mental illness issues Archives - Page 12 of 53 - Natasha Tracy Bipolar Expert

Pain May Not Get Better; Don’t Say, ‘It Gets Better’

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Sep 1, 2020

Recently a commenter called me out for saying, “It will get better.” The commenter’s point is that pain doesn’t get better for everyone and saying “It gets better,” is a lie; and, I can see how it could be somewhat dismissive of an individual’s experience. I understand this commenter’s complaint. I understand that just saying, “It gets better,” can sound just as trite as, “Turn that frown upside down.” So let’s talk about when things don’t get better. Let’s talk about the nuance of what to say when pain is not getting better.

Being Judged by Doctors Because of a Mental Illness

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Aug 11, 2020

I’m in the process of being judged by a doctor and I know the doctor will be judging me for having a mental illness, not to mention my mental illness treatment. This is happening because I just put in an application for a new general practitioner (GP). On the application, I had to write down my medical conditions, medical concerns and all medications being taken. As I looked at it all, I knew it didn’t look good for me. It’s funny that having a serious mental illness makes you appear like a less-than-desirable patient seeing as you’re one of the people who actually need help more. And that’s because of judgment. It’s about a doctor judging you for your mental illness and your treatment. It’s unfair, but it definitely happens.

Why Do People with Mental Illness Stop Taking Medication?

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Jul 27, 2020

People with mental illness frequently stop taking their medication. This is known as medication non-adherence or medication noncompliance. No matter what doctors choose to call it, however, it’s a problem. By and large, when the mentally ill stop taking their medication bad things happen to them. But if this is the case, then why do people with mental illness stop taking their medication?

Mourning Bipolar Disability

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Jul 9, 2020

I think it’s important to mourn a life with a disability like bipolar disorder. Not everyone with bipolar disorder is disabled, of course, there is a range of functionalities associated with bipolar disorder, but for those for whom it is a disability, mourning it is part of the bipolar diagnosis acceptance process. Unfortunately, this is rarely focused on or even discussed by healthcare professionals. This doesn’t make it unimportant, however. I believe mourning a bipolar disability is actually something that can improve one’s mental health.

Hopelessness Plus Suffering Equals Suicide

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Jun 29, 2020

Today I want to talk about how hopelessness plus suffering often equals suicide. Just suffering or just being hopeless often isn’t enough. It’s when these things come together that a suicide attempt is made. And while these two variables are not the only ones that can lead to suicide, hopelessness and suffering sure are big ones.

Defund the Police — It Will Save Lives of the Mentally Ill

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Jun 18, 2020

Many people are saying “defund the police” right now, and while this tends to be with regards to saving the lives of (mostly) Black men who are unjustly killed by the police, what few people realize is that defunding the police would also save the lives of the mentally ill too. Now, I know the idea of defunding the police is scary to some, but read on to find out why defunding the police should be done and how it will save the lives of people with mental illness.

Black Mental Health Matters — Race, Racism and Mental Health

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Jun 4, 2020

I decided to take a look at race and racism’s effects on mental health because as the title says, black mental health matters (and this goes for all skin tones, of course). But what I realized is that I’m not the best person for this. Just as I believe the voices of people with bipolar disorder need to be in discussions about bipolar disorder, I believe people of color need to be in discussions about race and racism’s effect on mental health.

Luckily for me, I happen to know Mike Veny — an African American, a preeminent mental health speaker and author of Transforming Stigma: How to Become a Mental Wellness Superhero. You might remember Mike from his well-received guest post here, “Improving Men’s Mental Health Before It Becomes a Crisis.” And while no one can speak for an entire group, so many of Mike’s words ring true and clear.

Mike and I sat down this morning to talk about race and mental health and how uncomfortable conversations about race and mental health are the ones we desperately need to have.

What to Do If a Person with Mental Illness Stops Talking to You

Posted by Natasha Tracy | May 27, 2020

Today I’m talking about what to do if a person with mental illness stops talking to you. I’m talking about this today because it’s a question I get from people all the time. After all, it’s very difficult to know what to do with a wall of silence. It’s loved ones who ask this question, and I think they deserve to know ideas about what to do if a person with mental illness stops talking to them.

I’m in Too Much Pain — Chronic Pain Implications

Posted by Natasha Tracy | May 6, 2020

My brain repeats the refrain, “I’m in too much pain.” It does it over and over and over so many days of my life. This type of mental repetition seems to be a chronic pain implication. It irritates me because the word “pain” describes nothing because there is such a myriad of chronic pains I experience. I am in too much pain. Too much pain for what?