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 [...]

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 [...]

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
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“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 [...]

The first step on a long journey

You’ve all been here with me for the trek between diagnosis and acceptance of BPD, and all the byways in between, but now I’m starting on a new pathway toward mental health. My dad’s recent illness has dug up some old issues, so on the recommendation of my psychiatrist, I’ve started seeing a therapist [...]

When self-help isn’t

Helpful, that is.  As I often do when I’m teetering on the edge of the darkness, I’ve been exploring mental health bulletin boards and support groups this week.  I’m not sure exactly what I’m looking for, but I can’t seem to find it, no matter where I seek.
What I’m discovering is a lot of groups [...]

Now I lay me down to sleep

After my bipolar diagnosis, one of the hardest things I had to do was learn to recognize when I was cycling. At the time, I’d been locked in mania for 3 months, not sleeping, writing page after page of nonsensical drivel that I was sure was spectacular, and so steeped in paranoia that I [...]

Gaming your mental health

Looking back, I pretty much had one anxiety attack that lasted from 1987 to 1990.   I cycled long and hard during that time, swinging from sleep-deprived mania to bottom of the well depression, all the while caring for 2 kids and giving birth to a 3rd.  Pregnant and/or with small children depending on me, self-medication [...]

Bipolar Disorder Awareness Day

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“You should try … “

Know someone with a chronic illness or disability? Here’s what not to do.
From amandaw @ Feministe:
Often, when someone learns that another person lives with some sort of medical condition, slight or severe, their first reaction is to suggest to that person some way they could make their condition better.
On behalf of all those persons, [...]

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