What would a world without eating disorders be like? It would be a world of unimaginable freedom for everyone. It would be a world that each one of us could thrive in. It is only a dream of mine. But think of the possibilities . . .

Here we go again--another school year, and with it, another round of Laying Down the Law. I do it every September--advise Bob (my son, who has bipolar disorder and ADHD) of what is expected of him in terms of his scholastic efforts. And every year, I ask myself (and everyone else)--Am I expecting too much? Are my standards too high?

This week, I taped an interview with the PBS show To the Contrary, which I hope will make it to the air. The show is in its 20th season, and is billed as "A Discussion of Issues from Diverse Perspectives." I am thrilled that this show has selected to discuss Ben Behind His Voices, and allow me to share our story with its viewers, along with the messages of understanding, respect, hope, and the need for better services and more research.  I'm finding, though, as I work the media circuit, that coverage is very much dependent upon what the interviewer wants to bring out,  whether he/she has even read the book, and their personal experiences with mental illness. Right before we taped this one, the producer shared something with me that I found disturbing, and wonder if you do too. 

Everyone who takes psychiatric medication is aware of side effects. Common side effects include things like dry mouth, headache, nausea, fatigue and so on. I've been a cluster of side effects longer than I can remember. (My very favourite is the one where I couldn't open my eyes in the morning and I thought I was blind. Ah, but for another day.) And one of the side effects I have had several times with medications, particularly antipsychotics, is temperature dysregulation. In other words I'm always freaking cold (or way too freaking hot).

Over the years I have learned a lot of things to-do and not-to-do when seeing the psychiatrist. Here are a few tips for what to do in your initial visit with the psychiatrist. I wish I would have done these things sooner. If I had I probably would have received the proper diagnosis and treatment many years before I finally did.

People ask me how I plan to continue in recovery without AA and without practicing the 12-step program. I never have an easy answer. I have been to AA, know the steps, and understand the benefit of community, but I had to find my own path in recovery without AA. I took time to think about what helped me get sober and helped me stay sober, and realized that many of the 12-step principles are present in my recovery without AA.

Mental illness is chronic in nature. It is, by its very definition, a disease. I, like many other people who struggle with mental illness, have a hard time digesting and accepting the words chronic and disease. A person with a disease is sick. A person with a chronic disease is consistently sick. Does Having a Chronic Mental Illness Mean That I am Sick? Yes, and no. An example: if you have bipolar disorder you have a chronic illness but if you are in recovery, the mental illness is in remission. You are then considered well; the illness remains but you are free of symptoms or they are drastically reduced.

Dr. Melanie Greenberg, our recent guest on HealthyPlace TV, has combined the Eastern-based practice of Mindfulness with cognitive behavior therapy to create a powerful program that helps her patients manage their mental health problems.

My 16 year old daughter told me that I had better use my office organization tips myself if I wanted to help people with ADHD be better organized. Teenagers can be so to the point! Her comment started me thinking about how the ADHD-friendly structure and systems I use in my coaching business might be helpful for any adult with ADHD. Whether we have ADHD or not, there seem to be specific areas that consistently need organizational attention lest they turn into unmanageable chaos.

Our mind can trick us into believing certain things are true. As a child, were there any of us who didn’t once believe something was in the closet or under the bed when the nightlight cast long shadows about the room?