For so many years, I felt like I got a bum rap in having an alcoholic Dad. But now that I know he was living with bipolar disorder––as I am––I feel softer and more human about it. There was never a dull moment growing up with my Dad. He played records of all different types...
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Focus & memory problems make it extremely difficult to remember information like names, instructions, family matters. The key to making sure that the information sticks is to pay extra attention when you first hear it. According to memory scientist Elizabeth Twamley, PhD the secret to make sure you remember everything lies in one word: LEAP....
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It’s easy to become the caregiver when you’re married to someone with bipolar. Mark and Giulia Lukach maintain their partnership with empathy and planning. Mark and Giulia Lukach got together in 2000 when they were first-year students at Georgetown University. If it wasn’t love at first sight for the two 18-year-olds, it was darn close....
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Friendships require cultivation and cooperation to thrive. But when one friend also has to cope with a mood disorder, things can be even more complicated. “Friends show their love in times of trouble, not in happiness,” ancient Greek poet Euripides once said. What was true in ancient times still holds true today. Our most valuable,...
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While it can be rewarding and enriching, having a close friend with bipolar can also sometimes be frustrating, and confusing. Here are ways to be supportive—while taking care of yourself, too: #1 Educate yourself about bipolar Learn more about its array of symptoms and the different facets of its treatment. Don’t be afraid to ask...
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Bipolar disorder doesn’t have to be a ‘negative’ in a relationship. It may instead offer profound and meaningful breakthroughs for both partners. There are numerous articles that point to partners who have bipolar disorder as having tendencies toward infidelity, or anger outbursts, but readers need to realize that not every person with bipolar disorder will...
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People living with bipolar need to take charge of their own personal power to self-validate––and NOT seek validation from others by people pleasing. In order to make positive changes, we need to really recognize and identify where our behaviors don’t serve us. If we don’t acquire the self-awareness and desire to change these ways, we...
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The decision to disclose your diagnosis of bipolar disorder is very difficult. Here is everything you need to know before you go public. Coming out is hard to do, but it may be the best thing for you. I stayed “closeted” about my mental health condition for over ten years, but my bipolar and the...
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If people can’t love and accept you for who you are–bipolar disorder diagnosis and all–then they are not the kind of people you need in your life. When I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder my family was at a loss of what to do. No one in our immediate family has lived with any mental...
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A willingness to stand firm in the face of less-than-ideal circumstances is required of everyone involved in serious relationships. It’s 11:30 p.m. on a Friday night. I have bipolar disorder and took my medication more than an hour ago. I’m angry, upset and can’t sleep! My partner, who is also diagnosed as bipolar, and I...
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You are not alone if your mood swings can make you mean and nasty. But integrity helps you stop yourself before you unintentionally hurt others. Integrity is a word I cherish. It means acting the same no matter what situation arises. This is especially important in our up and down bipolar disorder world. When we...
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Be true to who you are—not who your family and community expect you to be–and practice authenticity, the greatest act of self-care. The World Health Organization defines self-care as “the ability of individuals, families, and communities to promote health, prevent disease, maintain health, and to cope with illness and disability with or without the support...
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Living with bipolar is extraordinarily challenging– but you don’t have to go it alone. When times seem too tough to bear, reach out and ask for help. Living with bipolar can be extraordinarily challenging. Sometimes merely surviving feels overwhelming. I still face periods when I feel like I lack the wherewithal to keep going. Perhaps...
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If negative experiences have left you wary of relationships, it’s okay. Take the first step towards healing, and open your mind to change. We have all been hurt. This is life, it’s hard to avoid it. Sometimes our experiences can leave us distrustful of people, relationships or situations and can result in the defense mechanism...
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While they reconciled their former hopes and dreams with a new reality after a bipolar diagnosis, this couple discovered they can both live fuller lives. I came home to my world upside down. My apartment entrance had been blocked with music blaring deep within. I finally got inside and found my wife, Katherine, in a...
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When life gives you “storms” of unease, stress, or sadness, here’s a few ways you can make sure your stability progress stays on track. The Grateful Dead sing a song titled “Uncle John’s Band” and one of the lyrics is “When life looks like easy Street, there is danger at your door.” My job is...
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Stigma stings, but when it happens in your own backyard—our own families and friends not accepting us—it is especially hard to take. Stigma, no matter where it comes from, is insensitive and dehumanizing. But when discrimination comes from those we consider to be part of our inner circle—friends, family, co-workers, fellow worshipers, others we’d hope...
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In times of stability, it can be difficult—and painful—to determine if there are real problems with your relationship or if bipolar symptoms are the culprit; find out more: Interpreting the symptoms Even after years of stability, a stressful event or a build-up of stress can cause an onset of symptoms. These may be too subtle...
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At the risk of romanticizing a serious mental health condition, there are indeed many positive aspects to loving someone with bipolar. Here are just five: #1 An artistic/creative lens Being around people with imaginativeness and artistry is fascinating! Through her research, Kay Redfield Jamison, PhD, a professor with Johns Hopkins University, has linked bipolar with...
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“Good enough” is a necessary guiding principle for a life lived with bipolar. In fact, it is necessary for any life—or any endeavor. C’est la vie. It’s a fancy French term meaning “such is life.” It means accepting the unexpected, and rolling with the punches. It’s an attitude I’m embracing as I plan my wedding....
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