July 31, 2011
Today is the last day of Anniversary Month for us at Ask A Bipolar. As Marybeth has mentioned, it has been a FANTASTICAL month full of so many great events, opportunities, and new endeavors. When Marybeth and I were looking for testimonials on how this site has impacted people’s lives, the one person I thought to ask was my dad. My dad doesn’t use Facebook, nor does my mom, but I know that they read each of my posts on the Ask A Bipolar website and have subscribed to the feed through email so they don’t miss one! Since the only feedback I received from my dad was “Good job,” or “I liked that one,” but I began to wonder if they were reading the other author’s posts as well, and if so, were they learning or understand more about ME through those posts? Was this site helping them understand and put together the pieces [...]
July 30, 2011
Well our anniversary month has drawn to a close. I don’t know about you, but it was a bit overwhelming for me. I’m quite ready for July to be over. Though the month was very kind to me, it still brought with it many emotions I had not expected. Examples – Chicago/NAMI Convention Informative, got to see my awesometastic friend CB, met all sorts of awesome peeps … all around awesome. Still, I was sad to leave, nervous for what was to come and anxious about all sorts of stuff. Harry Potter (oh just bear with me on this one) I’d been waiting for years to see this last Harry Potter, and although it was awesome and I saw it twice cuz I’m a dork like that, it was sad. Now I have no more midnight movies to attend with my cousin. It’s the end of an era. I’m not [...]
July 29, 2011
Hello my son is 19 and will be 20 in July. When he went away to college he had his first episode and was diagnosed as Bipolar 1 Schizophrenia Manic at 18. He was in the hospital for approximately 5 weeks. When we brought him home we immediately got him a psychologists and Psychiatrist. He had been taken his medicine faithfully until 3 months ago. He stopped taking his medicine (1- 2 mg Risperdal and 2-500mg Depakote) and going to his doctors, he said: It makes him tired and sleepy. It is hard for him to concentrate and or understand what his professors are saying. When he is not on the medication he get’s A’s and B’s when he is on the medication he get’s D’s and F on test and quizes. He gained approximately 40 pounds. When he is on the medication he does not care about his appearance, [...]
July 28, 2011
I am learning about Bipolar Disorder in my graduate school class and I had a quick question. As former students with this disorder, what in particular did your teachers do for you that was helpful? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I have dealt with my mental illness since I was in 6th grade, so I have had quite a few teachers, and they have handled it in a variety of ways… Some teachers have handled it better than others… I think the teachers who handled it best were the ones who were patient with me and didn’t push me too hard… I was always missing classes, either because I was in school but having to go to the guidance counselor or someone else to get through a difficult time, or because I was in the hospital (I spent a lot of time in the hospital…) I was even in a partial program in high [...]
July 27, 2011
What links have been found between genetics and bipolar disorder? Is there a genetic connection between bipolar disorder and schizophrenia? (My friend knows a family that has three girls that are bipolar and three boys that are schizophrenic. There HAS to be a link there!) The notion of mental illness without a doubt very quickly gets into what is classically noted as ‘nature vs nurture’… nature being the biological component and nuture being the upbringing/environment. The thing is… those are, in most cases, impossible to differentiate from one another. Suffice to say that there is evidence that mental illness is hereditary in nature… found by looking a gene-mapping for one part… and the other part known from doing identical-twin research when those twins have had different upbringings. Essentially… if both twins end up with a given mental illness, having had different environments, then the deduction is the biological makeup. This [...]
Are there fields you should avoid because it might trigger your symptoms? ~~~~~~~~~ In attempting to answer this question it seems that research on this topic has been quite limited. However I was able to find some information along with some resources that may be useful for people with bipolar disorder who wonder what work environment/s may be best. While researching this topic a frequent theme often cropped up, that people with bipolar disorder can have a difficult time working outside of the home. However it was also often cited that some people with bipolar excel at jobs outside of the home. It appears that what may work for one person may not work for the next person. It seems to be a very individual thing depending on a person’s interests, strengths and limitations. So how does a person with bipolar disorder find a work environment or a career that [...]
