Living

In the ever-changing balance of motherhood, my journey weaves through the intricate threads of bipolar disorder. As a Black woman, the challenges I face in managing this condition often intertwine...

One of my favorite expressions used to talk about bipolar is "waiting for the other shoe to drop." A little Googling informed me that this expression originated in turn of...

Am I a good person? Are you a good person? I find these questions are often asked because bipolar disorder can cause you to do some awful things that are...

Everyone experiences setbacks. Setbacks in life are to be expected. Worse, though, is the mental health setback. I work so hard to ensure that my mental health is the best...

Talking about my mental health when dating is tricky because I have bipolar disorder (not to mention generalized anxiety disorder). Do I mention mental health on the first date? How...

I have been having conversations with friends recently about the so-called dreaded mid-life crisis. Through various conversations with close friends, we discuss whether we are having a mid-life crisis and...

Editorial Note: Nominations for 2024 are now closed. We are very excited to announce the launch of the 2024 Social Health Awards program! The Social Health Awards is an awards...

When I need help, there are things I hope my supports will do and things I hope they won't. But it's hard for supportive people to know what those things...

As someone with bipolar disorder, heavy on the depression end, there are few things I've thought about more than love and happiness. I'm far from the only one. Everyone does...

The doctor-patient relationship is such a critical one. I view it as a partnership that forms so you have someone on your side against the bipolar disorder. If you don't...

As a person with bipolar disorder, it should come as no surprise that I feel employers shouldn't be overlooking those of us with the illness. In fact, I feel employers...

For most of us with bipolar disorder, medication plays a critical role in managing our symptoms. However, therapy is also a vital component in the effective treatment of the condition...

About 12 years ago I decided to live openly with my mental disorders – high-functioning autism (HFA) and bipolar disorder. It was the right choice for me despite the difficulties...

Many mental illnesses tend to run in families. It's not always the same mental illness in every generation, but mental illnesses tend to clump. Despite this, people tend not to...

When I first received a bipolar I diagnosis, I felt a wide range of emotions. My feelings were aligned with the stages of grief. Instead of grieving a loved one...

I have been seeing psychiatrists for 25 years, and in that time, I've had various experiences with them. Sometimes, I've found psychiatrists to be the worst influence in my life...

I have been a professional mental health advocate for 14 years now, and I have a lot of experience hearing supportive and decidedly unsupportive utterances. While people rarely mean to...

I have bipolar disorder type 2, and thus, experience hypomanic episodes, not manic episodes. Hypomanic episodes have the same symptoms as manic episodes but are not as severe. However, even...

Would you like to share your experience with bipolar disorder and help others? We're looking to add new voices to our Patient Leader team and would love to meet you!...

It seems like many doctors don't listen to their patients, and when it comes to patients with mental illness, the problem tends to be even worse. Sometimes, I've been lucky...