Category: Bipolar Disorder
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Burns.
As someone with bipolar type II (turns out that ever since I was hospitalized, my diagnosis has been bipolar type I), I know that my symptoms are less severe than others. That’s not to say that I do not cycle or that I’m asymptomatic. I’ve screamed at and hit my son. I’ve flipped the kitchen table and…
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A Love Letter to Anyone and Everyone with a Mental Illness
Sam Dylan Finch’s love letter is beautiful, powerful, honest, and full of love, understanding and wisdom.
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Parenting My Teen
So, I decided to change psychotherapists. Not an easy decision for me to make. Except during the nine months we lived in Eugene and the two years we lived in the Mojave Desert, I’ve seen the same psychologist since my son was four. As my son turns fifteen next week, that’s a pretty long-term therapeutic…
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Kitt O’Malley: Featured Poet
To have Laura A. Lord, a bona fide, gifted, published poet, someone formally educated in writing, feature me on her site as a “poet”… well, I’m flattered to say the least. Check out Laura’s work at LauraALord.com. She’s awesome. Her writing blows me away.
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Taking a Step Forward
Today I took a step forward. I went to my psychiatrist. He adjusted my medications, putting me back on a low dose of escitalopram. Monday, we see a psychologist with our son to get some coaching on negotiating our battles and setting some reasonable boundaries. Called NAMI Orange County’s Warm Line and briefly talked to a mentor. Looked into going to…
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Mental Health Warrior: Kitt O’Malley
Nicole Lyons of The Lithium Chronicles featured me today on her blog. This May, for Mental Health Awareness Month, she is featuring Mental Health Warriors on her site. Thank you, Nicole, for including me as a Mental Health Warrior. I’m honored.
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My Answers to Marya Hornbacher’s Questions
I love lazily copying and pasting content I’ve written elsewhere and repurposing it as a blog post. Once again, I post my answers to Marya Hornbacher‘s follow-up survey questions about whether I see mental illness as a physical disease: Do you consider mental illness a chronic physical disease? Please explain your response. It depends on the diagnosis.…
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Thoughts Intrude
Thoughts intrude Throw plate in sink Let it shatter loudly I see myself doing it The image, the impulse is there There – in my mind No! I respond Turn left NOW in front of oncoming traffic No! No! No! Don’t do it Wait for the green arrow Yell at, argue with, my son, my husband…