My son has shown unusual changes in his appetite, he hasn’t been hungry. With that he has had a lot of anger and feeling too much energy. Has anyone felt appetite changes with depression and mania and what does that look like? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Looks like we’ve go food on the brain this week! My moods and my appetite are natural enemies. I say enemies because they are always battling one another. Many people probably don’t know this about me, but I have definite issues with weight. I’ve never completely gotten to the point where I’ve been diagnosed with an eating disorder, but there was a time in high school where my weight was regularly being monitored. It started when I was about 11. I still had my baby belly and anything but an actual figure. I was trying on bathing suits one day and got teased for my belly sticking [...]
July 26, 2011
Do you know about a special diet that can improve our illness ? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ First let me begin by saying ~DO NOT DISCONTINUE ANY OF YOUR MEDICATIONS OR TAKE ANY SUPPLEMENTS WITHOUT FIRST DISCUSSING WITH YOUR DOCTOR~ I am not a doctor by any means, this is not medical advice. This is just a little bit of my opinion with a little bit of information thrown in there. Whew…. now that we got all that out of the way let’s get down to brass tax…. Ok, from the research I’ve read this is what I found out. A small study was done with an extremely small group of individuals and it was discovered that there does seem to be a link between diet and Bipolar. There were four things that seemed to help the intensity and frequency of mood swings: Omega 3, Magnesium, Vitamin B & Low blood sugar. However [...]
July 25, 2011
i was diagnosed bipolar manic depressed in 1996. i have severe symptoms and my friends and family have nicknamed me TRIPOLAR. i have very little work history..troubled relationships and exhausted mentality. at the request of mhmr..i applied for s.s. and have been denied twice. not in anyway “bragging” but im one of the EXTREME bipolar sufferers and it feels like im about to snap. its hard to bite my tongue. what now?? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ All too often those with our kind of conditions can get caught up in the diagnosis we have and it really hurts our situation – knowing the diagnosis gives context and can be a general guide for treatment, but ultimately the diagnosis doesn’t change how we’re feeling. The key, in my opinion is to focus on what you’re feeling and how best to manage those symptoms with the help of professionals. One example I’d like to point [...]
July 24, 2011
And now it’s time for the moment you’ve all been waiting for! Drum roll please? …. *cricket cricket* …. CHRISTI WHERE’S THE DRUM ROLL!!!??? There we go … Bout time! So without further prolonging the inevitable … which reminds me … What? Ok ok ok! WINNER OF CONTEST #1 AAB SWAG Angel WINNER OF CONTEST #2 A signed copy of SIXTY DAYS TO SANITY by Peter Barnes Karen T. and the WINNER OF THE 3rd and FINAL CONTEST!!! A signed copy of FALL GIRL by Marybeth Smith (that’s me!) Carrie *cues applause* Ok … quiet down now! Winners, please email your mailing addresses to me at marybeth @ askabipolar . com (remove spaces first) Thanks for all who entered and all who have been here to celebrate this awesome Anniversary Month! This site wouldn’t be what it is without you Do you have a question that needs answering? Click [...]
July 22, 2011
hi, i have a best friend. i have heard from other people that she is bipolar and she has mentioned that a few times too. How can i tell if she is really bipolar without asking her and making things awkward? also, how does being bipolar affect your relationships with people? i don’t know what to do. it’s hard to deal with all her ups and downs but i also don’t want to leave her because she is my best friend. we both really care about each other but her moods switch so often that i don’t even think she likes me half the time. what should i do? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ That must be tough for, honestly, both of you – maintaining friendships can be difficult enough without other issues involved… and the situation must be stressful. The diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder can only come from a qualified physician/therapist and really [...]
July 21, 2011
Without a formal diagnosis, I believe my sister, age 39, is bipolar. For years I have tried to get her to acknowledge she has a problem. I have talked to friends who are psychologists and thus believe my sister is bipolar. Of recent concern is the fact she lost a job, and then just had to drop out of school because she supposedly missed a grant deadline. As a result, she has no money, cannot pay rent and bills and just announced to my parents she is going to a shelter in a few days. My concerns are: 1 – she has a 13 year old son; my nephew is the greatest and an amazing young man. I fear for his emotional and physical well-being; she has a history of yelling at him (and others) for no reason, hitting for no reason, leaving medication about the house at his reach [...]
