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‘Yellowjackets’ Shows ECT and Harms the Mentally Ill

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Apr 14, 2023

If you’re hooked on the show Yellowjackets, like me, then you’ll know that in season two, episode two, Yellowjackets showed an electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) scene (I believe it may be called “electroshock” in the show). In the scene, one character, Lottie, is forced onto a bed, an injection is given in her arm, a bite block is placed in her mouth, and she is shocked by electrodes on either side of her head. She violently convulses, clearly in nightmarish pain. Let’s talk about how the Yellowjackets‘ depiction of ECT is inaccurate and harms the mentally ill.

How the COVID-19 Pandemic Is Affecting My Mental Health

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Apr 17, 2020

I’ve been talking about how the pandemic is affecting my mental health on social media quite a bit. I suppose many of us are. It’s a very hard-to-escape reality. Information (mostly depressing information) about the coronavirus pandemic is everywhere. But even when you avoid it, I find the pandemic affects mental health anyway. Here’s what the coronavirus pandemic is doing to my mental health and what I’m trying to do to counter it.

Physical Pain vs. Depression’s Effect on Suicidality

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Jan 29, 2020

Physical pain can affect suicidality and depression, of course, can affect one’s desire to commit suicide.* Both of these are seen in chronic illness. Those with a chronic or acute illness that causes great pain can cause a person to want to take their life and, of course, we know that about half of all people with bipolar disorder attempt suicide — mostly because of depression. (Physical illnesses may, themselves, lead to depression as well but we’ll skip that possibility right now.) I might suggest, however, that physical pain and depression** affect feelings of suicidality differently.

Mental Illness Effects on Family — A Failed Addiction Intervention

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Dec 9, 2018

Mental illness affects the family in more ways than I can count and, certainly, a failed intervention of any type is part of that. I recently have had to view the effects of a failed addiction intervention on my own family members — and I have to deal with the effects of mental illness and a failed addiction intervention on me too. This has been wildly unpleasant.

Pressure to Function Perfectly Because of Bipolar Disorder

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Oct 10, 2018

I feel like there’s a huge amount of pressure on me to function perfectly because I have bipolar disorder. While everyone wants to do their best, certainly, I feel pressure to do the best just to prove that a person with bipolar can. It’s like I’m letting everyone with bipolar disorder down if I don’t function perfectly.

The Connection Between Anxiety and Pain

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Sep 20, 2018

I believe anxiety and pain are connected. I think so, and I’m not the only one who does. I, unfortunately, have been experiencing this pain-anxiety link for months now.

Severe Agitation – Bipolar Symptom or Medication Side Effect?

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Mar 21, 2018

I am suffering from severe bipolar-related agitation. Or is it severe medication-related agitation? This is the question. Technically, it’s mostly a question for your doctor, but it’s one I struggle with, too. On one level, it doesn’t much matter what’s causing the agitation as it’s happening and that’s that; and on the other hand, I think it’s important to know what’s driving the agitation – a bipolar symptom or a medication side effect?

Mental Health Politically Correct Language Is Not Superior, Just Different

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Feb 12, 2018

I do not consider politically correct language to be superior in any way. People who know me know I’m not a big fan of political correctness in the mental health arena. I don’t give a hoot about “person-first language.” I don’t care if you absentmindedly call the weather “bipolar.” And I will always call a spade a spade and say I represent the mentally ill and not those with “behavioral health conditions.” And I talk about violence and mental illness and other things that we’re not supposed to mention because it scares the villagers. And I certainly don’t think insisting on changing the aforementioned things (and oh-so-much-more) helps those of us with mental illness in the slightest. I realize, this puts me in the minority (and she laughs), but my opinion is, politically correct language is not superior, just different.

Bipolar Psych Med Side Effect: Akathisia, Restlessness

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Jul 27, 2016

Akathisia is a psychiatric medication side effect that revolves around psychological and psychical restlessness which causes distress. People with bipolar disorder report more akathisia with psych med treatment than do those with schizophrenia. And I am now reporting the horrible restlessness, agitation and distress of akathisia is happening to me.