Blogs
Bipolar and stress. It’s a horrible combination. Managing bipolar disorder while dealing with stress is something I am still trying to figure out.
Twelve-step programs are probably the best-known programs for addiction recovery, but do they work? In my opinion, they can work – but it takes other addiction treatments as well. So, what part do 12-Step programs for addiction recovery play?
I use a tapping tool to calm my anxiety when being mindful of my breath doesn't work. Breathing techniques do often work, and as a yoga instructor, I know they can be powerful tools to calm the nervous system. Yet, through my anxiety journey, I also know there are times when breathing through anxiety just doesn’t work. When breath work doesn’t help, try this tapping tool to calm anxiety.
Taking on motherhood with a mental illness makes starting a family difficult. I had been diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder and bulimia in my early 20s, 10 years prior to giving birth to our daughter (Mothering With an Invisible Mental Illness). My husband and I always wanted children so we decided to take a chance. Here’s our story of entering motherhood with mental illness.
Addiction to prescription opioids can lead to heroin use. Many who misuse prescribed opioid pain medication turn to heroin as a substitute (Over-prescription of Opioid Painkillers: A Deadly Problem). 12.5 million people misused prescription medication in 2015 and 15,281 people overdosed on commonly prescribed medication, according to the United States Department of Health and Human Services. Do you still think the United States opioid epidemic includes only street people shooting up heroin? Do you know the real connection between opioids and heroin?
There are nasty effects on bipolar when I suffer from a lack of sleep. Luckily for me, I usually do have a decent sleep thanks to my medications but, sometimes, my body just decides to wake up at 3:00 a.m. and refuses to go back to sleep. I know this happens to many people but I also know that most people don’t have bipolar disorder. And I know that, for me, if I have a lack of sleep it really affects my bipolar disorder negatively.
For me, finding the right treatment for bipolar 2 disorder really comes down to identifying and working with doctors and therapists who want to help me vs. change me.
Like me, many of you may also take medications for depression; also, like me, you may be dealing with some antidepressant side effects. While I'm thankful for the improvements antidepressants make in my ability to cope with depression, I am sometimes frustrated by the side effects of the antidepressants. Some of you probably feel the same way. I also realize that many of you may have opted not to take antidepressants because of the side effects they can cause. Today I'd like to talk about how we can take the psychiatric medications that can help us while learning how to manage antidepressant side effects.
My name is Noelle Matteson, and I will be writing for HealthyPlace’s blog Living with Adult ADHD. I am at the beginning of my attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) journey, so I thought this would be a good place to share my experiences and to learn about yours.
Mental illness stigma in school is a reality. Depending on where you live, school may already be back in session after the summer break or you could be waiting for that first day back to school in early September. Whatever the case, back-to-school can be a tough time for kids with mental illness whether it’s personal challenges of getting through the day or the challenge of dealing with peers. Even if your child really enjoys academics, back-to-school might cause distress. I know it did for me, so I want to offer a few tips for dealing with mental illness stigma in school since that’s what I was often most worried about.
Where do we go from here? Most of the family thinks just to let her hit bottom and then if she reaches out to help any we can. Some want to just keep paying her bills and just let her sit in the house with no responsibilities. Never been on medication and impossible to get to her when she refuses to talk to ANYONE.
Help.
On the day we agreed to videochat to make things less awkward IRL she woke up with a migraine so we rescheduled to the day after, I made sure to assure her that it was okay and to take her time. Later that day, in the late evening we had a nice chat but suddenly she stopped replying, even though nothing had happened. The day after I texted her good morning and said I hope she was feeling a little better. she wouldn't open my texts.
A couple days after I sent her a longer text saying that even though I had only known her for a short time I care a lot for her and would like to know how she are doing, telling her I'm there for her, assuring her I'm not going anywhere even though things might not be very easy. She wouldn't open it.
A week later I sent a text saying not to feel bad about not answering and that I will be there when she is able to answer again. It's been two weeks since this and she still hasn't opened my texts. She hasn't been active at all.
I don't know what else I can do. I assumed she might have fallen into a depression. I have tried to just not think about it anymore, and I haven't that much but when I do it sort of kills me inside...