Chase community

Compounding factors make mental illness worse. One of them is loneliness. Although we're all different in terms of how much company we'd like to keep, being lonely all the time works against the path to recovery.

It's hard to power through the notion of being with other people when you just want to sit and do nothing (or can only do nothing). However, recovery needs (perhaps requires) the support net of positive community. There is power when you can, in whatever way, both share your burdens with others, and you may find giving back into community a helpful way to prove to yourself you're still valuable.

Opt for community, go find community, in the flesh kind of community, and don't look back.

Have pets helped your recovery ?

I don't nkow if adding a new pet to the mix if you've never had one is necessarily the right option, but I know for a fact many people have benefited from the company and love from a pet.

Dogs or cats are the prime examples, both of which offer therapeutic benefits to their owners.

How have your experiences been with animals? Have you found them to be a nuisance or a life saver?

Find a rooter

You know the one--the kinds of people who root you on. Positive people help, maybe even people who aren't intimately connected to you (family for example). Being around an environment that's positive, helps both in pointing to a better picture in your mind (the possibility of), and it also adds the critical dimension of community.

Although you may not have it in you to maintain a friendship as often as you would like (but if you can, opt for community), in the least, make a point to chase those who root you on. And if you think you're not worth it, remember that's a lie.

Just do it

Easier said than done.

SometimesBreaking the routine of no routine is just what the doctor ordered. When dealing with mental illness,  forcing yourself to do things you otherwise wouldn't can go along way to, 'faking it until you make it'.

Not big things either. Simple things like making your bed, making a cup of coffee.

Of course, if you are really brave heading out to try some new activities that are the opposite of sitting in a dark room all day, but that might be tomorrow's victory. As for today, finding success in even the simplest of tasks is a step in the right direction--a triumph!

Carrie Fisher Passes

A champion who shone light on bi-polar sickness, someone who gave courage to everyone else struggling in the dark. RIP.

Keep a job with mental illness

Found this conversation going on at Reddit.

https://www.reddit.com/r/BipolarReddit/comments/5ca298/how_to_keep_your_job_with_a_serious_mental_illness/

Including:

Step 1: Do not tell anyone you work with that you have a mental health condition.Just don’t. I wish that this was different, that we lived in a world where our health condition didn’t affect how we are viewed in the workplace, but that just isn’t our reality. Someday, this will be different, but today is not that day.

If you tell the truth, you will almost certainly be discriminated against. This ranges from illegal discrimination to smaller, legal ways like getting passed up on a project or promotion, or stigma from your coworkers if you need special accommodations. All these ways you will be discriminated against add up and seriously impact your career.

But the conversation in the comment section is worth the read.

Misdiagnosing Bipolar Disorders?

http://www.bustle.com/articles/165839-5-mental-health-disorders-that-are-often-misdiagnosed

World Bipolar Day

Here's a link to celebrate World Bi Polar Day Myths on Bipolar disorder: http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/sunnybrook-health-sciences-centre/bipolar-disorder-myths_b_9573772.html http://www.cnn.com/2016/03/21/health/bipolar-healthcare-parity/

FDA Approves New Drug Vraylar

A new antipsychotic drug that can be used to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder in adults has been approved by the FDA.

Vraylar belongs to a class of drugs known as atypical antipsychotics. Others in this group include Abilify (aripiprazole), Seroquel (quetiapine) and Risperdal (risperidone).

Latest Updates and Research on Bi Polar

New research have opened scientific understanding and clinical management of bipolar disorder. Recent advances in bipolar disease research are described in this month's special issue of Harvard Review of Psychiatry.
 Some of the new research includes:

•  The role of white matter disease. 
• Stress and HPA axis function. 
• Effectiveness of lithium. 
•  Functional remediation. 
• 
  

 More information: Harvard Review of Psychiatry, journals.lww.com/hrpjournal/pages/currenttoc.aspx

More evidence for bi polar battle of the sexes

Men and women handle bipolar disorders differently. That may not sound earth shattering to anybody, but now we're getting specific. Bipolar men were more likely to abuse drugs and alcohol than women. Bipolar women were more likely to have a co-morbid phobia or eating disorder Women were more likely to have metabolic issues (obesity, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes) Men were more likely to develop neurological disorders For the more info on the study that was conducted with 1000 subjects visit the Scienedirect page.

