Blogs tend to have a short life cycle, with most lasting under two years before fading into archival heaven. Last year Psych Central compiled a list of the top ten bipolar blogs, written by people who have a bipolar spectrum disorder. We’re glad that some of our faves are still active, sad to see a few gone, and happy to discover great new writers too. We’re pleased to present you Psych Central’s Top Ten Bipolar Blogs of 2008.
There simply could not be a top bipolar blogs list without Philip Dawdy. He’s an excellent journalist whose blog has become synonymous with unrestrained investigative writing on bipolar disorder, mental health treatments and the pharma industry. He does not hesitate to call out BS when he finds it, and he digs for it harder than any other popular writer. Furious Seasons is an invaluable service to the mental health community.
2. MentallyInteresting.org - Pole to Polar: The Secret Life of a Manic-Depressive
Seaneen, a woman in the UK with characteristic wit and a gift for metaphors, keeps a blog that is much like the disorder: it ranges from hilarious to melancholy to very serious. Even the serious bits are wry, though, e.g. “The crappiest thing about [her recent suicide attempt] is that I lost the eBay auction for the camera that broke on me.” It’s personal without TMI, and conveys pathos without being pitiful. She’s someone you can’t help but feel affection for (unless perhaps you’re her accountant). While compiling this list I was sidetracked into reading her archives for hours, and a blog that compelling to my distractable eyes is unquestionably tops. Please stay alive and keep writing, Seaneen, we all need you.
Sandy Naiman is a skilful storyteller and hers is a highly readable pro blog. She uses an intimate style to share anecdotes and opinions as well as current issues. It’s like chatting with your friendly next-door neighbor — who happens to be an award-winning career journalist and prominent mental health advocate. Her posts are engrossing, sometimes tragic, and quite inspiring.
If you believe that eschewing negativity and training yourself to be reflexively positive is important to recovery, this blog is for you. If you are interested in the constructs of wellness and positive psychology, this blog is for you. If you like to learn practical day-to-day tips for improving your life, this blog is for you. If you enjoy well-crafted, thoughtful and focused writing with regular updates, this blog is for everyone.
Liz Lemon* Spikol was number one on the list last year and the only reason I’ve bumped her down is that her blog now tends to deviate from mental health into politics and cute photos (although I like puppies as much as anyone). Affable, honest and entertaining even on slow days.
6. Bipolar Beat
I didn’t add this newcomer blog to the list just because Psych Central hosts it. It’s here because it’s a super informative blog written by a doctor with clinical experience and a non-medical expert writing partner. Candida Fink and Joe Kraynak have an “ask a question” feature to prompt some of their posts, but also have no problem generating posts on hot topics like overdiagnosis, supplements, and childhood bipolar. They also maintain the similar Bipolar Blog.
Bipolar and obese, that’s how Bradley is. But he’s a good egg and this blog is his public quest to lose weight and keep mental stability. Often, medications used to treat bipolar will cause weight gain — lithium, valproate, Zyprexa/olanzapine, Seroquel/quetiapine, the list goes on — so his writing is relevant to many readers who have similar issues. This is an easy to digest personal blog with light humor about a heavy topic.
8. Two video blogs (vlogs) tie for eighth place: John McManamy’s Depression and Bipolar YouTuber, and Bipolar Survivor Back
John has written about the science and history of bipolar disorder and its treatments for years via his site, e-newsletter, blog, and book. While they contain a huge amount of technical (and common sense) information beautifully interpreted for laypeople, his vlog is even more accessible. Explanations of and practical coping skills for specific situations like anger management and body clock problems. Nicely produced and edited, I’d love to see more frequent updates.
Meanwhile, Kimberly’s Bipolar Survivor Back is an articulate video series about the mental health issues she’s suffered since childhood, and getting treatment as an adult. She recently stopped posting videos due to haters. Her experience with trolls is an example of the risks of exposing a personal life complicated by mental illness, and I commend her for trying to combat stigma and educate people.
“Your neighborhood misanthropic, buxom, bondage-positive, bipolar, bisexual, flying, loquacious hedonist.” Updated: “Now with VNS capabilities.” Last year I was keen to see if an experimental vagus nerve stimulator implant would help her very severe, treatment-resistant depression. It didn’t really. She still writes extremely well, though.
