously implemented, social media has become a crutch for many people. However, social media may also serve as a double-edged sword, especially for people with bipolar disorder(1). The Good: Making Meaningful...

Crystal Clear

Author: Melinda Goedeke Contingency plans rule my world because I see the glass as half empty. My kids used to sarcastically call me the beam of optimism because I was always preparing for the impending disaster. It's one of those special gifts I learned in childhood...

Everyone Suffers

Author: George Hofmann Last summer, with people crying out in the streets, I learned about the need to pause and listen to each other in the midst of uncertainty and upset. As we begin 2021, with Covid-19 shutdowns dragging on and polarizing political unrest, people...

Therapist by Day, Bipolar Caregiver by Night

Author: Cory Anderson As a therapist, I thought I would be well equipped to handle anything marriage threw my way, including my wife’s bipolar II diagnosis. Well, I was wrong. Even our journey of getting this diagnosis was long and fraught with potholes. I imagine a...

“Everything’s Not Lost”: Song Review

Author: Sophia Falco “Everything’s Not Lost”, this wonderfully optimistic song, by Coldplay came into my life when I discovered I needed it while in the midst of a challenging depression. These lyrics spoke to me because of their duality of the rawness and the pain...

A Warrior in Sheep’s Clothing

Author: Bryson Hays How far away I feel... From everything. From family and friends, from doctors and patients, from myself and I. Every day feels the same, I wake up, take my doses of medication to keep the demons at bay, and continue to live my life. But what if you...

Penpaling for Mental Health

Author: Claire Gault Those diagnosed with bipolar disorder can be more susceptible to loneliness, as our condition feels isolating from the world around us. With the government issuing restrictions on socializing, loneliness can be intensified more than ever before,...

Finding My Purpose

Author: Kim Barnett I was diagnosed with Bipolar I Disorder more than 17 years ago, in my early 20’s, and have suffered a lot of trauma from my various episodes. These traumatic episodes have inflicted damaging emotional and psychological scars. I’m learning now that...

A Letter to the Lonely

Author: Trevor Simonson Are you experiencing feelings of loneliness? Do you feel forgotten, like you are falling through the cracks? Are you missing somebody? This letter goes out to you. This is for those who live with bipolar disorder. This is for the caregivers....

Bipolar Disorder and Coping During COVID-19

Author: Stanley Clark The COVID-19 pandemic still causes fear and uncertainty worldwide. Although the lockdown measures may help slow the disease’s spread, it may also cause greater mental stress. People with bipolar disorder may have a more challenging time coping...

The Time is Now

Author: Sophia Falco When I was in the depths of depression I decided, I needed a higher power to lean on though I understood it was up to me to improve my mental health, and I am so grateful for my support system in my life. Furthermore, this year was a mark in time...

Gratitude

Author: Nikta Niazi Lately, more than any other time, I felt attacked by my obsessive thoughts and my critical inner voice. At nights, I can’t go to sleep. I spend hours reassessing the past, things I’ve done, decisions I’d made, all the memories I had with those who...

Showing Gratitude

Author: Alexis Crase Having a support system when you have a mental illness is essential, but leaning on others can often mean feeling burdensome, or worrying about burning others out. Practicing gratitude is a powerful way to help alleviate these feelings, as well as...

Are There Others?

Author: Melissa Anderson I've been stable for nearly a year. There was a time when I wasn't sure I would ever be able to say that. Stability. And for a whole year! Wow! I can hardly believe it. It feels good, I must say. It was just before Thanksgiving last year when...

A Mother’s Marathon

Author: Melinda Goedeke I remember when Laura was little staring at me with a mix of defiance, confidence and spunk refusing to walk without her doll stroller. She was 16 months old and could most definitely walk. She knew walking solo meant moving to the “big kid...

My First Experience with Mania

Author: Natalia Beiser I experienced my first full blown manic disorder, as experienced by those with bipolar 1 while in my last year of high school. Prior to being sent for inpatient treatment, my behavior had been sporadic and I had many angry verbal outbursts. ...

