In this series, I dig a little deeper into the meaning of psychological terms. This week's term: ultra rapid cycling in bipolar disorder Rapid cycling is a term used to describe the frequency of switching between mania/hypomania and depression in bipolar disorder. The current edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) … Continue reading What is… ultra rapid cycling
The emerging blogger series is aimed at community building through giving mental health bloggers who are early in their blogging evolution the opportunity to have their work seen by a wider audience. It's also a way to introduce you as a reader to some newer members of our community. This post is by Clive from … Continue reading Emerging Blogger Series: Clive
Bipolar Me by Janet Coburn explores her journey with bipolar II disorder. The book is made up of blog posts, which are divided into chapters based on theme. The chapters cover topics like the symptoms of bipolar disorder, the "med-go-round", times of struggling, dealing with social situations, and broader societal issues. Each post is pretty … Continue reading Book review: Bipolar Me
Mindfulness for Bipolar Disorder: How Mindfulness and Neuroscience Can Help You Manage Your Bipolar Symptoms by Dr. William R. Marchand lays out specific areas for mindfulness practices that be useful in managing bipolar disorder symptoms (and most if the book is also applicable to other mood disorders). I believe mindfulness can be a really helpful thing … Continue reading Book review: Mindfulness For Bipolar Disorder
As some of you are likely already aware. one of our fellow members of the mental health blogging community attempted suicide earlier today, and posted a suicide note on her blog. I choose not to link to her blog here because for those of you who aren't already familiar with her amazing work, I don't … Continue reading In times of life or death
Birth of a New Brain – Healing from Postpartum Bipolar Disorder chronicles author Dyane Harwood’s journey with postpartum onset bipolar disorder. The story’s rich, vivid descriptions draw the reader along on the intense roller coaster ride of the author's illness experience. Many elements of her story will be hauntingly familiar to those whose lives have been … Continue reading Book review: Birth of a new Brain – Healing from Postpartum Bipolar Disorder
A primer on mood stabilizers and how they work
How being an organization nut has helped me to manage my depression
Sometimes mental illness means you have to reframe the goals you set for yourself
Ask anyone of a certain age what comes to mind first when they hear the term electroconvulsive therapy (aka ECT, aka electroshock therapy, aka shock therapy), and chances are they will mention the film One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest starring Jack Nicholson. The reality is very different.
Society is obsessed with how we look, and in particular what size we are. Even people who are generally quite polite feel entitled to comment on our weight and body shape, without having any idea what the backstory might be. In the case of mental illness, there is often a great deal of backstory.
You occasionally hear horror stories of mothers who killed themselves and their infants due to postpartum depression, and I seriously worry that I could be that next horror story.
I have always found the cognitive symptoms of depression to be among the most disruptive to my overall functioning. When I'm really unwell it feels like I can't think my way out of a paper bag. I tend to describe the effect on my thinking as "mashed potato brains".
I can get pretty irritable sometimes because of my depression. I seem to lose access to all of my more mature self, and revert to what may have worked best when I was five years old. One of my former community psychiatrists once told me "you can be a real bitch when you're not well".
Depression is a profoundly isolating illness, as many mental illnesses can be, and as my illness progresses in many ways I find myself evolving into a hermit of sorts.
