Parents – Tell Your Kids About Your Mental IllnessMany 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...Reactions0reactions
Special Considerations for Older People With Bipolar DisorderExperts are paying more attention to bipolar disorder in older people. People with bipolar disorder who are over 40 or 50 years of age have not always been the focus...Reactions0reactions
Grieving a DiagnosisWhen 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...Reactions0reactions
Sleep and Bipolar DisorderBipolar disorder is a lifelong mental health condition. It causes extreme changes in mood. There are episodes of emotional highs, called mania, and emotional lows, called depression. Bipolar disorder can...Reactions0reactions
Finding the Right Psychiatrist Is Not Always EasyI 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...Reactions0reactions
5 Things Not to Say to Someone with Bipolar DisorderI 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...Reactions0reactions
My Plan for Hypomanic Episodes – What I Do FirstI 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...Reactions0reactions
Want to Write for Us?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!...Reactions0reactions
Having a Parent With Bipolar DisorderThe impact of bipolar disorder reaches far beyond the person diagnosed. Bipolar disorder can affect the lives of family and friends. While experience with bipolar disorder is unique, the mental...Reactions0reactions
What It Feels Like When Your Doctor Doesn't Listen to YouIt 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...Reactions0reactions
Coping With Grief When Living With Bipolar DisorderThe goal of managing bipolar disorder is keeping mood swings minimal. Finding a good treatment plan and avoiding triggers is helpful. Some triggers, like grief, appear suddenly. Grief can be...Reactions0reactions
Why People with Bipolar Disorder Get MisdiagnosedWhen I saw a psychiatrist for the first time, I was incorrectly diagnosed. I thought I had bipolar disorder – the psychiatrist disagreed. He said I had unipolar depression (depression...Reactions0reactions
Bipolar Disorder and Creativity: Is There a Link?There is a popular notion that bipolar disorder and creativity are linked. You may be familiar with famous writers, musicians, poets, and artists who also had bipolar. Creative geniuses with...Reactions0reactions
What I Wish Someone Would Have Told Me During My Bipolar DiagnosisWhen I was 20 years old, I was crying often and without reason. I traveled across Europe at that age, tears blurring the sites I had always wanted to see...Reactions0reactions
Living With Bipolar Disorder: Attention and Memory IssuesBipolar disorder can have a wide range of symptoms, and not everyone with bipolar has the same experience. But for many with bipolar, the condition affects their ability to think...Reactions0reactions
Will I Ever Find the Right Bipolar Treatment?It was a Friday night the first time I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. I was sitting in front of my computer screen 25 years ago and reading page after...Reactions0reactions
Routine and Bipolar DisorderConsistent daily routines are important for people with bipolar disorder. Biological processes that regulate daily body cycles (circadian rhythms) may not work well in people with bipolar disorder. Stabilizing daily...Reactions0reactions
Family Therapy and Bipolar DisorderBipolar disorder affects not only the person with the mental illness but also their family. The large mood swings that come with bipolar disorder can make it hard to predict...Reactions0reactions
Planning for a Mental Health CrisisWhen living with bipolar or another mental health disorder, sometimes a mental health crisis arises. A mental health crisis is no one’s fault. It is a sign that your or...Reactions0reactions
Bipolar Disorder and COVID-19Since late 2019, COVID-19 has become a household name. It has changed many aspects of daily life. Especially for those living with chronic conditions. "Quarantine," "social distancing," and "herd immunity"...Reactions0reactions
