z_features Archives - Page 7 of 25 - Natasha Tracy Bipolar Expert

Myths that Increase Mental Health Stigma and Decrease Compassion

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Aug 20, 2012

The Bipolar Burble blog is pleased to welcome guest author Jessica Gimeno from Flipswitch. Jessica is an online communications associate for The Balanced Mind Foundation and at only 28 is an amazing advocate for people with mental and physical illnesses.

Stigma and Compassion for Both Mental and Physical Illness

In our struggle to obtain mental health parity, I sometimes hear advocates claim or insinuate, “Everyone knows that emotional pain is worse than physical pain.” Really? Believe it or not, this comparison does not help us win society’s empathy and compassion. Have you ever sat at the bedside of a relative who was dying of cancer? It sucks. And if you’ve lived through physical pain but have no experience with mental illness, you’re less likely to have compassion for people with bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or other stigmatized illnesses after hearing this claim.

Mental Pain is Worse Than Physical Pain?

I also know the claim is false. How? Well, I have many physical illnesses: myasthenia gravis (a neuromuscular autoimmune disease similar to multiple sclerosis), polycystic ovarian syndrome, asthma, and another respiratory illness. I also have bipolar II. (You might be thinking, how did she get so lucky?) The truth is: All illnesses—mental and physical—are hard. I know what it’s like to feel so depressed that you can’t get out of bed. That used to be my life. I also know what it’s like to endure many surgeries, not be able to feel your legs, and spend over a year lying in bed.

This article is not about bashing the mental health industry (an industry I work in, by the way)—it’s about expanding our worldview and helping others see our physical and mental pain more clearly.

Pharmaceutical Advertisers Harm Credibility?

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Aug 14, 2012

Let’s be clear. I am not supported by pharmaceutical companies. No pharmaceutical company has ever paid me one cent. Got it? OK.

But let’s say that Pfizer or GlaxoSmithKline did advertise here, would that pharmaceutical advertisement ruin my credibility?

What to Do If You’ve Just Attempted Suicide

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Aug 8, 2012

This, honestly, isn’t a topic I thought of myself, but in my search log, it turns out that many people are searching for “what to do if you’ve just attempted suicide” and ending up here. On the one hand it saddens me to think of these people who have attempted suicide reading these words, but on the other hand, it is very positive that someone who has attempted suicide is reaching out in whatever way possible.

So, if you have recently attempted suicide, I welcome you. Thank-you for seeking this out.

Getting the Flu Makes Bipolar Undeservedly Worse

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Aug 7, 2012

I have a bone to pick with the universe. Simply put, I don’t think it’s fair that people with a mental illness like bipolar disorder have to get your garden variety illnesses like colds and flus. Do you not realize that people with bipolar disorder spend a massive amount of their time sick already? Do you not realize that a large part of a bipolar’s day is devoted to managing the symptoms of an illness they already have?

Do you not get that we have enough on our plate already without coughing, sneezing, an upset stomach, aching muscles and a runny nose?

Suicide Resources on Facebook

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Jul 31, 2012

As I wrote yesterday, many people post suicide threats on Facebook and I have recommendations for how to handle suicide threats on Facebook or other social media. However, there was something I was not aware of – features right in Facebook to report suicidal content. There are actually several features right in Facebook to help with suicide or self-harm posts on Facebook.

What to do if a Person Threatens Suicide on Facebook

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Jul 30, 2012

Facing Suicide Threats on Social Media

I’m pretty connected on Facebook, Twitter and on social media in general. I have to be. It’s important for my career.

And as such I have almost 20,000 followers on various platforms. This is a whole lot of people to be exposed to on a daily basis. And due to my profession, I run into many people with mental illness on my Facebook, Twitter and other feeds. And sometimes the people on these feeds are in distress. Distressed to the point where they threaten suicide.

But what do you do if someone threatens suicide on Facebook, Twitter or otherwise?

Becoming an Empowered Loved One – An E-Patient’s Best Friend

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Jul 26, 2012

Recently I discussed a little about what it means to be an e-patient. An e-patient is someone who is empowered, engaged, equipped and enabled (and many other things depending on who you ask). In short, an e-patient is someone who is fully engaged in making mental health treatment decisions.

Now, I am the first person to say that being an e-patient isn’t always possible for a person with mental illness. Often, dealing with the day-to-day slog that is living with a mental illness is quite enough pressure, thank-you, without having to put an “e” in front of your title.

E-Partners, E-Parents, E-Friends

However, even if becoming an uber-patient isn’t on your shortlist of things to do, your loved ones can also become empowered. They can become e-partners or e-parents or e-friends, if you like. And adding an “e” in front of their title can help them to feel less helpless in the face of a daunting illness that they cannot control.

How to Research Bipolar Disorder or another Mental Illness

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Jul 23, 2012

When you or someone you love is diagnosed with a mental illness like bipolar disorder, likely, you don’t know much about the mental illness outside of what the media and popular culture has told you. Unfortunately, these are not the best sources of information about bipolar disorder, depression, schizophrenia or other mental illnesses.

Mental Health Research

What is critical is that you take it upon yourself to research the mental illness so you can get the facts and not believe the fictions propagated about mental illness. If you’re here at the Bipolar Burble, and reading this, you’ve made an excellent start but I encourage you to continue with these other trusted research options.

What to Do When Someone Tells You They Have a Mental Illness

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Jul 18, 2012

It’s extremely difficult to tell someone you have a mental illness. No one really likes a conversation that’s along the lines, of, “Hi. How’s the family? Did you know I have a possibly fatal, lifelong condition?”

It’s kind of a bummer.

But telling someone you have a mental illness is hard on the person you tell too. It’s not just hard to give the news; it’s hard to receive it. In fact, most people have no idea what to say upon hearing that someone has a mental illness. They may not know anything about the mental illness or only know what the media tells them – that people with mental illnesses are dangerous and scary. And while that may not be accurate, if it’s the only thing the person has ever heard, you can’t really blame them for acting negatively – at least initially.

So if someone tells you they have a mental illness, what should you do?