My Story

Author: Kim Barnett I was born in 1982 in a small city in Ventura County. I had two loving parents, two siblings, and we all lived in a nice house. We were one of the first black families to move into this predominantly white and Hispanic city. As a child this was a...

How to Know if You Have Bipolar Disorder, ADHD, or Borderline Personality Disorder

Author: Stanley Clark An estimated 46 million people around the world are affected by bipolar disorder. In the U.S. alone, around 2.3% of the adult population has this condition. Unfortunately, many patients with bipolar disorder are still misdiagnosed. Bipolar...

Gathering the Light from the Stars: A Guided Imagery

Author: Sophia Falco Find a comfortable position where you can either sit or lay down for about 10 minutes. If you feel it’s appropriate to close your eyes, then please do so, and if not keep your gaze downwards—this is totally fine too. First, get in tune with your...

A Bipolar Story

Author: Elizabeth Horner I debated on whether or not to share my story for a very long time. I’d swing back and forth like a pendulum; feeling like I should just own who I am and throw myself out there one day and then revert back to the very private person I usually...

The Power of Just

Author: Melinda Goedeke When my beautiful daughter was 23, she was asked to be in one of her best friend’s wedding. Running towards me with her infectious smile, she shared the news with me talking so quickly I barely understood. What I did understand is that she was...

The Mask

Author: Melissa Anderson I started waking up at 2:00 AM. By 4:30, I was completely awake, unable to will my eyes closed anymore. The day before, I began noticing the beginning signs of the excess energy, so it was no surprise to me that I had difficulty sleeping. It...

Lighting the Darkness

Author: Scott Walker On the last weekend of August this year, friends and I were doing an overnight hike on a small mountain here in Banff, Alberta, Canada. It fell within a day or so of a full moon. As the sun set the moon rose. It was so beautiful! With the cloud...

5 common misconceptions about bipolar and how to dismantle them

Author: Madeleine Russell Stigma around bipolar disorder can be gradual and subtle, but with very harmful effects. Bipolar affects 1 in 50 Australians and tends to run in families. Stigma is a well-known driver of poor health outcomes, yet continues to permeate...

How Bipolar Disorder Has Prepared Me for Unpredictability

Author: Christina Chambers Lately, I have noticed a pattern emerging and re-emerging. It weaves itself through my life like vines climbing a lattice. That pattern is chaos. There is a consistent inconsistency, predictable unpredictability, and almost an order to the...

Ignorance Is Not Bliss: The Importance of Screening

Author: Willa Goodfellow I didn’t want to find out I had bipolar disorder. I was on a plane. The person in the seat next to me saw the Journal of American Psychiatry in my lap. He was curious, he said, because he was a doctor and worked on a psych ward. Why was I...

Comforting Affirmations for Bipolar Disorder

Author: Rebecca James The bipolar mind is often a chaotic place. It can be scary, lonely, sad, or wild. In the center of it, we all need some moments of peace. I’ve found that affirmations, or easy, reassuring sentences, help me navigate the bipolar mind. Here are a...

The Bipolar Creative Genius

Author: Jasper James “No great mind has ever existed without a touch of madness” – Aristotle It has long been said that those with bipolar disorder are more creative than average. Famous bipolar individuals of the past include Ernest Hemingway, Frank Sinatra, and...

Mania and Psychosis

Author: Kim Barnett I have Bipolar I Disorder, which causes manic and depressive episodes cyclically. I’d like to share with you some of my experience with Bipolar Mania, in hopes to explain the difference between insomnia and a Manic Episode, and how this topic has...

Embracing Gratitude

Author: Sophia Falco I delve deep into the dreamland of my imagination. I embrace envisioning light flowing throughout my body, and soothing my mind edging out the darkness that has taken up residency for far too long. The beauty of the natural world speaks to me in...

Cheers!

Author: Melissa Anderson Can we just take a moment out of our busy lives to congratulate ourselves? Bipolar disorder can be a beast. We are either living with it or supporting someone who does, and that deserves some recognition. Every day that we get up and face the...