Exploding Bi Polar Disorders

When celebrities 'come out' about their bi polar disorders chances are it wasn't by choice. Typically there's a very very public breakdown that goes viral. Carrier Fisher would be a recent example. People did a bit on her recent episode on a cruise ship. Culturally, consumers will eat up anything that is even mildly controversial, or that displays the demise of a once beloved celebrity. I'd love to see these individuals get help before it goes public. Public breakdowns sensationalize a real problem. It's not that the public can't handle the grisly reality some face, but it pushes those who struggle further to the margins.

It's one thing to have bipolar

It's quite another to think you have bipolar disorder but really you were misdiagnosed. There is a spike in reported cases, and it's coming to light that many times that's a result of misdiagnosis.

"From 1993-2004, the diagnosis of bipolar disorder in children increased by 40 fold  (Moreno, et al 2007 The extent misdiagnosis happens is up to wild debate. But that doesn't 'stop more and more studies from coming out, and stats being released, to confirm there's an upward trend. http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/mood-swings/201212/misdiagnosed-bipolar-disorder-remains-ignored

Something's Fishy....

Stats show that the United States has the highest rate of bipolar disorder in the world. 4.4% of the nation's population has been diagnosed with BPD at some point in their lives. These high numbers are not restricted only to the U.S., in fact, many developed and high-income countries present similar statistics. When compared with other stats around the world, this number is particularly curious, and researchers are on the hunt to discover why there is such a discrepancy between the U.S. at 4.4%, and Japan at a low 0.7%.

The answer, obviously, is fish oil. An article I read on the topic hypothesizes that the percentage of bipolar disorders may correlate directly to the amount of fish and omega 3s that a person consumes. Sounds pretty legit. I mean, all of those countries with lower numbers generally eat more fish. That must the answer. Never mind that these nations may have social stigmas attached to mental health disorders, and therefore may have a largely undiagnosed population (or the US an overdiagnosed population...but that's a later blog post). What about tighter social networks in these countries with lower rates of BPD? Americans are more distanced from their families than people in other countries who live in the same household.
A professor from John Hopkins has suggested higher rates of BPD in the US may also be due immigration. He says that the risk taking associated with coming to America, starting a new life, business, etc., may result in increased stress and something he calls "Hypomania". He says there is a certain "suspension of belief" that makes these newcomers certain they can succeed at achieving the American dream. These grandiose ideas can result in a type of mania, and perhaps lead to a form of BPD.

The purpose of this post is to point out that we just don't know what causes BPD. It could be a 10 things, could be nothing. Could be that we don't eat enough fish. I think there's more to the equation, and suggesting anything else is limiting the scope of the disorder and limiting the potential to uncover real solutions for people. Sure, fish oil is good for you. There's probably a million reasons why we should all eat more fish. But I highly doubt that BPD is going to be prevented by slapping salmon on your plate for every meal.

Contaminated Drinking Water Causes BPD?

What?! Water now? A new study had shown there to be a link between exposure to to tetrachloroethylene (also known as perchloroethylene or PCE), a common byproduct of the textile industry, in drinking water early in life and bipolar disorder, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and schizophrenia later in life. PCE is a colorless organic liquid that is used in dry cleaning and is also used to clean metals. EPA has set an enforceable regulation for tetrachloroethylene (a maximum contaminant level [MCL]) of 0.005 mg/L or 5 ppb (parts per billion). Is nothing safe? Or is this another one of those fear studies? In the last we can safely assume that any toxic chemical isn't going to do wonders on your health. SOURCES: Aschengrau A, Weinberg JM Janulewicz PA, Romano ME, Gallagher LG, Winter MR, Martin BR, Vieira VM, Webster TF, White RF, Ozonoff DM. Occurrence of mental illness following prenatal and early childhood exposure to tetrachloroethylene (PCE)-contaminated drinking water: a retrospective cohort study. Environmental Health 2012; 11:2 EPA

Tale to Anonymous

Post i found, can't find author thought....

.... I found out who Anonymous really is. Anonymous is not an individual, but is, rather, a family. The patriarch is John Doe; the matriarch is Jane Doe. For years, they have been able to hide the fact that they are brother and sister, not husband and wife. As is usually the case with incestuous hook-ups, their offspring are transmogrifying into drooling swamp things, freelance racists, misogynists, homophobes and brownshirts in clerical collars.

Until the day before yesterday, I had a post on this blog about one of my clients. Then Anonymous visited three times and threatened both my client and me because of the content of the post. I'm not very worried about myself because if you try to get something from someone who has nothing, that's pretty much what you get. I would never intentionally cause problems for any of my clients however, so I took the post down.

