Let’s Welcome Jess to the My Bipolar Mind Blog Family!
I would like to take a moment to welcome Jessenia Collado (@jesscollado3) to the My Bipolar Mind blog family! Jess is our newest writer on this site.
Jess’s Story: My Ups & Downs
I have been in the longest depressive state since being diagnosed. It started around September 2021.
Late Night Thoughts: July 21, 2021
I know I already published one very long personal post earlier, but it is after midnight I still pretty awake so I figured I’d blog a bit more about whatever comes to mind. Although, I did just finally take my night time meds around 11:45 pm which is way later than I am used to taking them since moving back to my moms so hopefully they kick in before 1 am so I can still get an okay amount of sleep before my mom and her dogs get up in the morning.
Gratitude For June 23, 2021
I know I have been posting blog post after blog post over the last several hours (thanks to mania and insomnia), but I thought I would try something a little different for me and write about 10 things I am grateful for this morning.
How to Prepare For a Psych Appointment
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Let’s Talk About Bipolar Disorder & If It’s Genetic
Before we get into the main topic at hand, let’s first learn a little bit about Bipolar Disorder. Bipolar Disorder is characterized by extreme highs – known as mania – and extreme lows – known as bipolar depression. There are different types of Bipolar Disorder but the main two are labeled as Bipolar 1 and Bipolar 2.
Merry (Early) Christmas & Happy New Year
I would like to wish everyone who reads this a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Here is to hoping that 2021 will be so much better and less stressful for everyone!
(Warning: This is a long post! Sorry!)
Continue reading…
Guest Post by Rissa: Borderline Personality Disorder vs. Bipolar Disorder | Learn The Difference (Plus Info on BPD)
Let’s welcome Rissa back to My Bipolar Mind as she talks about the difference between Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) vs. Bipolar Disorder (BD). She also goes over facts, symptoms, and treatment options for BPD.
Happy [Early] Turkey Day, Everyone!
I hope that everyone who celebrates Thanksgiving has an amazing day Thursday filled with lots of thanks, gratitude, love, and the chance to be surrounded by those you cherish the most.
Try It: Download & Print Our Updated Monthly Bipolar Mood/Symptom Tracker
For those of you who are like me and are living with bipolar disorder, you have probably been told about the importance of tracking your mood and bipolar symptoms regularly at least once or twice in your life. Tracking your mood and symptoms has quite a few benefits. (Get your free printable and continue reading)
I Was Diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder, Now What?
Maybe today was your first time meeting with a mental health care professional. Or perhaps it was your tenth time. If you left your doctor’s office with the brand-new diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder, you may be wondering, “What now?”
My Bipolar Mind 