Bipolar and Hormonal Birth-Control (NOT for Women Only)
So I went in for my annual well-woman visit. I do this religiously because, a. I take my overall health seriously, b. I’ve taken birth control pills for years, which is medication that does affect my...
View ArticleBusiness as Usual
I’ve been experiencing something very strange as of late. I’m actually feeling normal for a change. That’s not to say that I’m not experiencing the ebb and flow of daily life events. Laughter,...
View ArticleThe Heat is On
This weekend, for my little pocket of the planet, it is forecast temperatures may reach a billion degrees (Ok, only 115F, or 46C). I live in northern Arizona, but even this is out of the ordinary for...
View ArticleGetting a Second, Third...Twelfth Opinion
My mother has worked as a pathologist for over twenty years, during which time she has had many disagreements with other pathologists as to whether a given mass was malignant or benign. I share this to...
View ArticleThe Princess, the Pea, and the Road
Some triggers are big and obvious. When your mood changes, you easily are able to identify what “gotcha”, grabbed you by the shoulders, and threw you on the road’s shoulder, or kept you on the highway,...
View ArticleQuestioninig Recovery
When one is first diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder a multitude of questions may be asked:“Will I have this illness for the rest of my life?“How will my family and friends treat me?”“What kinds of...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Delusions of Worthlessness
Several years ago, for a short period of time, I believed I was a prophet. I believed that every magazine I picked up was full of messages meant solely for me that only I could discern. And most of...
View ArticleJoin Me!
Every Sunday morning for the past 138 weeks, I've sat down to write for this blog. It's a ritual for me. No matter how good or bad my week has been, I reflect on it--searching for a valuable thought...
View ArticleSuccess and Mood
Successes, big and small, measurable, and less so, for folks with bipolar, can be compared to the ongoing laying of pavement in the road to recovery. We achieve a thing, we can move forward. Lately,...
View ArticleRecovery & recovery
I’ve decided there is Recovery with a capital “R”, and then there is recovery with a lower-case “r”, and that the difference between the two is significant. We talk often about Recovery. This is the...
View ArticleReturn to the Mood Diary
When I was first diagnosed with bipolar disorder nine years ago, I learned one way to track mood changes, and therefore better cope with them, was to keep a mood diary. Each day (or hour if need be), I...
View ArticleMeds and the Opposable Thumb
It is not until I lost temporary use of my right thumb this week that I came to appreciate how much I really, truly need it to function well. My thumb is sprained because I fell, stupidly, clumsily,...
View ArticleTrying My Best
I see this blog as an opportunity to educate and inspire, but today I'm having trouble. I apologize in advance, but this week's post will be neither inspirational nor particularly educational. At...
View ArticleBipolar and Travel, Again
It’d been precisely two years since I’d traveled on a plane this last week, to visit my parents in that far distant place called Florida. My husband and I really enjoy seeing them: great people, fun...
View ArticleMixed Bag
In last week's post, I wrote from a present perspective--as opposed to my standard past one--in admitting that I was in the midst of a pretty nasty depressive episode. While the depression hasn't fully...
View Article?
Life is full of questions. As an adopted person, I’ve always had questions such as: “Where did I come from?” and “Who are my birth parents?” I’ve also had questions about why I’ve had to live with...
View ArticleOur Strengths
I was recently talking to a close friend about the burden of having bipolar. I was going on about how having bipolar can feel like balancing boulders on our shoulders when managing it, while carrying...
View ArticleExhaustion and Stressful Times
The last couple of months have been extraordinarily stressful for me and my household. From joint job searches and financial belt tightening, to my falling injuries and collective, expensive dental...
View ArticleStill Here
Those of you who follow this blog regularly may have noticed that I didn't post last Monday. Before last week, I hadn't missed a single post in the nearly three years I've been blogging for BP Hope....
View ArticleTaking Nothing for Granted
If you have followed my posts since I’ve been blogging for BP then you will probably know that I’ve been living with Bipolar Disorder for nearly 33 years. Having been diagnosed at a young age, I’ve had...
View Article