10. Yoga for Bipolar
I love yoga! I also love substance-free treatment alternatives that genuinely help people! Here they are together in one blog, like a chocolate peanut butter cup. I am grateful that David Morgan “made the decision not to withhold information for profit” since this is a quibble I have with some alternative treatments. Random people who claim their secret blend of herbs, spices and organic bamboo socks will cure bipolar, schizophrenia and cancer all at once if you’ll pay $300 for a DVD — what a deal! (Not!) Yoga is a mainstream, time-honored practice, and it’s nice to see this blog aimed at benefiting bipolar sufferers rather than a bank account. With more frequent updates, fewer product reviews, and more specific instructions for practice, this blog would rank much higher on the list.
Honorable mentions: Bipolar Chica (for being a cool blog), If you’re going through hell keep going (for her sincerity and introspection), and The Bipolar Bisexual (for being topical, funny, and hot — NSFW).
Thank you to everyone in the blogosphere writing such great blogs it was hard for us to narrow our choices to just ten. Like any list of this kind we’ve probably left out a few of your faves, so please share links in the comments.
(18 votes, average: 4.11 out of 5)
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Links to This Article
From Psych Central's website:
Bipolar Blog | Bipolar Disorder | Bipolar Beat | PsychCentral Top 10 Bipolar Blogs (10/22/2008)
Joe Kraynak | Freelance Writer | Bipolar Beat | Award-Winning Blog (10/22/2008)
Yoga for Bipolar Wins an Award | Yoga for Bipolar Disorder (10/22/2008)
2008-10-24 Spike activity | Psychology Blog (10/25/2008)
On an award for “bipolar blogs” of late | ... cartography... (10/26/2008)
Yoga for Bipolar Disorder | Yoga with Santosh | Knoxville Yoga (10/27/2008)
Encephalon 57 on Mind Hacks | Psychology Blog (10/28/2008)
The Last Degree - Raising Awareness For Bipolar Disorder » Top Ten Bipolar Blogs 2008 (11/2/2008)
21st Century Spirituality · Hyperstream of 2008-10-24 (11/7/2008)
Added some new blogs to my Google Reader « Crazy Is the New Sane (2/20/2009)
Finally a topic I care something about « Crazy Is the New Sane (2/20/2009)
Bipolar blogs « Derren Brown Blog (7/11/2009)
From Psych Central's World of Psychology:
Friday Flashback for October 16, 2009 | World of Psychology (10/16/2009)
43 Comments to
“Top Ten Bipolar Blogs 2008”
I am totally honoured! Thank you!
Yay for Seaneen!
I’m glad to see Philip @ Furious Seasons get Top Honors! He deserves it without any doubt!
Nixing Stephany @ soulful sepulcher is a crime based on incorrect and bias by the selection people I whole heartedly believe.
And now for rest of the blogs that won awards I offer sincere congratulations.
Though I’m sure this is a slanted view from an east coast pro-drug liberal line of thinking, and not an unbiased review of many great blogs out there. As anyone can see by the advertisements on the pages of this site Pharmaceutical has a very large, but not complete influence here.
Yours Truly,
Stan
(Also well done everyone else but especially Philip, who writes my favourite blog).
Great list, but wish I’d seen Gianna Kali’s blog “Beyond Meds” listed to make the list complete.
Ruth: Same here. Wonder how it is that a blog, that is one of the best i-net-resources on drug-withdrawal you could find, isn’t on this list.
I agree with Beyond Meds deserving an award.Gianna has fought the fight on medications for as long as Philip, and writes with eloquence and conviction, a brutally honest account of the medication withdrawals, and her life quest to become med free and drop the Bipolar label.Philip Dawdy at Furious Seasons often highlights her struggle on his blog.
Her blog is a must read, and an invaluable resource for consumers. More than any blog I’ve come across.
http://bipolarblast.wordpress.com/
Also, Thank you to everyone who gave me shout-outs in the other comment thread, the peer support warms my heart!!
Stephany, at soulful sepulcher blog
A great blog and one we’ll definitely consider for inclusion in next year’s list.
Thank you, both for the award and the feedback.
Peace and blessings,
David Morgan
P.S. I need the product reviews to help the bank account. At least it’s not Google ads. 
Today is my 60th Birthday. What a gift!
