I'm less depressed, more manic

So you may have noticed that I haven't posted a lot about my current mental health lately. I was afraid to post something until now in fear that I was going to jinx myself... but I'm about 99% sure that I've left the severe depression that I've been in for a very very long time.

Actually to correct myself, my bipolar disorder has left the depression part of the cycle. My borderline personality

Bipolar Drug May Spur Weight Gain, Thyroid Problems

By HealthDay

A new medical review finds that lithium, a common treatment for bipolar disorder, can lead to weight gain and causes high rates of abnormalities in the thyroid and parathyroid glands.

But the researchers found few signs of a link to skin problems or hair loss, and a suspected connection to birth defects hasn't been proven, according to the report published in the Jan. 20 online

Bipolar disorder is too often blamed for erratic behavior, doctors say

Ray Pearson
By McClatchy-Tribune

Ray Pearson is a sleepy teen whose depressed lows once caused near-daily suicide attempts and whose manic hallucinations had him talking to doorknobs and laundry bags.

Unlike hundreds of other children diagnosed with bipolar disorder, Pearson isn't given to unexpected outbursts. His shifts from depression to mania are as foreseeable as the Titanic -- and just

Study Looks at Deep Brain Stimulation in Bipolar Patients

By HealthDay 

A small study suggests that deep brain stimulation, which is currently being investigated as a treatment for general depression, may also help patients with bipolar disorder.

There are some caveats. The surgery necessary to allow deep brain stimulation is extremely expensive. And for now, the research is preliminary, so it's too early to know for sure if the treatment is

Bipolar disorder and women: Common triggers during the holidays

By R. Elizabeth C. Kitchen
Yahoo! Contributor Network

Bipolar disorder is difficult to deal with anytime of year, but during the holidays it can be even more difficult. There are temptations, exhaustion, stress and relatives that can make keeping a normal and steady schedule next to impossible. It is important for women with bipolar disorder to know what the possible difficulties will be so

Psych Episode Near Childbirth May Presage Bipolar Disorder

By HealthDay 

New mothers who experience a psychiatric disorder within 30 days after giving birth have an increased risk of developing bipolar disorder, according to a new study.

Researchers examined data from more than 120,000 Danish women born between 1950 and 1991 who had received first-time psychiatric care either as an outpatient or an inpatient for any type of psychiatric disorder other

FDA approves first generic versions of Zyprexa

By the Associated Press

Federal health officials on Monday approved the first generic versions of the blockbuster drug Zyprexa, an expensive treatment for schizophrenia and bipolar mood disorder.

Zyprexa posted sales of $5.7 billion last year for drugmaker Eli Lilly & Co Inc., according to prescription tracking company IMS Health.

The new low-cost versions of the drug will be marketed by

New Website Offers Hope To People Dealing With Suicide of Someone Close to Them

By Kathaleen Roberts, Albuquerque Journal

If you visit Cheryl Brown's website, you'll notice a red dragonfly on the home page.
"The Zuni Indians believe it carries messages to the afterlife," the Santa Fe resident said. "I put a heart onto the tail."

The retired psychotherapist is the mother of Eric Brown, who killed himself last year. He was 33.

Cheryl Brown created www.suicidefindinghope.com

New bipolar group for Oklahoma

I'm happy to announce that a new associate for people suffering from bipolar disorder is being formed in Oklahoma. The group's founder is just in the beginning steps of forming the group, but it's at least a start to something good here. This state is severely lacking in support for people who have mental health issues.

You may follow the group's progress on Twitter at http://twitter.com/

Antipsychotics Best for Controlling Mania: Study

By HealthDay 

The manic episodes experienced by those with bipolar disorder are better controlled by antipsychotic drugs than mood stabilizers, a new, large study suggests.