Bipolar Depression

Author: Valéry Brosseau Bipolar depression is like an old faded blanket that’s worn out in just the right spots. The one I can’t bear to throw away. Once in a while it falls out of the closet and I pick it up, wrap myself in it and hide from the world. It’s...

Bipolar Disorder Book Recommendations

Author: Claire Gault As someone with bipolar disorder, I have a fascination with reading about and researching the illness itself. I believe that the more information I learn, the better equipped I can be to manage the illness. My favorite way to learn is through...

How Other People Can Support Me If I’m Feeling Suicidal

Author: Cassandra Stout Trigger warning: This post discusses 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 SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for...

Change Can Begin With You

Author: Natalia Beiser I became angry when overhearing someone saying that people with bipolar disorder should not receive disability accommodations because “…all that they need it to take a pill.” As most individuals with bipolar disorder know, it is not usually that...

Reflecting Back on My Initial Diagnosis: Part 3

Author: Scott Walker When I returned to Japan, I was fortunate to be part time at work. At the time, I was a participant in the JET Programme through the Japanese government where I was able to work in the public-school system. I spent four days a week as an assistant...

How to Talk to a Loved One with Bipolar Disorder

Author: Rebecca James Talking to someone with bipolar disorder can be confusing and overwhelming, particularly if the person is in crisis. Here are some key words to use to connect with your loved one. Tell me. Tell me what you’re feeling. This gentle command can be...

My Experience With Behavioral Health Units

Author: Kim Barnett I’ve had my share of stays in various Psych Wards over the past 17 years. In California, where I live, they are now called Behavioral Health Units. The things I’ve experienced and the people I have come across in my stays have changed me, mostly...

How I Get Through The School Year While Managing My Bipolar Disorder

Author: Jasper James Naturally, when I think of the first day of school, I experience anxiety and extreme nervousness. One of the tricks I like to use is mindfulness to get me through my anxiety. I simply take the “butterflies in my stomach” feeling and ramp it up to...

A Rainbow of Hope

Author: Melinda Goedeke I remember this moment in time clearly - standing in my office holding my friend Pat’s hand listening as her words tumbled awkwardly yet resolutely out of her mouth and tears quietly cascaded down her cheeks. “Now, I don’t even have hope.” ...

Bipolar Impulses | How to Deal With Them

Author: Rebecca James Bipolar disorder has always made me impulsive, whether I’m manic or depressed. One sure way to know that I’m either manic or I’ve missed my medication is to observe an impulse to break up with my best friend. He has been here for me before,...

Back to School, Sort of

Author: George Hofmann I’m the father of a 9-year-old girl who will be starting school in front of a Chromebook this fall. I also have bipolar disorder, and sticking to a strict routine has been crucial to my recovery and stability. That all changed last spring. Our...

10 Self-Care Ideas for People Suffering from Bipolar Disorder

Author: Cassandra Stout Self-care. It seems self-explanatory; after all, the term indicates caring for the self. But why is self-care so hard to accomplish, especially for people who suffer from bipolar disorder? The answer is easy. When we're manic or hypomanic,...

It’s Going to be Okay

Author: Fatima It felt as though a trap door had opened under me and I was free falling. “What you experienced was a manic episode” the doctor said. “You have type 1 bipolar disorder”. My world was rocked. Bipolar disorder? What did that mean? What did that entail? I...

Happy or Hypomanic?

Author: Angela McCrimmon "I'd give anything to feel like you for even just one day".....I smile because I realise they're trying to compliment me but I also want to shake them and make them comprehend what it's really like to be me in the middle of a hypomanic...

Bipolar and Being Sober

Author: Katie Barber I never thought that I had a problem with drinking. There were no interventions, nobody had expressed concern. In fact, a lot of people in my life drank far more than I did. The reason I felt like I wasn't an alcoholic (and therefore did not need...

Tips for Someone Newly Diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder

Author: Rosebuds and Thorns Through my experience with Bipolar Disorder, I have learned many things. To tell someone newly diagnosed with bipolar everything I have learned would take more pages than one could bear to read. So, I will focus on three things: time,...