July 20, 2011
I am wondering if there is any information out there about the “I hate you,please don’t leave syndrome”. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The phrase “I hate you, don’t leave me” was made popular by a book on the subject of something called Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), although those with Bipolar Disorder (BP) can also show this pattern. Essentially it is what it says… and we’ll add to more of that here. The world of someone with BPD or BP if full of conflict and trying to handle a world not necessarily perceived the same as someone without these issues. I Hate You: These words likely hurt the most, especially coming from someone you love or care about… and essentially in the midst of an extreme mood (high or low) the person may be irrational (weather or not they know it) and can say some pretty hurtful things like this… although the cause is [...]
July 19, 2011
Gosh, where do I even begin??!!! I first found Ask A Bipolar as I was perusing Facebook for some pages or groups that would provide me information on bipolar disorder and maybe even some people that I could relate to. After 5 years, I was beginning to miss the supports that I had during my outpatient therapy from others diagnosed with bipolar disorder or depression. I found AaB and followed along very passively at first. Before I dove in and started interacting, I wanted to see what it was all about. A few weeks later they posted that they were looking for a writer. I submitted a sample on a whim and that is when everything changed!! I began interacting with everyone on the site, commenting and providing encouragement when some were struggling and congratulating when there was a victory. It wasn’t long before others were providing the same for me, giving me the [...]
July 17, 2011
Why I<3 AaB… Have you ever walked through life constantly feeling misunderstood? You’re the outcast that no one wants to get to know for fear of what may happen. You’re the crazy one in your school and those who are nice enough to befriend you must have done so out of pity because you’re the charity case. You have friends just so they can feel better about themselves, not because they truly care. You’re the freak. You’re the kid with bipolar. That was me before Ask A Bipolar. I try to remain optimistic. I try to tell myself that this isn’t really what my life is like, that people care. As soon as I begin to believe, I get thrown into the mud once again and come up dirty. I’ve always had this illness, but I was just recently diagnosed. When I received the correct diagnosis there were “friends” who [...]
July 16, 2011
MB had a difficult time coming up with prizes for these contests, I mean really, what do people with bipolar really want? We have yet to create our hiding cave … still looking for the right location. Oooh … we could have given away some fuzzy blankets! (stowing that idea for next contest … AaB fuzzy blankets! Even I want one!) Needless to say, it took some thinking. Well this last prize I’m giving away I’ve left till the very last. We’ve had some major happenings this week with it and have talked about it a great deal … I’m pretty excited to announce it. We are giving away a copy of Fall Girl, written by none other than THEEEEE Marybeth Smith that brought us all together, and not just any book, but a SIGNED copy of course!!!! The Rules Your names will be put into a hat (My Trinity Swag Hat [...]
One year ago today I started on a journey with absolutely NO idea what was ahead of me. All I knew was I had a vision, and I needed to share that vision. I NEEDED to make a difference, even if only a small one. And so Ask a Bipolar was born!!! Remember when it looked like this!!! Yeah, I’ve tried to forget too I must have been in a bad mood that day. Look at all that black! EEK! It was like, “Hi, welcome to my deep dark cave of despair. Come on in and get cozy … in the dark … It’s ok, I won’t bite!” It could be I was still stuck in my twilight phase, I don’t see any random chess pieces or apples, so I don’t think that was the catalyst. ANYWAYS … I got over the whole EmoAaB look. Brightened things up a bit [...]
July 15, 2011
And it’s for the better Even with all the (fill in the blank) I have to deal with on a daily basis and how horrible things tend to be overall, I always have certain people in my life I can rely on for Anything. Seriously, anything — things I never could have imagined. I’ve been able to open up and talk about things I used to deal with myself and a small group of people who don’t have Bipolar. Now, because of Ask a Bipolar, I have amazing people to vent to or share happy moments and days with, and the best part is that I can be there for others. I’m not sure if I always help, but at least those people know others are thinking about them and trying to help and that helps more than most people understand. – Just knowing you’re being listened to and [...]
July 14, 2011
For today’s contest we are giving away a signed copy of the book Sixty Days to Sanity by Pete Barnes We met Pete at the NAMI Convention. He was one of the featured authors of the weekend. We got a chance to meet him and here parts of his story. Not only is his book an inspiration as well as a look into the mind of someone who is bipolar, but Oh My G! Look at that awesome cover art!!! (Jealous!) The rules are the similar to the previous contest … The Rules Your names will be put into a hat (My Trinity Swag Hat to be more specific) … one for each point you earn. Points are as follows … +2 Comment and tell us what your favorite book or movie about bipolar is. +2 Points – Post a link to us on your facebook and/or twitter page. +1 [...]