This is a birthday I will never forget, Dr. Grohol and Sandra Klume. Your timing is stunning!
I am reeling with excitement and, to be honest, shock because I am so new to blogging. Please accept my heartfelt thanks for this honour. I feel humbled by the company I keep on your list. I can also think of several others who are more than deserving.
Wow! Pinch me!
Cheers! And, once again, profound thanks.
Sandy Naiman
Congratulations, Philip! I hope this helps your ailing back!
And Liz, you always give me food for thought.
What a kick to be in your company! Along with all the others I look forward to reading!
I’m thrilled and honoured!
Sandy Naiman
I’m extremely honored. Thank you very much for this award. I’ll be gloating all afternoon.
Happy Birthday Sandy, and thanks for your great work.
Regarding #8 and Kimberly, you reference “Bipolar Chica” as HER blog, but it is NOT her blog. It is MY blog. I am a big fan of Kimberly too, but that is not her blog and I wanted to set the record straight. Thank you.
-Bipolar Chica
D’oh! I’m sorry, CC. I think I believed you were the same person because I found a video via your sidebar (didn’t I? now I’m confused).
I’ve corrected my mistake, and you’re still on the list because your blog is great too.
Thank you for such a great resource. It’s introduced me to a whole new realm of interesting thoughts.
I have a very positive and honest blog about managing depression, that has recently turned into emotional sports & political rants, but originally(june 08) started out as a poetic reflection of bi-polar disorder. please stop by and visit.
http://www.thejokerssun.blogspot.com
Thanks so much for including my blog on your list. I was pleased and surprised.
Susan Bernard
Another super video blog is “Bipolar Advantage”:http://www.youtube.com/bipolaradvantage Tom Wootton’s excitement is contagious and I love his positive attitude.
Tom Wootton drives the point home! A Bipolar diagnosis doesn’t mean you have to live a diminished life! http://www.youtube.com/bipolaradvantage
I agree with the above 2 posts. Tom Wootton knows what he is talking about and has helped me tremendously with his positive outlook and tips and tricks to use my condition for me instead of an excuse against me.
Having read and commented at some of the sites of mention above, all I can say as a mental health care provider, is, it is important to raise concerns and voice criticism of potential poor judgments by providers and alleged leaders in the profession, and question the role of big pharma and health insurers in diminishing health care, BUT, instigating mob mentalities does little to realistically validate such concerns and criticisms.
Just go shout fire in a crowded room because you think you smell smoke, and then be prepared for the backlash if it was just a spent candle. The internet has value, but in the end, it is about facts and documentation. Some people seem to provide it, others just shout it out and think because it is printed it is valid.
A good portion of it is pathetic in my opinion. Plus, I believe the crowd you keep speaks volumes about who you are. Blogs seem to just stroke hate, until proven otherwise. Do you want change and it be progress, or just bitch and moan and want stakes erected for sacrifices?
Just an opinion.
therpyfirst
TF, aka Herbie:
Coming from such a renowned doctor with little or no knowledge of the blog world or reality for that matter; accept an addiction to negativity and frequenting others blogs. I can say only one thing about you and those like you! “FIRE”
Stan
PS: One has to wonder where that smoke you smell is coming from? {Smirk}
one that i think is worth checking out is Diary of a Mad Crone - lots of good info there on blogger.
Thanks for the mention. 
I didn’t know about Yoga for Bipolar - I will take a look.
Congrats to all the TOP TEN! I would some day love to have that honor but I would not know how to go about doing it… Still, it’s a nice goal. I wanted to offer all the bloggers free use of my Mental Health Humor Cartoons for your personal blogs. My cartoons are from our point of view and I try keep it positive and add some commentary about the issues. All I ask is you link the cartoon back to me and not to edit the toons. If you can just add us to your blog roll that would be cool too.
The toons are great for those days you just don’t know what to write about or if you just need something fun to lighten up the post.
you can see my cartoons here and i’ll be updating soon too.
http://mentalhealthhumor.today.com/site-map
So once again, congrats to the winners and all the other Bipolar Blogs… To me you are all winners in helping to educate others and put a real face to Mental Health…
Chato
Are they Creative Commons, Chato?
@Sandra : It is now http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/
Still Permission to use the cartoons are only for mental health non-profit and personal blogs… No landing pages, or Ad type sites and or not to be published in print of for profit.