My client is a religious organization. (Don't ask which one; if I told you, it would out Anonymous. Don't ask who Anonymous is; if I told you, they wouldn't be anonymous anymore, now would they?) Anonymous has a theological bone to pick with my client (and with me for that matter). Anonymous's theology happens to be all about "correct" belief and "correct" practice, whatever "correct" means. I guess Anonymous doesn't think it would be politic, polite or practical to discuss those differences in public, so they hide behind the curtain of nondisclosure and, well, anonymity.

Their theology of right belief and practice is a hard, judgmental and unforgiving one. That kind of theology is our form of incest in these times. It is our idolatry and our insanity. Legalism is its cult. It should hardly be necessary to say, but I will anyway, that by "legalism" I mean a theology that puts itself above Christ and above the principles of love of God and neighbor. Legalism is not a loving interest in the body of Christ that is concerned with everyone’s spiritual and physical welfare; it is an overriding obsession with its own power over other people. Just as the love for one individual which excludes the love for others is not love, love for one’s own theology that is not part of one’s love for the body of Christ is not love, but is, rather, idolatry.

An anonymous collective, left to its own devices, quickly builds a theology out of rage and hate. Those who oppose this theology will be eliminated. Enemies of this theology are to be dealt with swiftly and severely. Anonymous does not forgive. Anonymous does not forget. Anonymous is devoid of humanity, morality, pity and mercy. Anonymous works as one, because none of us are as cruel as all of us. Anonymous cannot be harmed, no matter how many Anonymous may fall in battle. Anonymous is a hydra, constantly moving, constantly changing. Remove one head, and ten replace it. Anonymous reinforces its ranks exponentially at need.

Anonymous is legion.

Bad News and Pain Without Love

Is there ever any good news out there? Forget the economy that's in shambles (double recession is already here), but for those with mental health issues, well it's never a good prognosis, everything is cut short from your temper to your life... http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/interactive/news/theme_news_detail.php?id=800730120&tab_id=116 Shouldn't come as a surprise, but it's simply not good news in a realm where good news can make all the difference. I can think of a friend who suffers from borderline personality disorder. The smallest thing in her life may set her off into a catatonic state. Joyful things used to be something she could -- well -- feel joyful about. Now it's a struggle, largely due to her struggles. What left her with a smile before is now fleeting; it's harder and harder to experience joy. So you'll find people in this type of situation resort to tactics 'normal' people may not fathom, cutting, suicide, self harm...... all to accent the need to feel-------feel something, anything.... I guess that song is true in some ways, 'I'd rather feel pain than nothing at all'.... Scary. A wake up call to catch the symptoms and address them before they snowball to a point joy becomes a whisper in your life.

Fallacy of BiPolar Diagnosis Rise in Kids

I was reading 'Sway' by Brafman (http://www.amazon.ca/Sway-Irresistible-Pull-Irrational-Behavior/dp/0385524382) and there was a chapter on Bi polar disorders.

The books deals with irrational behaviour and how even the most educated can be easily swayed by status quo or popularity.

In the case of bi-polar disorder the number of children diagnosed rose 40X (It was at least that, might have been more) in the past 20 years or so. However, correlating stats that should've increased if the diagnosis was correct did not increase. Teen suicides never increased (they in fact decreased), but drugs and programs continue to expand.

At what point do we acknowledge something is amiss? Yes, the way we diagnosis the disorder has changed, but just because a child is sad doesn't mean they have a psychological disorder. I pin this one on hypochondriacs and bad psychiatrists.

Explanation for Increases in BP in children?

I'm not a hypochondriac so I'm not one to advocate running out and getting kids tested for every seeming abnormal issue. It's startling to see how many kids these days are popping pills for maladies that didn't exist 40 years ago.

There has been a 400% increase in the diagnosis of bipolar disorder in young children and a 40 times increase between 1995 to 2003 alone according

What are your thoughts? Is there a rash of doctors too eager to doll out bi-polar diagnoses for kids?

Read more in this article.

The Postmodern age of healthcare

Social media and our perceptions through this postmodern era have changed how we view medicine.

I was thinking a bit more after reading this article: http://www.google.com/url?sa=X&q=http://www.npr.org/2011/05/16/136283080/shop-for-a-pyschotherapist-to-avoid-the-lemons

It's true, in the age of the internet we no longer go to the neighborhood doctor and never think twice about a diagnosis. Now, there's so much more information for patients to arm themselves with, and also more options to check out who offers the best care. This is particularly important when it comes to therapy.

No longer is medicine the ivory tower it used to be, we trust information, not what someone in authority necessarily says.

That doesn't mean be an idiot and ignore your doctor, but it does mean you can shop around when it comes to finding a therapist that you like.