We are All on the Ride

Author: Melinda Goedeke Chaos is what I know; it is where I excel. Keeping on the move ironically slows my racing thoughts and brings a loud silence to my brain. Right now it seems chaos is the norm for many amidst this unpredictable pandemic that is careening down...

My Experiences with Suicidality

Author: Violette Kay Being suicidal while manic is probably the strangest thing I’ve ever experienced. Normally my manic self would think “I would never kill myself. How could I ever be so cruel as to deprive the world of my light?” but this time was different. As I...

A Letter to Liberate

Author: Sophia Falco Dear Sophia, You are deeply loved. You have not let bipolar disorder 1 define you while living with it for nearly a decade. This is not your fault, and you don’t deserve this suffering. You have persevered through challenging times in the past as...

My Self-Care Regimens to Stay Balanced

Author: Natalia Beiser In the past, it was difficult to acknowledge that I needed to acknowledge self-care; in fact, when my therapist brought up that term four years ago, it was foreign to me. I determined that some of the self- care tasks cost too much money, were...

Bipolar Disorder is a B%!#*!

Author: Kitty Dedicated to all of those we have lost due to mental illness. I strive to endure because I know you are beside me. Surviving an abusive childhood left me with many mental obstacles but I can confidently say that for me personally, bipolar disorder was...

LBGTQI + Bipolar is… Complicated

Author: Willa Goodfellow It goes back to Freud. You could call him a liberal for his day. He did not believe that homosexuality was a character flaw or degeneracy. He viewed it as a kind of arrested development. Does arrested development sound better than the later...

What Is It Like to Not Work Anymore?

Author: Allison Hatch Many of you know all too well what it is like to live with multiple diagnoses. For many others, I know you have probably have a similar tale like mine to tell, or maybe you support someone who cannot work right now, or even now you are trying to...

Being Brave By Being Vulnerable

Author: Courtney Casal I’ve found the stigma to be true, at least in my experience: having a conversation about your mental illness with your professors, much less anyone, is incredibly daunting. No matter how confident you might feel, you are immediately fearful of...

High Hopes, Not High Expectations

Author: Claire At the beginning of my college career, my expectations for post grad life were through the roof. I was going to graduate early, balance a million extracurriculars, and somehow make time to travel the world. Without time to prepare, mania arrived without...

Journaling through Bipolar Cycles

Author: Rebecca James I’ve been keeping a journal since I was fifteen. That was twenty years ago! But journaling has never been as important to me as it has been in the last seven years, since I’ve been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. For me, journaling makes sense...

Big Red and Ocean

Author: Lauren Meredith When I first diagnosed with bipolar disorder, I found it difficult to identify how I felt a lot of the time. Giving my emotions, especially ones that I encounter more often than others, a nickname has helped me to identify my emotions in the...

Gardening as Gateway to Look Outside Myself

Author: Sophia Falco When I garden this allows me to look outside myself no matter if I tend to one plant or many, and liberates me from my negative thoughts especially during trying times. For example, when dealing with bipolar depression. Or living in this state of...

The Power of the Therapeutic Relationship

Author: Angela McCrimmon Is the relationship equal or is there a power struggle? Does mutual respect spill over the sides or is the respect demanded from the "Professional?" Hang on a minute though.....which one is the Professional? Is it the one who has had years of...

Mental Health Challenges Unemployment Presents

Author: Sasha Kildare As of June 12, 2020, I am unemployed. It’s scary, because the only manic episode I had in 25 years occurred during the Great Recession. Other than a seasonal part-time retail job in 2009, I did not have a full-time job for 18 months. After a few...

Mania Made Me Feel Free… But Stability Freed Me

Author: Valéry Brosseau I rode an ATV around Mykonos once, my hair free in the wind and my iPod blaring as whitewashed and blue-trimmed towns blurred by. I turned a corner and found myself at the top of a cliff watching the horizon turn a soft orangey pink and the sun...

Self Discovery

Author: Trevor Simonson Five years ago. I was getting familiar with depressive and hypomanic episodes. As a 17 year old kid, I was about to say goodbye to everything I thought I knew about myself. What follows is a journey of victories and setbacks. Highs and lows. A...

