mental illness issues Archives - Page 17 of 51 - Bipolar Burble Blog

Can We Learn from Serious Mental Illness Destroying Families?

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Jun 26, 2018

On Sunday, a mentally ill man ran down a family with his truck as they innocently rolled down a bike lane. There was no previous connection between the man and the family. The man with the mental illness spontaneously ran them down; the father suffered with fatal wounds while his two sons watched. The father was Pedro Aguerreberry of Tampa Florida and the man with mental illness was Mikese Morse. This is one in an unending series of tragedies that result from untreated/improperly treated serious mental illness.

Doctors Dismissing You Because You Have Bipolar Disorder

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Jun 20, 2018

Doctors are sometimes dismissive of you when you have bipolar disorder. Believe me, this is true. Most of us have seen the “dismissive doctor” phenomenon firsthand. And not only are general practitioners often dismissive of bipolar patients but so are specialists and most everyone else in the medical profession (especially in the emergency department of a hospital). This isn’t all doctors, of course, many of us know great ones, but many of us also have also had legitimate medical concerns dismissed because of our bipolar disorder.

Call, Text a Hotline, Lifeline Even If You’re Not Suicidal

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Jun 14, 2018

It’s important to know that you can, and should, call or text a hotline (formally known in the U.S. as Lifeline) even if you’re not suicidal but are experiencing emotional distress. I’m serious about this. You don’t have to wait until you’re on death’s door to talk to a professional crisis worker. Yes, I know their title is “crisis” worker but really what they are is educated people that are there to help you when you need help – whether you’re formally in a “crisis” or not. In fact, calling or texting a hotline, Lifeline, when you’re not suicidal might be the best thing you can do to save your own life.

No, Kanye West, Bipolars Aren’t ‘Superheroes’ and Bipolar’s Not ‘Awesome’

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Jun 5, 2018

Last week, Kanye West released his new album Ye, and with it, the information (confirmation, really) that he has bipolar disorder. And Kanye West doesn’t just say he has bipolar disorder, he screams in his album all about it including:

“Ain’t no disability! I’m a superhero. I’m a SUPERHERO!”

Bipolar disorder also features prominently on Kanye West’s album cover which reads:

“I hate being bi-polar [sic] it’s awesome.”

When You Can’t Do Anything Due to Bipolar Depression, Do This

Posted by Natasha Tracy | May 23, 2018

In my experience, there are often times when bipolar depression makes it so that I can’t do anything. I’m a lump. A rock. A blob. I literally can’t do anything because of bipolar depression. And because this happens to me, quite frankly, on a not infrequent basis, I’ve learned what to do when bipolar depression makes it so that I can’t do anything.

Passive Suicidal Depression – I Wish I Didn’t Wake Up

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Apr 24, 2018

There are different types of suicidal depressions and one type is the passive suicidal depression. It’s the kind of suicidal depression where you want to die, you just don’t want to kill yourself. (As I’ve written about before, here: The Difference Between Being Suicidal and Wanting to Die.) Passive suicidal depression tends to take forms such as the very common one of not wanting to wake up in the morning.

Why Are People with Bipolar So Angry?

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Apr 5, 2018

Bipolar and anger may or may not be linked. It appears they are and many people would assert they are, but as anger is not, technically, a symptom of bipolar disorder as defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, it’s hard to say anything definitive about it. Nevertheless, anger and bipolar disorder have been on my mind lately because I do feel very angry. So why are so many people with bipolar disorder so angry?

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?

Depression and Fake, Coping Skill Smiles vs Real Smiles

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Mar 12, 2018

If you knew me, you would know that I smile a lot. I fake smile a lot as a bipolar depression coping skill. Even when I’m quite depressed, I smile around others to hide. I would consider this to be pretty normal for people with a mental illness and even people without it. After all, how many people are hiding grief or heartbreak, for example, behind a smile?

But then there’s when I’m alone. I actually smile when I’m alone. When I was walking alone on the street this morning, I smiled at the moon. (I love when it’s out in the morning.) Somehow, seeing the moon created a smile on my face. Why is that? Why is it when I’m depressed I still smile when I’m alone?