July 13, 2011
I have a 15 year old son who is BP. His medication costs per month are $1,500- 2,000. He is on the state childs health care insurance now because our private insurance maxed out and my husband had to quit his job so we could qualify for the state’s program. When my son turns 19 he can no longer receive the child insurance and I don’t know what to do. He is smart and a hard worker and wants to go to college. How do we get health insurance for him? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Most pharmaceutical companies offer some sort of a discount program for the medications that they manufacture. Each company differs on their qualifications and the medication included so it does require a little internet searching and/or a few phone calls. I have listed as many links and phone numbers as I could find, so hopefully that will trim down the [...]
July 12, 2011
As a mom of a young child with a mood disorder, I’m so thankful for Ask a Bipolar. Like many parents raising children with mental illnesses, I’m left in the dark in so many ways. In our experience, the medical community is afraid to diagnose children for many reasons, but the unfortunate outcome is a lot of unanswered questions. Over the past year, I’ve turned to Ask a Bipolar on more than several occasions to ask those tough questions. It’s a blessing to have access to other individuals that share my son’s symptoms, helping to give me understanding and encouragement where it’s needed most. I’m also thrilled to see so many amazing individuals open up and share their stories on Ask a Bipolar, I know that this is one more positive step in creating a world where my son will not have to hide due to the negative stigma associated [...]
As promised, we are going to be holding a few contests for our Anniversary Week. Today’s contest is quite simple and the winner gets some awesomeness prizes! The winner of today’s contest will win … An Ask a Bipolar T-Shirt (size of their choice) and An Ask a Bipolar Tote Bag AKA Just a bit o’ swag The Rules Your names will be put into a hat (My Trinity Swag Hat to be more specific) … one for each point you earn. Points are as follows … +2 Points – Simply watch today’s Vlog, comment on the post telling us your favorite part of our NAMI Convention experience (Day One Vlog can be found Here) +2 Points – Post a link to us on your facebook and/or twitter page. +1 Point for following us on Facebook +1 Point for following us on Twitter Then post your total point count [...]
July 11, 2011
i have been diagnosed with bipolar in the past when i was around 22 yrs old. i am 30 now. my attacks aren’t as bad as they used to be but when i get stressed everyone suffers cause of my illness. i then start to get depressed and cant seem to think straight.then i become angry with myself but take it out on my loved ones. i personally don’t think its all bipolar but most of it lack of confidence and esteem. projects around the house become a challenge for me as well like mowing the yard or fixing things. i don’t know what to do or how to treat it. what do i do?? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ What’s that saying? “We always hurt the ones we love the most?” I think that is because the ones that love us the most are there for us at our best and still there [...]
July 10, 2011
Today marks the beginning of a new annual ritual, ANNIVERSARY WEEK! It will be full of contests and prizes and updates and reveals. So hold on to your pants kids. It all begins here! Let’s start if off with a little video from our first night at the Nami Convention shall we? (Please don’t laugh at the quality … this is the first vlog I’ve ever done!) Stay tuned for more updates! Do you have a question that needs answering? Click here to submit… Tweetcd813b7832bf18ab4effe721b6ffe350Link to this post!
July 9, 2011
*Disclaimer: None of the following words are meant to be offensive or anything of the sort.* I has been brought to our attention by more than one person that some might find the title of our website offensive and/or contributing to the stigma being labeled “Bipolar”. As many of you already know, and possibly advocate for, there is a large movement to say “We are Not Bipolar, We HAVE Bipolar.” … “We are not the illness, we have the illness.” and “The illness does not define us.” Which I agree with all of the above. However, in my (not necessarily the right) opinion, I think it is what it is. Yes, I have bipolar. But even when referring to my illness or telling people what illness I have, I still say it, “I’m bipolar.” The words just come out like that. But I am. As am I Depressed, Manic, Anxious, [...]