Researchers from Italy and the United Kingdom also found that three antipsychotics -- first-generation haloperidol (Haldol) along with later formulations of risperidone (Risperdal) and olanzapine (Zyprexa) -- outperformed 11

Screw those who judge people with mental illnesses

I just an email from someone who called people who suffer from bipolar/depression as "mentally fragile" and implied that we have to be handled with kid gloves. She said she has had to deal with bipolar disorder and depression in her friends and family members and said we need to be treated with specific wording.

While I agree we have triggers, we are still human beings and deserve to be treated

Good movie to watch...

Friday night I heard about a Lifetime movie from the 90's titled "On the Edge of Innocence." It stars Kelli Martin and James Marsden.

This is the summary from IMDB.com: "Teenage Zoe Tyler suffers from manic-depression. With a musician father who is never around life seems hard. Zoe eventually lands up in a psychiatric ward for treatment. There she meets Jake, an unstable teenager with an anger

Fragile minds: Kids, meds and a diagnosis gone wrong

By Star Tribune

Someday, Jenna Beckman’s daughter might be diagnosed with bipolar disorder, an incurable swaying between manic rage and depression. But it won’t be now, at age 8.

The brown-haired spitfire can be calm one minute, screaming and biting the next. In her most anxious moments at school, Jade Boyce runs out of her classroom and hides.

Yet while her behavior resembles the symptoms of

Study Ranks Mental Health as Young People's Top Health Problem

By HealthDay

Mental health problems are the leading cause of disability among children, teens and young adults worldwide, according to a new study.

Researchers who analyzed global data collected in 2004 found that neuropsychiatric disorders -- including depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and alcohol use -- accounted for 45 percent of the disease burden among those 10 to 24 years old.

I'm in the top 50 blogs about depression

I discovered via my site tracker that I've been named in the top 50 blogs about depression by Masters in Psychology. I'm quite honored by this. It includes blogs written by professionals and patients.

I'm listed clear down as #33. I'm so depressed that I didn't make it in the top 10. No, I'm just kidding. That was my sad attempt at a joke. I'm really happy about it.

It lists me under the "

I quit the group "therapy"

I quit the domestic violence group "therapy." I didn't see a point to going to it. The group leader was so bad and disrespectful. When people talk, she won't even pay attention. She was constantly texting, checking the clock, writing down stuff that had nothing to do with the group or what someone was talking about. She allowed three people to dominate all the conversation with everyone else

About to start therapy

Tomorrow I am starting my group therapy, which will be based on recovery from domestic violence and rape. I'm nervous about it. I have been nervous about it for days, well actually weeks. I'm not sure how I am going to feel talking about all the past abuse in my life in front of a large group of people. It's a 16-week program. I am praying that it does more good than harm. Normally I don't

Does our lurid curiosity drive news coverage of mental illness?

By Christine Stapleton
The Palm Beach Post

I watched "Entertainment Tonight" because they had NEW PICTURES OF CATHERINE ZETA-JONES IN HER BIPOLAR NIGHTMARE!

The weird thing is the NEW PICTURES OF CATHERINE ZETA-JONES IN HER BIPOLAR NIGHTMARE look a lot like the old pictures of Catherine Zeta-Jones when she was not in her bipolar nightmare. She looked like her usual gorgeous, composed self.

Predicting bipolar mood swings

By HealthDay 

A new study suggests that it's possible to predict future mood swings in bipolar people by monitoring their thoughts and behavior.

Bipolar people suffer from extreme mood swings that veer between moments of emotional highs and euphoria to deep depression. In the new study, researchers from the Universities of Manchester and Lancaster in the United Kingdom followed 50 bipolar

Demi Lovato reveals her diagnosis of bipolar disorder

By Noelene Clark,
LA Times

Demi Lovato, who last week tweeted her support for Catherine Zeta-Jones' "brave" decision to be treated for bipolar II disorder, revealed that she too is bipolar.

The 18-year-old Disney actress discovered her diagnosis during her three-month stay at a rehabilitation center in Illinois, where she was treated for anorexia, bulimia and cutting.

"I never found out