This is an unfinished article that definitely needs some additional work, but I wanted to get the guts of it posted. Stay tuned for a revised version. Bipolar disorder (manic-depression illness) is still not understood very well in the mainstream, and when it is cited in the media, I often cringe, because the reference is usually negative. I get tired of hearing bipolar used as an excuse for criminal behavior. This just further reinforces the stigma and discrimination that many individuals with mental illnesses face. I cannot help it that the chemicals in my brain do not function as the ..read more

After stepping out of the closet some five years ago, most of you who know me, know that I have struggled with bipolar disorder most of my life. Yes, I have a mental illness. For years I hid my disorder from the world and somehow learned to compensate, and enjoyed a successful career for more than two decades. Untreated, bipolar disorder exacerbates over time, slowly decimating a person's ability to function on a sustained basis, and my well-loved career and many close relationships became casualties of my illness. As my undiagnosed illness grew worse, and I became well-acquainted with the s ..read more

Yes, mental health is an important issue, but I am tired of seeing the blame for violence and criminal acts laid upon those tormented by some type of mental disorder. One in three Americans suffer from some type of mental illness and, for years live with pain and anguish caused by failure to be correctly diagnosed.  I strongly advocate for early and effective screening measures that will result in successful  treatment, or in some cases, incarceration if indicated. Individuals living with mental disorders most often suffer the stigma of their illness, are alienated from others, and o ..read more

One of my dearest friends and I were discussing strong women on a sultry summer night. She was talking about how strong she was, and I echoed her when I matter-of-factly stated that I, also, was a strong woman. She laughed and then she snorted (Yes, snorted) and I was immediately offended to learn she did not consider me to be a woman of strength. I asked her, “Have you ever had someone you love die in your arms?” Very flippantly, she said, “Yeah,” but I knew that wasn’t true…then she added, “I just mean…well…you’re sick.” Those words delivered a crushing blow. Yes, I have a mental i ..read more

This is an unfinished article that definitely needs some additional work, but I wanted to get the guts of it posted. Stay tuned for a revised version. Bipolar disorder (manic-depression illness) is still not understood very well in the mainstream, and when it is cited in the media, I often cringe, because the reference is usually negative. I get tired of hearing bipolar used as an excuse for criminal behavior. This just further reinforces the stigma and discrimination that many individuals with mental illnesses face. I cannot help it that the chemicals in my brain do not function as ..read more

http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/files/Bipolar_1in4.pdf ..read more

The first phase of mania is intoxicating and euphoric. I was confident and super-humanly productive today…I felt joyous as an indefatigable energy pumped through my veins. At first I was infallible, but as the thoughts jetted faster and faster through my brain, I began to notice small errors and somewhat poor decisions. Now I am at mach one and am fighting the agitation that is interfering with my ability to focus. I know the course…agitation will exacerbate into rage and if I don’t find the brakes, the mania will threaten my well-being. I know what to do. I should reach out for a calming han ..read more

I remember when mental illness was a social stigma… There was no applause… no public accolades for undergoing treatment. It was commitment, plain and simple. Mental illness was a character defect-- cause for social isolation, job discrimination, and shame. There were no posh clinics; only dark corridors locked away from the world. At 22, I was ushered through those padlocked gates. I met the faces of psychosis and schizophrenia; the lost souls haunted by delusions and dementia. Many, like me, were buried under despair so deep; we had pursued a death of our own design. You lowered your head as ..read more

The first arrows of sunlight are cutting their way through the trees outside my window. I sit with my head in my hands on the morning after the culmination of a severe manic episode. Clips of my behavior wash over me in horrifying detail. I am ashamed and bereft. How many friends did I alienate with my caustic tongue and my grandiose exhibition? How many witnessed or got caught in the path of my mercurial madness? Apologies and self-flagellation bear no weight against the eviscerating depression that now has sovereignty over my life. It matters not that my doctor emphatically assures me the ..read more

  Bottom of Form Please Stop Believing These 8 Harmful Bipolar Disorder Myths Share on Pinterest What do successful people like musician Demi Lovato, comedian Russell Brand, news anchor Jane Pauley, and actress Catherine Zeta-Jones have in common? They, like millions of others, are living with bipolar disorder. Although we are learning more about bipolar disorder, there remain many misconceptions. Here are a few myths and facts, so you can arm yourself with knowledge and help end the stigma. 1. Myth: Bipolar disorder is a rare condition. Fact: Bipolar disorder affects 2 m ..read more