My permission statement can be found at the bottom of my Site Map page
Thank you very much for the honorable mention. I am humbled.
another blog that is a must see for anyone striving to overcome mental health problems is Faces of Recovery -
http://facesofrecovery.blogspot.com/
There are many excellent videos by many top experts in the consumer/survivor movement.
be well.
I don’t even know,fellow!) continued to write in the same vein, it is interesting people!
I would like to dito the comments relating to Bipolar Advantage. Tom really gives a message that is worth believing in and learning from. His workshops are great too. Strongly recommended.
Livning your life in a positive manner, is a life full of happeness, be thankful for what you have,give praise to God for bring in to your life all the health,wealth and good things he has given you.
Wow!I had no idea there were sooo many bipolar blogs - let alone excellent reads!! Congrats to you all! I’m new to all this as
I’ve just been diagnosed and just started a blog of my own!
I ‘came out of the closet’ yesterday online…bipolar speaking! LOL! I’d be grateful if you could all have a little look at it and maybe join??! It’s in it’s infancy at the moment but it will take shape soon!
http://bipolar999.blogspot.com/
Thanks!
Hello,
This a great site, and congrats to my fellow bipolar bloggers.
I’ve just started a blog called http://Lettingtheinformationin.blogspot.com
I’m a 28 year old graduate student with bipolar disorder. I’m from Boston, Ma, and am researching cultural conceptions of mental health in Beirut, Lebanon. Anyways, I’d love for people to check out my blog and let me know what they think.
Thanks,
James
Hello Susan
I am a black male bipolar who wrote a blog/diary after being in a drive by shooting. I called it warzone and its 30 chapters/blog entrees long. It discussing my illness and the chaotic life I live in the ghetto trying to use what little brain cells I have left to outwit the thugs and cruel sane society that surrounds me. Hope I make the top 100 of your bipolar blog list to add some color to the mental health resource your links provide readers. Peace ps I also post my poetry on youtube at youtube.com/jusrhymz
Read my story: http://obsickboy.com
This is another one… little known but pretty sweet.
Thanks for this great list. I’ve started a site regarding bipolar disorder. I have a loved one that has been diagnoses with the illness for five years now. I felt it was important to write about and I’ve learned a lot during my research.
The site is http://www.bipolaradviceguide.com.
You just never know, til you go. I am so impressed by all of this, and yes I’m bipolar and yes, I’ve started yet another bipolar blog. I will let it speak for itself over the coming months. People ask me this, so I will say it here. I have a direct Italian heritage, and I’m bipolar - so what else would you call your blog? “Bipolaroni”, that’s what. Come and enjoy life with me. I can be very serious but art, humor and music are my loves along with great Italian food. I am a 52 year old woman diagnosed not until my 4th decade of life when it all popped up, traumatizing every one near me and led me through institutions and jail on various occasions. Ciao Rita
This is a website/blog hybrid and description:
This is meant to show the thought process, emotions, and thoughts of people who have bipolar disorder in a way that has not been done before. It is a project to make sense out of the feelings we experience. To describe emotions and thoughts that are so overwhelming and difficult to describe. Read the free outline if you are interested. The website tracks the development that we are making.
Experience ‘The Madness’: Madness Letters
http://sites.google.com/site/madnessletters/Home
or
http://www.madnessletters.org
Check out my website. I would like to add a link to your website as well.
Thank you
Sorry the website is shedoescrack.com it is about my struggles with being bipolar.
Another great bipolar-related blog by my friend, George Denslow, author of Living Out of Darkness: a personal journey of embracing the bipolar opportunity. Read it (or order the book) here: http://www.LivingOutofDarkness.com
A little more about George and his book: “Living Out of Darkness: A personal journey of embracing the bipolar opportunity, illustrates through words, George Denslow’s journey of conscious unmedicated spiritual engagement with his bipolar experience. George’s navigation through extremes of the inner human terrain shines forth like a beacon in the dark of the underworld maze of psychological suffering. Denslow’s sharing is not a clinical dissertation on how to treat bipolar. It is a true, practical, written on the ground, map of what he has discovered living the terrain himself.”
p.s. I included his e-mail and webpage above, instead of mine, for anyone who wants to contact him.
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Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 5 Jan 2009
