Alcoholism Archives » Page 2 of 2

I Am Not Ashamed

Mar 30, 2016

in Alcoholism, Bipolar Disorder, Caregiving, Dementia, Family, Mental Illness, Stigma

I am not ashamed that I live with bipolar disorder, a mental illness, a brain disorder. I am not ashamed that I take psychotropic medication. I am not ashamed that my parents are struggling as they age, as their brains and bodies fail them. There is no shame in that. There is no need to…

My Parents Are Still Apart

Jan 2, 2016

in Alcoholism, Caregiving, Dementia, Depression, Family

Overwhelmed with feelings of guilt. Trying to do the best I can. The assisted living memory care where my father has been staying cannot accommodate my mother’s difficulty swallowing liquids due to her stroke. My mother is back in skilled nursing after a psychiatric stay for major depression and behavioral changes due to a UTI…

My Dad and Dementia

Dec 10, 2014

in Acceptance, Alcoholism, Dementia, Family, Grief, Health, Mental Health

My dad has dementia – not Alzheimer’s, the most common type of dementia – but dementia nonetheless. His dementia has slowly progressed over many years and is greatly exacerbated by his heavy drinking. I am genetic heir to alcoholism, fear it, and drink minimally because of it. Because I am feeling pain and anxiety over…

Holiday Drinking Triggers Me

Dec 5, 2014

in Acceptance, Alcoholism, Dual Diagnosis, Mental Health, Mood Cycling, Substance Abuse, Triggers to Mood Cycling

Originally posted on STIGMAMA.com at Holiday Drinking Triggers Me, by Kitt O’Malley. Holidays I find unsettling. Not only are the days far too short, but visiting family can destabilize me and trigger bipolar symptoms. I acutely feel a genetic predisposition to alcoholism, drinking minimally, but craving intoxication, more so when triggered. The holidays trigger me for…

Eric Arauz

Nov 11, 2014

in Alcoholism, Bipolar Disorder, Human Rights, IBPF, Involuntary Hospitalization, Mania, Mental Health, Public Speaking, Substance Abuse, Vocation, Writing

[vimeo 86542977 w=500 h=281] Eric Arauz How Written and Oral Storytelling Saved MY Life 2-12-14 8.58 AM from International Bipolar Foundation on Vimeo. Sunday I was particularly impressed by Eric Arauz‘s presentation on Conscious Storytelling. He gave us each a copy of his autobiography, An American’s Resurrection: My Pilgrimage from Child Abuse and Mental Illness…

IBPF Consumer Track Meeting

Nov 10, 2014

in Acceptance, Alcoholism, Bipolar Disorder, Dual Diagnosis, Health, Medication, Mental Health, Psychosocial Education, Public Speaking, Recovery, Substance Abuse

Yesterday I attended the IBPF (International Bipolar Foundation) Annual West Coast Meeting – Consumer Track. The one-day consumer track meeting covered quite a bit which I outline here, providing links to more information. David J. Miklowitz, PhD Professor of Psychiatry, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, UCLA Semel Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine at…

Category: Alcoholism