Pause. Just Pause.

Author: Melinda Goedeke As the sun sets and the red hues slowly drip into the lake, I pause and watch. Peace washes over me as I breathe slowly noting the sound of my breath. It is a stark contrast to the rapid, somewhat panicked breathing I know all too well. The...

Measuring Moods with Focus

Author: George Hofmann | www.practicingmentalillness.com It’s possible to establish a practice that enables you to predict, prevent and manage episodes of depression or mania, but it takes some work. I write this piece for International Self-Care Day, but I’ve always...

The Importance of Self-Care

Author: Lauren Meredith The hardships of self-care may look vastly different for everyone. One person can struggle with sleeping while another individual has problems getting out of bed, or eating properly. Others, meanwhile, may struggle with focusing and...

My Recipe for Sanity

Author: Angela McCrimmon The world as we know it has all been torn away, The things I do to keep me well as I navigate each day, The routine that I follow to keep me on the ground, It's scary as I realise that my world is upside down. I tell myself "Don't panic!" as...

Stay Curious

Author: Trevor Simonson I used to think my life was over. There was nothing left for me. The world was empty. I still deal with that feeling, though it may not be as strong right now. It is like living in a cage. Existing in a dim light with no sense of self, no hope...

The Twisted Beauty of Surviving With Depression

Author: Keyoka Kinzy When Anne Lamott wrote about the phenomena of wanting to jump off a cliff or drive your car into oncoming traffic in her book, Almost Everything, I felt seen. So, it isn’t just me? I thought. I’m not the only person in the world who contemplates...

The Gift of Friendship

Author: Natalia Beiser I had a dear friend that could not understand my mood disorder; particularly the depression. I tried diligently to explain it to her. She could tell when I was down by the tone in my voice over the telephone. My friend was a senior citizen and...

Minority Resources and Tools

Resources specifically for Black, Indigenous People of Color
(BIPOC) and LGBTQ+ communities.

Living with Comorbid Diagnosis’

Author: Lauren Meredith I was diagnosed with General Anxiety Disorder (GAD) when I was 21 years old. I was a senior in college. I had testing problems and lo and behold it was due to testing anxiety which was also manifested in various other aspects of my life. My...

The Stories of Men with Mental Illness

Author: George Hofmann It seems that today a man with a mental illness in his middle age is without a voice. So many of the stories told about the struggle with an incoherent mind are from the point of view of the young and mostly female. For so many older men the...

Bipolar Disorder, Stigma and Suicide

Author: Valéry Brosseau The gym smelled a bit like a warehouse would smell, but mostly like sweat. I came to this gym 5 times a week to practice Brazilian Jiu Jitsu but tonight I was not feeling it. I struggled through the warm up. My anxiety was making me irritable...

Newly Diagnosed With Bipolar Disorder? Here Are My Tips…

First & foremost I share that Bipolar Disorder is ongoing & for life – managing one’s mental health is not achieved with one strategy alone; they work together – collectively in my humble opinion.

A Statement of Solidarity

The senseless acts of racism and violence that have unfolded over the last several weeks serve as a stark reminder of the devastation wrought by centuries of enslavement, bigotry and discrimination. These acts have been a deeply upsetting, unsettling and painful...

The Intersection of Toxic Masculinity and Mental Illness

As I learned to lean on others, I also learned to speak. I was freed from a cage I didn’t realize I was in—I was no longer the young man who forcibly bottled up his emotions.

Grandiosity vs Self-Love

“Grandiosity”. That’s the word that convinced me I actually had bipolar disorder. The sleep disruptions, increased energy, racing thoughts and flight of ideas – not to mention the recurring depressive episodes – all these other textbook symptoms somehow left me doubting.

Rising Above While Living with Bipolar Disorder: A Dream Come True

Author: Sophia Falco It has been a challenge living with bipolar disorder 1 for nearly a decade (diagnosed at age 16) yet I have risen above this to have made my dream come true—a college graduate that has excelled! I have achieved the Highest Honors in the Literature...

