Seeing a psych for the first time can be stressful, but going in prepared can help tremendously. Almost everyone is so nervous the days leading up to the appointment.
Mental Health
Self-Harm Myths and Facts
Cutting, Scratching, Burning. There are a number of ways an individual may self-harm. And it’s more common than you may think. In fact, Nearly 17% of all people will self-harm sometime during their lives. March is self-harm awareness month, to help bring attention to self-injuring behaviors and get rid of some of the confusions about what self-harm is, identify the signs to watch for, and offer ways to help someone who you suspect might be engaging in self-harming activities
Stages of Grief: The 7 stages of Grief Explained
Pop culture often references the stages of grief, but how much does the general public actually know about them? One thing generally missed is people should interpret the seven stages of grief loosely. No one experiences loss the same way. In fact, people go through the different stages in their order and can even loop back to one they already “experienced.”
Different Types of Anxiety Disorders & How You Can Cope
There are several different types of anxiety disorders, which includes Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Panic Disorder, Specific Phobias, Agoraphobia, Social Anxiety, as well as Separation Anxiety Disorder.
My Experience Being a Patient in Behavioral Health Units (& How My Last Stay Scared Me From Going Back)
I am no stranger to inpatient psychiatric hospitalizations or even to partial hospitalization programs for mental health treatment and care. Before my first ever stay in a Behavioral Health Unit, I lived in fear of being told I needed inpatient mental health care because it was something I had never experienced before and feared deeply.
Why I Believe DSPs Need Extra Training on Mental Health Issues
DSP stands for Direct Support Professional. Most people with this job title help care for and support individuals who have been diagnosed with intellectual and/or mental health disorders who could also have a physical disability as well. Most individuals who receive this level of care reside in residential group homes that have been purchased by an agency who is in charge of providing care to the individual in question.
Mindfulness: A Simple Technique to Bring You Back to the Here and Now
I just wanted to share a very easy and simple mindfulness technique that you can try almost anywhere you are. It only takes a brief few minutes to complete. This exercise can help ground you and bring you back to the here and now during times of high anxiety or stress.
March & April Special: Get PDF Copies of The My Bipolar Mind Books for ONLY $5
For the rest of March and all of April, since April will mark one year since the release of My Bipolar Mind: Surviving the Chaos, I want to offer people a more affordable way to read my books for the one year anniversary of my second book and it’s only $5!.
This is Why I’m Honest About My Mental Health…
No one wants to live with a mental illness but if you find yourself on the opposite end of a psychiatrist’s desk and they are telling you that they believe you suffer from a mental health condition it can feel like your world has suddenly stopped. Or you could feel numb, maybe a bit uncertain about what this means for you.
Always Exhausted but at least it’s Been a Good Week
(Warning: This personal blog post came out longer than anticipated. Sorry for the long read!)
I feel like I am always exhausted and in need of a good cat nap. I don’t even work overtime or anything strenuous, but by the end of my shift at work I am usually ready to veg out in bed while flipping between Netflix and Hulu until it’s time for me to take my night time medications and go to bed.
Guest Post by Ryan Rosen: Jobs You Can Start Today While Recovering From Yesterday’s Challenges
Let’s Welcome back Ryan Rosen as he shares tips on getting jobs that you can start immediately while still recovering from yesterday’s challenges.
The past year was really tough for all of us, and some people experienced bigger challenges than others. Lost income, health issues and social strife are just a few of the issues that you might have faced head-on. Regardless of where you’re coming from, moving forward can be tricky. Thankfully, if you need a sideline to help you get back on your feet, there are lots of options available.
My Anxiety is High Today & I’m Stuck at Work
After staying up all night blogging about how my insomnia was triggering my anxiety in the wee hours of the morning, I feel like I’m just ready to crash and be lazy for the rest of the day. Only thing is, I still have about 2.5 hours of work left so being fully lazy isn’t an option for me at this moment.
Insomnia Really Sucks When You Have to Be Up in a Few Short Hours
Just a few hours ago, before I realized how bad my insomnia was going to be tonight, I posted about how I am still feeling like I am in an okay place in life. Even though I am feeling okay and content for the most part, that does not mean that I don’t have any more bad days or nights. Tonight happens to be a another night where insomnia has fully taken over and it is already almost 3:30 in the morning and my alarm for work is scheduled to go off at 7:50 am…
Debunking 5 Common Mental Health Myths
There is still so much mental health stigma in this world, even after all these years. While we have made some incredible progress toward understanding mental illness, what causes it, and how we can treat it, there is still a lot more pertinent information that we have yet to uncover and learn about.
Educating people on mental health and mental health disorders can help tear down the walls of mental health stigma one brick at a time. People fear what they don’t know. So, helping people who have never struggled with their mental health or who have never had a loved one who struggled with their mental health learn the facts from the myths can help make the topic feel less scary for some people.
Don’t get caught up in believing in these 5 common mental health myths!
Still Feeling Like I’m in an Okay Place in Life…
I feel like my new habit is monthly personal posts with other content sprinkled around here and there sporadically. It has been about a month since my last personal post which was titled: “Feeling Like I am in an Okay Place Lately.” And I am happy to report that I am still feeling like I am in an okay place in life right now.
4 Ways to Sneak Healthy Habits Into Your Post-Rehab Journey: Guest Post by Ryan Rosen
Let’s welcome Ryan Rosen back to the My Bipolar Mind blog as he shares some wonderful tips on how to sneak healthy habits into your post-recovery journey. Don’t forget to check out Ryan’s author bio at the end of this article to learn more about him and find the link to his site!
Many people in recovery struggle to balance mental and physical health, especially when first coming home from a rehabilitation center. Sometimes we think that too much damage has been done to make health and wellness a priority now. Others may feel like they don’t deserve health and happiness, while others—often, many others—come home to stigma and don’t have a supportive and healing community to rely on. (Continue Reading)
Dealing with Anxiety and Stress in the Workplace & How to Cope
There is no doubt about it, there is not one single job out there that won’t cause you some form of stress or anxiety at one point or another. Work wouldn’t be called work if it was easy peasy and stress-free. For someone without mental health disorders, work can have its moments where you feel like you’re about to lose your mind and you just want everything to pause for a moment. For people who struggle with mental health disorders, it can become even more challenging because you’re already dealing with daily battles inside your mind that no one else knows about.
Product Review: Raina Zeal’s “Depression is Not a Flow” Hoodie
A fellow blogger and mental health warrior, Raina from Raina Zeals, asked me to check out some of her products from the store on her website/blog so I could give her an honest review. And I have to say, I was highly impressed. All of her products support mental health awareness and I think that is absolutely spectacular.
Feeling Like I am in an Okay Place Lately
I finally feel like I am on the right medication combination for my mental health disorders. It took 20 years of trial and error and getting prescribed more medications than I can even remember to get where I am today. I honestly felt like I’d never get to the point where I am okay on all my meds without any major side effects.
Insomnia Is Kicking My Butt (It’s Going To Be a Long Day)
It’s already after 5 am and I have yet to sleep. My alarm for work is scheduled to go off at 7:45 am. There is no point in even trying to get any rest now especially because I am so wide awake. I have nothing going on at the moment, so I figured I would try to blog for a little – again – or until I have to start getting ready for work.
