boundaries Archives » Kitt O’Malley

My post published today on Organic Coffee, Haphazardly. Yes, I have boundary issues.

Titrating Stimulation

Jul 20, 2016

in Bipolar Disorder, Depression, Hypomania, Social Stimulation, Triggers to Mood Cycling

As BlogHer16 approaches, my anxiety increases. I know the conference will overstimulate me. To not be overwhelmed, I must revisit a topic I touched on briefly when I starred blogging in September 2016 – my need to titrate stimulation, carefully balancing just the right amount of social interaction with breaks for solitude and relaxation. Find…

Slowed Down My Mind

Aug 17, 2015

in Bipolar Disorder, Health, Hypomania, Mental Health, Mental Illness, Mood Cycling, Social Stimulation, Triggers to Mood Cycling

Okay, so here’s what I did last week. My son & I got sick with the flu. The flu forced me to stop, to hesitate, to slow down my ramping hypomania. Instead of volunteering my time at NAMI and getting overstimulated by doing so, the flu forced me to stay at home. Honestly, I believe it…

This is my house.

Jun 25, 2015

in Health, Mental Health, Self care

The Bloggess Jenny Lawson’s post This is my house blew me away with its wisdom about self-care and setting limits. She gets a myriad of requests to write about various causes and responds “I just can’t,” and: “This is my house. You are welcome here. You are wanted. You are allowed to leave links of…

Life Simplified

Jan 11, 2015

in Bipolar Disorder, Family, Marriage, Mental Health, NAMI, Volunteering, Writing

Using WordPress Reader Lists has simplified my life. There are a seemingly infinite number of excellent blogs to follow, read, like, and comment on. If you comment, I will respond. I “follow” those who follow me. Whether or not I read or comment, I do care. There are only 24 hours in a day, and I’m running…

Journaling and Saying No

Jan 1, 2015

in Bipolar Disorder, Mental Health, Recovery, Writing

My journal entry last night: New Year’s Eve. Been awhile since I’ve journaled hard copy with pen in hand. Not sure how long this will last. So, what is it that I need write down here? I have no idea. I have no idea what brings me here – pen to paper. I write in…

The Boundaries of Love

Sep 5, 2014

in Acceptance, Compassion, Mental Health, Mindfulness, What About God?

Laura Droege’s piece, “The Boundaries of Love,” is so insightful that I must reblog the post to share it with you. My personal boundaries can be at times poor and permeable, so I would do well to heed her wise words: “Loving others strikes a balance of sorts. We neither identify with other’s pain to…

NAMI Peer-to-Peer

Apr 8, 2014

in Acceptance, Bipolar Disorder, Disability, Psychosocial Education, Recovery, Stigma

To join a NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Peer-to-Peer group, or not to join a NAMI Peer-to-Peer group? That is the question. If I am to volunteer for NAMI, I must first participate in a NAMI Peer-to-Peer group. This makes sense, yet I fear it. Though I speak openly of having bipolar disorder; honestly,…

Playing Therapist

Mar 6, 2014

in Bipolar Disorder, Hypomania, Psychotherapy, Vocation

At group this week, I played therapist. I was a PATIENT, not the therapist, who, by the way, calmly and ably led the group. For a while, I took over. I could not contain my reaction to what I heard. The part of me that reacts to perceived danger and is impassioned about protecting people…

Tag: boundaries

DEAR READER: Boundaries, Intimacy, and Trust

This is my house.

Life Simplified

Journaling and Saying No

The Boundaries of Love