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.
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.
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.
(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.
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…
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!)
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This is a topic I don’t necessarily like to talk about as it’s difficult to talk about much less then writing about it. So a bit of a backstory before I jump into it. I was diagnosed back in 2014 with Borderline Personality Disorder.
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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.
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.
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)
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?”
It has been some time since my last personal blog post. Since September 4th, 2020 to be exact, which is when I shared about the worst panic and anxiety attacks I have ever had. I feel like I have really been neglecting my blog but life is just so unpredictable at times. (Continue Reading…)
It has been so long since I have written anything, I had started a few times but not even halfway through whatever I was writing about I would have a huge blowout (ANGER) and like always, after doing so I would go into my bedroom and retreat into one of the darkest, most dangerous places I could go (inside my own head).
Today has been a very mentally and emotionally challenging day for me. I had the worst panic and anxiety attack that I have ever had in my life and it literally lasted for about an hour or perhaps even longer.
It’s almost 6 in the morning and the bright, beaming sun will begin to rise soon and I still haven’t slept yet. My body feels exhausted and physically drained. I’m struggling with some mental fogginess as well. At this point, I am not even sure if I will make sense to anyone other than myself.
Helplines are there for people during their times of need. If you are ever struggling with things such as your mental health or addiction, please reach out to others for help and support. You do not have to try to be “brave” or “tough.” It’s okay to not be okay. That does not make you weak.
Save or print this helpline reference sheet in case of emergencies!
