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Accepting my attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and bipolar disorder diagnoses was difficult for me. Preconceived notions of ADHD and bipolar disorder aren't always very positive. In my recovery journey, it was helpful for me to have a name that encompassed the emotions that had been causing my suffering. Accepting my bipolar disorder and ADHD diagnoses helped me in my recovery from my mental illness.
A supportive community can benefit our self-esteem. Mental health is an essential aspect of our overall wellbeing, yet we often grapple with it in isolation. The stigma surrounding mental health challenges can make it difficult for individuals to open up about their struggles. However, building a supportive community can be a transformative force in the lives of those dealing with mental health issues. In today's post, I will share my own insights and lived experience on the importance of a supportive community for the self-esteem of those with mental health issues. 
I'm experiencing hope fatigue. Basically, I'm sick of the very word hope, let alone trying to scrape some up for me and my illness. There are many reasons for this, but believe me when I tell you that hope fatigue is a real thing.
Do you know about gambling addiction and co-occurring disorders? Gambling addiction is universally labeled a menace, but little is known of its accompanying partners that make the battle within that much more complicated. The gambling addiction recovery journey can be excruciating, but for those who have escaped the crippling grip of gambling addiction and its co-occurring disorders, the journey is worth every struggle.
You always want to avoid verbal abuse. Unfortunately, for many individuals, this behavior is a regular occurrence. It can happen at home, school, or work, creating a stressful environment. In some cases, individuals can try to navigate away from verbal abuse, while others cannot. I am one of the lucky ones who got away from this negative situation and worked hard to avoid verbal abuse in the future. 
Regardless of my schizophrenia, I have many relationships. I am married. I am a daughter, a sister, a friend, an employee, an instructor, etc. Most people who interact with me know that I have schizophrenia. The people with whom I am in a relationship and who make me feel the most comfortable and help me focus on something besides my illness are those who treat me like everyone else. 
I first heard the term "crowded thoughts" years ago. This term made, perhaps, even more sense to me than "racing thoughts," which is an official symptom of bipolar hypomania. So, let's take a look at what crowded thoughts are, how they may manifest in bipolar disorder, and why they matter.
I've made it my mission to understand splitting and borderline personality disorder, given the profound shame that often follows when I split on my loved ones. If you have borderline personality disorder (BPD), you might know that splitting is a defense mechanism where we perceive people, including those we deeply care about, as either entirely good or entirely bad.
I'm far too acquainted with crying outbursts in front of other people. I have been experiencing them since, almost forever. Depression has been my companion, off and on since, almost forever. And I have experienced the shame and embarrassment that comes with them since, almost forever. And yesterday was one such experience. Today, I want to talk about what it's like to have a crying outburst in front of others and how to handle it when it happens to you.
There is a heart and mind connection. When you think of emotions, do you imagine them coming from the heart or mind? Or do you consider the heart and mind to be an inseparable whole? Examining how we talk about the heart and mind connection can teach us much about our beliefs. Can it also help enhance our experience of bliss and wellbeing?

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Linda singer
I have shared similar frustrations—glad to finally have a name for what makes my life more difficult. I have no sensory memory, but profound emotional ones— not always helpful, either!
Kayla Holtom
I am 16 with a twin brother,Kevin.We both recieved our Sacrement of Confirmation back in early September in the class of 23. Kevin and the other boys had to wear white suits and me and the other girls had to wear white,short sleeve floor length dresses with a veil,white gloves.lace anklets and white maryjane shoes.Two weeks before the ceremony,dad told mom that he wanted me diapered under my dress and mom went along with it! She got a package of 26x27 inch cloth diapers and sewed them together in my waist size to make one diaper out of them.She ordered a pair of white adult size rubberpants[plasticpants] and got a card of diaper pins at Walmart.That sunday morning,after my bath,mom had me sit down on my bed and lay back.She slid the folded diaper under me,applied the babypowder,then brought the diaper up and pinned the corners.Then she put my feet into the waist and leg openings of the rubberpants and pulled them up my legs and over the diaper.Since they were adult size,they fit me blousy over the diaper.My top was put on next,then my dress,veil,lace anklets and the shoes.I was brought out and shown to dad and Kevin.Mom lifted up my dress and showed them the diaper and rubberpants and i turned red!I felt weird walking down the aisle with my classmates and having the diaper and rubberpants on under my dress!
Hanna
How do we not traumatize our children like we were traumatized? How do we stop the cycle of abuse? This is nearly impossible if you have never been parented properly. My parents were hopeless, an autistic and traumatized father who was lashing out at my family every day and created true hell in the house and constantly depressed, fearful and dark mother who looked the other way. How do you fix yourself without any help when this happened to you and now boiler breaks down in the middle of winter and you get fired from work, which is what happened to me? I lashed out at my kids last night. They are unruly and messy and just being kids and of course this is not a reason to freak out like I did. Every time this happens it breaks my heart but I am powerless to stop it. We don't have money for trauma therapist. My childhood was hell, I was on drugs from depression since age 12 or so, the last 35 years, I had to find an own dr as a kid because my parents could not care less. I fist tried to commit suicide at age 14 or so and they just said that I needed to get a hobby. My friends mother was an MD and she saw me for free and gave me drugs, the old type of antidepressants, but they did not help. Since then I have had diagnoses of BPD and depression all my life and have been on Zoloft every day. My brain is probably already damaged beyond repair from 35 years of taking Zoloft. Never had a chance to do therapy. I am now 48. We lost all our lifetime savings on a buying a house for our kids that is unsellable now and don't know where to start fixing it without money for therapy.
Natasha Tracy
Hi Dave,

Thank you for your comment. I'm so sorry your friend is going through that.

Unfortunately, I don't know of any information on that topic. The best thing she can do is talk to a psychiatrist about her situation because everyone reacts differently to coming off of medications.

I hope she gets the help she needs.

-- Natasha Tracy
Dave Beaulieu
A friend of mine is in some seriously deep trouble. She went off of her medications for bi-polar and anxiety cold turkey. She fell asleep in her car due to this and was arrested by police, who noticed a baggie of white powder on her lap. Upon being awakened, then frisked by male officers, she went ballistic and started kicking and threatening the cops, who were incidentally armed to the teeth. When forced into the squad car she endeavored to hang herself with the seat belt. The cops actually had to cut the seat belt out of the car to protect her from herself. Her medications were Seroquil, Zoloft, trazadone and a few others. Do you have any information on violence by people going off their medications?