Parenting Archives » Kitt O’Malley

Creative Writing Prompt: Rainstorm

Jan 20, 2019

in Anxiety, Bipolar Disorder, Blogging, Caregiving, Flash Fiction, Hypomania, Memoir, Mental Health, Parenting, Writing

I Prompt for first creative writing class: RAINSTORM Rainstorm The torrential rain kept her awake. She couldn’t sleep. Wasn’t rain supposed to be relaxing? What was it that disturbed her? Why could she not sleep? The rain didn’t lull her, it irritated her. Reminded her that all was not well. The hills may slide. The…

Irritable. Hypomanic. Parenting Fail.

Jul 27, 2018

in Bipolar Disorder, Bipolar Parenting, Hypomania, IBPF, Mental Health, Migraine, NAMI, Parenting, Self care

Trying to keep hypomania at bay. NAMI training this weekend. IBPF panel next Tuesday. Frustrated with parenting newly adult son with social anxiety and migraines.

Quick Update

Mar 7, 2018

in Health, Mental Health, Parenting

Working with a book coach, I’ve created character sketches, an outline, and drafted the first chapter of my book. All this while feeling sick and parenting a teenage migraineur.

Sarah Fader: Parenting a Special Needs Child

Feb 7, 2018

in Depression, Mental Health, Parenting

Sarah Fader on parenting a special needs child with mental health challenges.

Hypnotherapy

Oct 25, 2017

in Anxiety, Depression, Health, Mental Health, Migraine, Mindfulness, Parenting

Last Friday, I drove my son down to La Jolla (across the street from UC San Diego!) to see pediatric hypnotherapist and pulmonologist, Dr. Ran D. Anbar, MD, FAAP of Center Point Medicine. My son struggles with migraines (greatly improved with recent medication regime), depression, anxiety, eczema, and frequent school absences due to illnesses. According to Dr.…

I do not whisper. I ROAR.

Sep 7, 2017

in Bipolar Disorder, Bipolar Parenting, Depression, Disability, Hypomania, Mental Health, Mental Health Advocacy, Motherhood, Parenting, Recovery, Stigma, Vocation, Writing

Motherhood transformed me. My identity changed. Now it changes again. I have constantly reinvented myself over my lifetime. As a pre-med biochemistry major at UCLA, I was miserable and suicidal. Then I studied part-time at a community college, biding time to find my direction. Finding a niche as a legal studies major at UC Berkeley, I tried to…

Writing to Discipline My Thoughts

Jun 19, 2017

in Anxiety, Bipolar Disorder, Bipolar Parenting, Caregiving, Depression, Hypomania, Mental Health, Mood Cycling, Parenting, Seasonal Affective Disorder, Self care, Writing

This morning I attended an OC Writers’ write-in. I haven’t attended a writers’ group in a long time. Been isolating myself and focusing on my son rather than my writing, rather than myself. Today, I left him home in bed, then left the meeting early to get him to class on time. When I got…

Sick with Dread

Jun 12, 2017

in Anxiety, Depression, Mental Health, Migraine, Parenting

Dread this summer. Dread getting my kid to wake up and leave his room. Dread trying to get him to go to summer school.

Silent Lately

Jun 3, 2017

in Anxiety, Bipolar Disorder, Caregiving, Depression, Migraine, Parenting, Self care

I haven’t written in a while, nor have I read or commented on others’ posts. I used to write brief reviews after reading a book. Recently, I’ve simply left stars on Amazon and Good Reads. Why? Because I simply needed to recover. Recovering not from an episode of bipolar disorder – though I do live…

Spring Brings Hypomania

Apr 11, 2017

in Bipolar Disorder, Caregiving, Dementia, Family, Hypomania, Mental Health, Parenting, Seasonal Affective Disorder, Self care, Triggers to Mood Cycling

This year, as winter has ended and spring has begun, I’ve taken it slowly and protected myself from overstimulation. You have not heard from me as much, as I’ve not been as active writing here or on social media. You see, springtime triggers hypomania in me. Now I’m experiencing mild hypomania, irritability, and some mixed…

Category: Parenting