July 7, 2011
Let me preface this post by saying, I began my “career” in the mental health field in high school when I developed an eating disorder. In college, the eating disorder continued, and I was diagnosed with depression (even though I had it since about age 15) and saw therapists and was prescribed medication on and off for those 5 years. In addition, I had taken Psych 101 and Abnormal Psych because I had intended to have a future in psychiatry. (I was hoping on the other side of desk though….funny how the tables turn) I was diagnosed with bipolar when I was 25 (about 5 years ago). Being exposed to all of this since approximately age 15, I feel that I know a pretty good amount about general psychology and about the disorders I have personally experienced. Don’t you? At least compared to someone who did not study the subject at all, has had little [...]
July 6, 2011
I’m less than 12 hours away from getting in the car and heading off to Chicago. I’m not so sure I’ve been this excited since the birth of my last child. So excited in fact that I’m not sure how I’m even going to sleep tonight. HOWEVER We’ve got some awesome things planned for this weekend and we can’t wait to share them with you. (It may or may not involve a vlog from the NAMI Convention itself!) Soooo If you have any information you’d like us to gleam from this weekend, do NOT hesitated to ask. We’re going for YOU! I’ve got a massive schedule planned and a notebook and pen to capture it all! (possible exaggeration) Watch out Chicago! You’re about to be invaded by a world of awesome! AaB is gonna rock the house! (oh come on, I’m excited!!!) Do you have a question that needs [...]
July 5, 2011
I really appreciate the honesty with which you share your stories and experience! I feel very torn about sharing my recent diagnosis of ADD and Bipolar II with others. Although I’m surrounded by supportive and caring people, I guess it’s inevitable that it changes the way they see me. Some of my family members struggle to accept the diagnosis. And the couple of close friends I have told just tend to avoid the topic which is awful. How did you decide who to share with and how much to say? Any regrets? Was it a difficult decision for you to tell the world your story? Do you struggle with the misconceptions and stigma (sorry, stupid question – of course you do!) or does it just fuel your desire to change things? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ok so first, here’s our fb page and group. http://www.facebook.com/askabipolar http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_148128451916715&ap=1 They are FANTASTIC when it comes to [...]
July 4, 2011
I have been dating a man with bipolar, it took him 4 months to meet me for the second time, it was really good but he has withdrawn again. I think I may be triggering an episode and I’m not sure how to handle it, I really like him but at the moment it feels like he is allergic to me. I feel really sad about it don’t know what to do please help. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dating somebody with Bipolar Disorder can be tricky. I know, for me, having Bipolar Disorder, I have done some of the same behaviors toward my husband that you are speaking of here. I think what is happening is he’s not sure about the relationship and maybe he’s cycling around with the different moods that go along with the disease. Sometimes, the person that is ill needs space. They aren’t sure about themselves so sometimes they [...]
July 3, 2011
“… And you don’t let it trouble your brain, cause away goes trouble down the drain…..Last night a DJ saved my life. There’s not a problem that I can’t fix ‘Cause I can do it in the mix…” – Indeep, Last Night A DJ Saved My Life Studies have been done to decide whether or not music therapy is helpful to people diagnosed with bipolar disorder; and by music therapy, I mean incorporating some aspect of music into your life; whether its playing an instrument, writing music, or just listening to music. The scientific results have been mixed, however my research showed that individuals with bipolar have turned to music quite frequently to manage their moods. Some use it to cheer themselves up while some use it to relate to the mood they are currently in. Regardless of how they use the music, they are still getting in touch with their creative [...]
July 2, 2011
It’s the beginning of Anniversary month and we have TONS of fun stuff planned. We’ve donned our tool belts and tightened our thinking caps. We are making lots of fun updates/changes and we want YOUR input to make sure we are on the right track. So tell us … What do you love most about Ask a Bipolar? What can we improve on in the next year? Remember, we are here for YOU! We want to make it the best experience you can have Tweet2234a39278a8d8ff33082f2283d16540Link to this post!
July 1, 2011
I have not been diagnosed with anything but through out my life i have struggled with violent episodes in relationships. It seems when i am single I am just fine and then when I am in a relationship and become close with someone I lose it like I get jealous and paranoid afraid of being cheated on or disrespected. I tend to feel that other women are flirting with my husband. I don’t like him to go out with his friends and always trying to control. I get upset and can’t cope with minor disappointments and it is usually the same cycle of violent events. We argue, I tell him to leave or he decides he wants to leave and then I snap I try to stop him, break things, violent threats, my heart beating fast. and then I come down out of this complete and crazy mental state i [...]