Coping With Psychosis

Author: Christina Chambers Have you ever had a dream that was so vivid when you awoke it was hard to believe it didn’t actually happen? You had that surreal feeling of not being certain what was a dream and what happened in your waking life. What about a dream where...

I Was Told I Shouldn’t Have Children, and I Listened…

Author: Natalia Beiser Like most girls, I dreamed of being a mother. Planned were baby names, thoughts of how I would parent and nurture a child, and the locality where I wanted to do so. As a teenager, I was a sought out babysitter. My fantasy was of a family of five...

Reflecting Back on My Initial Diagnosis: Part 2

I ended up being in the psychiatric hospital for three weeks after being diagnosed with bipolar disorder. At the time I was in New Zealand visiting family and seeing my Mom and brother. During that entire three weeks in the psych ward I was almost always tired, was sleeping lots and had very foggy thinking.

How I Learned To Prevent My Episodes

When I was first diagnosed with bipolar disorder my therapist was optimistic. The disorder can be easily managed, I was told, with lifestyle changes and medication. Simple small changes to my life can make a big difference to my episodes and can prevent them altogether.

What Mood Disorder Is It, Anyway?

Author: George Hofmann It takes a while to diagnose someone with bipolar disorder. In fact, the average delay between the first appearance of symptoms and a correct diagnosis is six years. I remember when I first recognized that something unusual was occurring in my...

How and When It’s Time to Reach Out to a Professional

By Allison Clemmons Hatch Recently there has been no shortage of advice regarding techniques for self-care in light of the COVID-19 pandemic with regard to not only our physical, but our mental health care as well. And thank goodness for that! You have may have...

Releasing Resentment

Author: Claire As someone living with bipolar 1 disorder, I sometimes feel resentful towards others that don’t share my struggles. The vast majority of people cannot truly comprehend mania, nor spend much time contemplating it. In daily experiences and in social...

Why I Won’t Hide My Diagnosis From My Little Sister

Author: Violette Kay I used to feel a lot of pressure to be discreet about my bipolar disorder. When asked what my plans were for the day, I wouldn’t mention therapy appointments if that’s what was on the agenda. I wouldn’t take my medication in front of people. I...

Why We Need To Talk About Mental Health

Author: Caoimhe Mercer This month (May) is Mental Health Awareness Month 2020. There are many differences this year, however, due to the concerns surrounding Covid19. With the need for social distancing and isolation, people’s mental health will likely suffer as a...

Stress: Taming the Beast

A recent headline reads: Cortisol: Why the “Stress Hormone” is Public Enemy No. 1.

But here’s an idea. Maybe we don’t want to eliminate stress from our lives.

“Do You Recommend Cannabis Use For Teens With Bipolar Disorder?”

Alysha Sultan, BSc, PhD student1,2 Benjamin I. Goldstein, MD, PhD, FRCPC1,2,3 1 Centre for Youth Bipolar Disorder, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Canada. 2 Department of Pharmacology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada. 3 Department of Psychiatry,...

I Feel Less Shame Since COVID-19…

I occasionally receive negative feedback when someone becomes aware that I am on disability, but for the very first time I feel less shame and my sigh is of relief.

Bipolar Boxing Match

So I say to each and every one of you reading this who are also suffering and managing to keep fighting, we truly are Bipolar Warriors and as long as we have people in our corner, we will always be more than fit for the fight.

You Are Not Bipolar

How do you relate to bipolar disorder, and how do you describe yourself?

Language can have a powerful influence over self-definition, revelation, and healing. The way we describe ourselves and our condition speaks volumes about our outlook and our outcomes. I was diagnosed decades ago with bipolar disorder, I still adhere to treatment, and I still suffer occasional disruptive mood changes. Yet I strongly maintain that I am not bipolar.

What Do You Do When You’re Triggered?

In life, experiencing stress and tension is normal. But what happens when a certain thought becomes too overwhelming that it ends up taking over your entire headspace? As you walk through this journey, certain triggers are likely to happen every now and then. While...

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