I focus on good advice for bipolar disorder here, but whoah boy, have I also received some of the worst advice for bipolar disorder you can imagine. This advice has come from loved ones, natural medicine practitioners, and even a psychiatrist. However, just because the advice comes from someone you respect doesn’t mean it’s good advice. Here is some of the worst advice for bipolar I’ve ever received.
Mental illness self-stigma is essential to recognize. Stigma is a very popular word in mental health advocacy circles. People talk nonstop about the effects of stigma, stigma, stigma. However, self-stigma gets somewhat less press. I don’t know if that’s because it’s people with mental illness talking to other people with mental illness about self-stigma (as opposed to advocates who may or may not have an illness) or because people just don’t like to cop to perceived weakness, but self-stigma is real, harmful, and something we ought to be talking about.
Recently, Psychiatric Times did a comprehensive piece on new or unusual bipolar depression treatments, treatments that may be an option for treatment-resistant bipolar depression. They are thinking outside the standard bipolar depression treatments. This is critical because many people just aren’t being helped or aren’t being helped enough by standard bipolar depression treatments. These novel bipolar depression treatments come in two flavors: medication-based and non-medication-based. If you’re at a place in your bipolar depression treatment where you’re not getting better, you may want to consider discussing these unique treatments with your psychiatrist.
I never stop crying. I can understand why you might think this isn’t true. After all, my cheeks are dry right now. But, believe me, I never stop crying, whether it’s external or suppressed enough to be internal. I have found depression can be like that. No matter what is happening — good or bad — the tears are always there. The depression is always there. It’s bigger than me. it’s stronger than me. And make no mistake; it is also trying to kill me. The omnipresent tears are merely a warning sign.
Recently, I wrote on Instagram about how when you compare yourself to others, you lose. I quoted Theodore Roosevelt, who said, “Comparison is the thief of joy.” I consider this to be true, but it doesn’t mean I don’t fall into the trap of comparing myself to others. Comparison is a natural human instinct, but that doesn’t mean it’s always helpful to us. So, let’s talk about comparing ourselves to others, how that leads to unhappiness, and how we can stop doing it.
Finding the right mental health app in a sea of 10,000 estimated health and wellness apps available (yes, there are really that many) can bring its own challenges. Moreover, in my opinion, it’s the Wild West out there for freely available online apps. This is because anyone can create an app and say it’s good for mental wellness with limited proof to support that claim. So, how do you find the right mental health app for you? At a recent BlogHer Health panel sponsored by Otsuka, we got the 411 on some things to consider.
Believe me, when I tell you bipolar disorder can absolutely feel like a punishment from God (or the universe, or bad karma, etc.) It doesn’t even matter if you believe in any particular god; bipolar disorder can feel like a punishment nonetheless. But why does bipolar disorder feel like a punishment from God, and what can we do about it?
The following is indicative of a mixed mood. These are not necessarily my exact thoughts when I’m thinking more clearly.
It’s days like today when I’d like to punch anyone in the face who says I’m not crazy. I’m crazy. I’m CRAY-ZEE. I know you can’t see it, but if you were in my brain right now, it would be crystal clear to you. I’m feeling so crazy, in fact, that I suspect another person would think they were psychotic if they had to deal with the brain I currently have. I know this is not psychosis, though. I know this is a brutal, unfair, horrific bipolar mixed mood.
It sounds true, but it’s actually a myth that people who self-harm like pain. I’ve done it; I should know. That’s right — I’ve purposefully caused pain, and yet, I hate pain. Believe me, you can want to self-injure and hate pain — both of those things can be true at the same time. Read on to learn about the myth that those who self-mutilate like pain.
Have you heard of a medical test for the selection of antidepressants? It’s billed as a simple blood test or cheek swab that can indicate what antidepressant you should or should not take. This is advertised as “personalized medicine” or “precision medicine.” And to anyone who has been on the (un)merry-go-round of antidepressant trials, it sure sounds like a great idea. Here’s the latest research on what you need to know about spending money on medical tests for antidepressant selection.
I have thought that no one would want me if they knew the real me for, oh, my whole life. It’s not because I’m an ax-murderer or puppy-hater or anything; it’s just because I’m me, and “me” is very messy, indeed. The inner life of a bipolar can be torture. And then there’s whatever Natasha has to offer on top of it. And then there’s Ehler’s-Danlos. And then there’s fibromyalgia. And, really, I thought no one would want me before those last two really asserted themselves, so I can only imagine how undesirable I am now. But one thing I know is that many people think that no one would want them if they knew the real them. Specifically, I know that many disabled people think that no one would want them if they knew the real them. But do disabilities — bipolar disorder or otherwise — stand in the way of being desirable?
Dear Suicidal Friend,
This sucks. Okay, it doesn’t just suck. It’s horrendous. It’s horrific. It’s soul-sucking. It’s suicidality at its finest. It’s lonely, and the pain is unbearable. I know what that feels like. I have been there many times before. I know how impossible just one more moment in the muck and mire feels. I have written about suicide over and over and over, and yet it doesn’t stop me from feeling suicidal again. It doesn’t stop me from wanting to kill myself. No amount of knowledge takes away the suffering.
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