I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2007 and started this blog in 2008. I’m still not sure why I started it, but whatever the reason, it became a big deal to me – a very big deal. Friends, family and acquaintances started reading it and it opened conversations about bipolar and how it affects […]
Category: bipolar disorder
What I Miss About Being Manic
For those who aren’t bipolar, being manic sounds like a damn good time. Feeling euphoric, inflated self-esteem, long periods without sleep, increased sex drive, and increased drive to achieve goals. Who the hell wouldn’t want that? Mania may sound great, but all the things that sound wonderful can come with consequences – sometimes very serious […]
What’s My Diagnosis?
When I sat down to write this article I intended it to be about missing my animal friends. I haven’t seen them in a very long time. My cat, my dog and my donkey all went away years ago. None of us were all that close. In fact, I never touched them. The closest I’d […]
When a Loved One Doesn’t Understand Mental Illness
When a Loved One Doesn’t Understand Mental Illness The other day I posted an article suggesting ways you can tell your family and friends that you have a mental illness. What do you do, however, if they don’t understand? I’ve been in enough support groups to learn that many people, unfortunately, have loved ones who […]
Coming Out With Mental Illness
Coming out is not easy. In my life, I came out as a gay man and as a person with bipolar disorder. Both were difficult. I was cautious when I came out as gay. I live on the west coast in Los Angeles, but, most of my close friends and family live scattered throughout the […]
Bipolar Disorder Symptoms Anyone Can Understand
You’ve probably read the various websites that list 5, 10 or 20 signs you may have bipolar disorder. You know the ones – they say that those with bipolar have racing thoughts, delusions of grandeur, easily distracted, hypersexuality, and so on. I find these lists rather vague and confusing. Compare a list of bipolar symptoms […]
Why I Blog Take II
I apologize to those who left comments earlier. I had some technical difficulties and wound up losing the entire post and the comments as well. Please don’t hesitate to comment again. I’m not sure what to say in my first post. It’s kind of like when people start in yearbooks or letters with “What can […]
Seeking Blog Recommendations
Back in the old days before I took a break from blogging, I had a healthy list of blogs I read on a regular basis. Sadly many of them are gone for various reasons. I read once that the average lifespan of a blog is two years, so I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. Since […]
Beginners Guide to Bipolar Disorder
Class is in session. It’s time for the beginners guide to bipolar disorder. Being diagnosed with bipolar disorder or depression is scary. You’ve probably known something just hasn’t felt right for most of your life, but weren’t sure why. Now you know. For me the diagnosis was both scary and a relief. I was relieved […]
Risky Behavior and Bipolar Disorder
The Problem – Risky Behavior One of the first things I learned when I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder is that those of us who have the disease are more likely to pursue risky behavior. Some examples are excessive spending, gambling, drugs and alcohol abuse, unsafe sex and other sexual indiscretions, reckless driving, suddenly quitting […]