Fans of Kay Redfield Jamison rejoice: here’s the vintage half-hour video An Unquiet Mind: Personal Reflections on Manic-Depressive Illness. A captivating speaker, she’s authored many papers and books on the subjects of bipolar, manic depression and recurrent depression. She is Professor of Psychiatry at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, and is bipolar herself.
Newly unearthed […]

Here’s more info after John wrote about bipolar disorders and sleep patterns with Interpersonal and Social Rhythm Therapy (IPSRT), a treatment developed by Ellen Frank and colleagues combining psychotherapy with lifestyle management. Regulating bedtimes, routines and practicing good sleep hygiene (like no caffeine at night, use your bed only for sleep, exercise in the afternoon) […]

Want to hear my story? It seems that some people do. I’ve lately noticed notices for people with bipolar to share essays, art, demographics and videos. It smells like crowdsourcing. Get hundreds of people to make ads for free, the company gets publicity for the contest and then gives token prize money to the ad […]

Support groups are supposed to be helpful, so how can I go into group feeling neutral and leave totally irritated? And what do I do about it?
I didn’t really have a problem to discuss in my group tonight. I’ve been hypomanic and that’s upset my snugglufagus (the unpredictability more than anything I actually did). But […]

There are some nice guided progressive relaxation audio files on a web site that, although it’s promoting a drug, does also provide some useful tips on managing insomnia. It’s important to be aware that sleeping pills can be dangerous and generally aren’t helpful except short-term. Instead, sleep management establishes new behaviour instead of the behaviour […]

Imagine these scenarios: A woman with OCD who washes her hands raw a dozen times an hour says, “There’s nothing wrong with me, it’s only a damaged society that says I don’t fit in. Living like this is just a variation on “normality”, as if that could be defined. I’m proud to obsess like this […]

If you’re a person in recovery from an illness like bipolar you’ve probably heard the phrase “meaningful work” and know it’s considered to be a cornerstone of wellness. Like many of you (I read your blogs too) I’ve had a really hard time keeping jobs over the years. Partly that’s the illness (I’ve impulsively/stupidly quit […]

Since John wrote about a study on the subject yesterday, I’ve been thinking about psychosocial treatments for bipolar. To me, the word “psychosocial” goes far beyond what studies narrowly define (though I do understand that science needs to categorize and impose limits in order to make calculations).
For instance, I’ve not seen much written about […]

Blah, bleh, bleak. Down I go. The mania has been blown away by a cold foggy wind and adequate sleep. I’d gladly trade some of this depression for ridiculously expensive eyeliner, though. No, not to be, things don’t work that way.
I’m not too far down. My meds keep me stabilized enough that I don’t generally […]

Still feeling good overall, it’s emotionally like being in a warm bath (and the weather’s lending to that sensation) but there are dark fingers reaching up, ready to claw me down to depression. I’ve been sleeping more, or at least more overall as I still wake up every four hours. But with at least six […]

Today I wandered some botanical gardens, lush in spring, fragrant with roses. On my iPod was Coltrane’s version of “My Favorite Things.” I carried a yummy takeout decaf drink, and a little shopping bag with gifts for loved ones. I do enjoy really buying gifts. The weather was perfect, hot and sunny and summery, and […]

Who doesn’t love a good list? A top ten, a series of bullets, it’s easy to peruse. I’ve just read a list of red flag warning signs for mania from About.com and though I agree with their points, I have more of my own. Your mileage may vary.
Signs of Mania

Pink and orange predominate wardrobe and […]