Articles and blog posts relating to the treatment of bipolar disorder through peer support - local and online.
Just as winter has begun, I already have been waylaid by a lingering bantam-weight cold. As yet, I have not been hit with the heavy-weight title flu-bug—but as I write, my husband has, so it may just be a matter of time. I am so glad I quit smoking over 7 years ago. There was...
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At long last, due to some outside private financial assistance, I will be able to receive some “real” (licensed, PhD-level, focused) long-term therapy. The state-funded program I have been enrolled in since 2005 really only has been for medication management and the occasional visit with a counselor, usually one working under another’s license. I have...
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I am fortunate that generally I am not one who suffers from seasonal affective disorder (SADD). I think it’s helpful that I live in Arizona where we enjoy 85% sun during the year and we don’t (majority of the state) observe Daylight Savings/Standard Time like everyone else. I have friends with bipolar here in Arizona...
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What would you do if a person in an authoritative position i.e. one who had some say so over your life, questioned your diagnosis of bipolar disorder or other mental disorder?Would you let them? Would you believe them? Would you rejoice in the fact that maybe, indeed, you do not have the illness? On the...
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Seriously, I can hear it roaring at me right now! Not only have I been stuck under the thumb of the SAD monster, but many people in my support system have been as well. I keep looking for the right words to use to explain that this IS TEMPORARY, but I always come up empty....
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I got a call this week from the parent of a family member reporting that our 40-something relative was in a deeply depressive episode, lashing out, making suicidal threats—was in crisis. I was called to be informed and to be included in an overall family support plan—an idea learned through family dealing with my crises...
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My husband and I have been drooling over them for some time–these out-sized hand-made drums, all individual works of art, created by a dear friend. Last weekend, we finally received one. By any measure, our friend’s drums are incredible art works: intricate, meaningful, labored, beautiful, intriguing, and wild. And when beat upon (and in order...
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Have you ever caught yourself saying this? When a well-meaning friend or coworker observes that “you’re not yourself” and asks how you are doing. “Nothing’s wrong” we reply. There are many reasons why we may do this: It seems like too much effort to explain what’s really going on inside. Guilt tells us that it’s...
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I’ll be going next week for my Social Security Disability Hearing. For two years, I have been collecting information from a myriad of sources to support my case, sending it to my disability attorneys, confident my file was fat and accurate. I was surprised to learn, when I finally spoke with my attorney, that there...
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Hero [ine]: 1. a [wo]man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for brave deeds… I was thinking this week about who I consider to be my heroes. Who are the people I admire most and can look to as examples of strength and and bravery when I am seeking my own? I don’t know that...
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Having mental illness is not fun, nor funny. It’s hard, sad, infuriating, frustrating, scary, dangerous, serious, confusing... I could fill this entire blog using adjectives describing how unfair and painful having bipolar is. Then I could sink into them, wallow, throw pity parties in this pool, and stay mostly unwell. Or, I can look to...
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Talk about paying it forward: I am blessed to have folks that walk with me on my journey toward wellness. They also go above and beyond by making themselves available to others in their community, answering questions and providing support to older parents with adult kids with bipolar. They share the experiences they’ve had with...
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I was really tickled, during the London Olympics Closing Ceremonies, when Eric Idle, of famed British Comedy Troupe Monty Python’s Flying Circus, performed his classic ditty, “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life”. Fans of Monty Python, and the film “Life of Brian” (1979, directed by Terry Jones), from which the song hails, may have shared in my...
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After sharing last week’s no-good-terrible-very-bad-day of hypomanic events and attempts at coping, I promised this week I’d let readers know what I did about it: I reached out to my support system: first my husband–he listened, held me, and talked me through my hysteria. I spoke with my mom, who, from a distance, did the...
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I have been mulling around in my head for a couple of weeks now from a comment to the editor in the Summer issue of BP Magazine. The reader expresses an opinion that the publication “paints an unrealistic picture of life with bipolar”, and requests that there be a reduction of “fluff” and an infusion...
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When I married, I kept my maiden name as my middle name—Brownsberger. Many women do this these days, or they hyphenate, etc. I did it because “Brownsberger” is a rather rare name, and I still feel like a Brownsberger despite taking on “Mader” (no worries–my hubbie has no issues). My brother has been in contact...
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I am actually stunned, stunned, I say, to be turning 46 in a few weeks. I write that because it just seems to me that I got here too fast, and I certainly don’t feel “46”, whatever that is. I think a lot of middle-aged folks would likely agree. There’s one thing we women, however,...
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In recognition of National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week (May 6-12), I’m focusing on the effects of mental illness on children and their families today. Not having any children of my own and not having been diagnosed with bipolar disorder until my late 20s, it’s not an issue I think about frequently. But recently, I was contacted...
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In the winter 2012 edition of bp Magazine and my column, “On Second Thought”, I told the story of a Grand Canyon whitewater rafting trip, and how I became the “Princess of Physical Triggers”. The article recalled how on this outing the physical and environmental impacts on my body caused severe bipolar symptoms and behaviors. ...
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I’ve recently spent much time evaluating my life, my decisions, my actions, etc. While doing so, I find myself incredibly conflicted. Many of the poor choices I’ve made, mistakes I let happen and moments of shame can mostly be linked to various stages of depression and hypomania. I get sad, therefore I shop. I get...
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