One of the best definitions of Bipolar I’ve ever heard

“Imagine having a mood system that functions essentially like the weather — independently of what’s going on in your life. So the facts of your life remain the same, just the emotional fiction that you’re responding to differs. It’s like I’m not properly insulated — so all the bad and the good ways that you [...]

Stephen Fry: The Secret Life of a Manic Depressive

Stephen Fry’s personal project after he came out as having Bipolar Disorder. He talks about depression and suicide attempts, and how he finally accepted his diagnosis. This was released as a promo for the dvd.

Taking a chance

I stepped up and jumped off a cliff on Monday.  I sent out a poetry submission — not just once, but twice. I’m not a poet.  Poets are gifted artists like my dear friend Sherry Chandler.  I know how much hard work goes into the craft and it would be disrespectful to call myself a [...]

Go Ask Terry

Since I forgot to take my meds on schedule today and thus will be wide awake for the next 24 hours, it seems like this is an appropriate time to write about NPR’s article on coming off antidepressants and SSRI Discontinuation Syndrome. Or, as it’s known among us crazy folks, the Zaps. The baseline fact [...]

“It was crazy, man.”

Today, May 1, was Blog Against Disablism Day, as it’s known in the UK, or Blog Against Ableism Day as is generally preferred in the US.   I’m too late for the blogswarm, but I do have something to say.  While most of the time I don’t consider myself disabled, others might, as mental illness in [...]

How deep in the closet?

Sparked by a conversation with a new friend, I’m thinking a lot right now about how I define myself, and how much I do or don’t disclose to people.  It’s not a new concern, not really, but one that I have to find new answers to periodically.  This is one of those time. A couple [...]

Diagnosing history

It was a recipe for tragedy. In 1875, Mary Todd Lincoln was put on public trial for insanity by her sole surviving son, Robert. She was found guilty and committed to an asylum, where she was remained incarcerated against her will for months. Even today she is remembered, if indeed she is remembered at all, [...]

And proud of it!

Bust the stigma once and for all. Bravely step out of the mental health closet and choose from 30 different slogans to make a statement. My personal favorite is Batshit Crazy but my kids would refuse to be seen with me, so I’m buying Meds Suck Less Than Crazy. Here’s just how aware the Crazy [...]

Everything you wanted to know about schizophrenia but were afraid to ask

An excerpt from the upcoming comic book, Psychiatric Tales, by TallGuyWrites. Go.  Read.  Learn. Please. h/t Jeff Hess

“Criminally insane killer escapes”

Spokane is in a panic today, with KXLY4-News flooding Twitter with updates and photos of a patient from Eastern State Hospital who walked away while on a supervised group field trip to the Spokane Interstate Fair. The coverage seems guaranteed to inflame our deepest fears of the mentally ill. 22 years ago Phillip Paul was [...]

keep looking »