Bipolar 1 Survivor

Information to Help You Thrive

  • Start Here
  • About
  • Learn
  • Blog
  • Videos
  • Resources
  • Contact

I’m a Radical Bipolar

11.12.2017 by Molly McHugh // Leave a Comment

Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedinmail

I’m a radical bipolar. Love that and just thought of it this a.m. I’m different than a majority of Manic Depressives out there – mainly as I take no mood stabilizing medications and have not for years. I do drink red wine almost daily, so possibly that is a form of self-medicating and what I use to partly help my ups and downs.

I also take thyroid hormone, salmon oil and melatonin at night. This post isn’t about those issues, but I do share that info in detail in my book.

I'm a Radical Bipolar

Non-drug approaches have helped in many ways with my form of this chronic illness whereas psychotropic medications only made me worse. Except for the few times that I became severely manic and had to be hospitalized. And more recently, low dose Prozac for a month or two on a few occassions to help lift out of severe depression.

That I would never take again, learn why here: Would I Ever Take Prozac Again?

The meds worked miracles at those times during my early-mid 20s, allowing me to be released from the psych ward within 2 weeks or less.

But ‘staying on the meds’ ‘being compliant with treatment’ etc. was not useful in my case. I had to rebel to survive. I had to seek-out other ways of helping my mood issues and in finding and treating those things that were a part of the overall picture.

This included counseling for a sexual assault, treating CFS/ME chronic fatigue, learning about environmental sensitivities and effects of toxins (food, air, water) in addition to more fun stuff.

I am a Radical Bipolar

I’m not traditional in many other ways also… so why not have a little fun and give myself the label ‘radical bipolar’. I AM A RADICAL BIPOLAR! That was fun. It has a certain ring to it, no? Ring plus sting… that’s it!

So much more fun than ‘rapid-cycling bipolar’ – though I do enjoy biking. More fun than the label ‘Manic Depressive’ – I’ve seen enough of the happy/sad mask displayed in connection to that term to last a lifetime. Also is much better than the now overused term ‘bipolar’ that has been so widely overused many don’t even understand the basic illness it actually refers to.

Related post: The Story of the Bipolar Spectrum.

I’m a bit through with that as well. So many diagnosed ‘bipolar’ that are not. Or given so many multiple diagnosis – bipolar 2 disorder plus borderline personality disorder plus affective disorder plus… you start to wonder whether the clinician is suffering from multiple personality disorder.

Just teasing! But you get the point.

Why Bipolar Radical?

What prompted this silliness? I came across an article on Health.com this morning titled: “9 Ways to Control Bipolar Disorder“. It caught my attention and I felt was worth my time to check out.

Nine things that can help this chronic illness? I want to know what they are and if there are any I am not doing but could be doing to help me stay well, be well.

What did I discover? Pretty much the same old rehashed over and over again common sense: regular sleep, eat well, don’t drink (oops!), reduce stress… But wait… there IS something new! Tip #5 in the article reads:

Avoid traveling into other time zones

If you are planning to travel extensively, you may want to call your doctor before you leave. Traveling into other time zones can disrupt your medication schedule and trigger a manic episode.

Well me oh my, what a radical is yo. I’ve traveled all over the place (yes, some prompted by high states) and back again. Lived abroad for 9 years with my son. It is true that jet lag can trigger mood states but since I was not taking regular meds not an issue.

Damn I’m radical!

I’ve Kicked Your Ass Bipolar

Sorry if you consider that heading ‘foul language’… I’m radical, remember?

I’m not ashamed to have a mental illness but I am not a proud bipolar either. I don’t feel it is anything to brag or shout to the mountain tops about and I don’t think it is a blessing. It is to me simply a genetically-based serious mental illness that expressed itself in my life as a late teen and that I have had to live with ever since.

Much of that ‘living with bipolar illness’ has been very tough. And you know what they say… when the going gets tough… the tough go radical. Or something like that.

cheers, Molly

The image is a free use image from ClipArts.co.

Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedinmail

Categories // Uncategorized

Bipolar 1 Survivor Awarded Top 100 Bipolar Disorder Blog 2017

07.02.2017 by Molly McHugh // Leave a Comment

Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedinmail

This blog – Bipolar 1 Surivor – has been voted one of the top 100 blogs about bipolar disorder for 2017. I am very honoured.

Bipolar 1 Survivor Awarded Top 100 Bipolar Disorder Blog 2017
This Is My Fancy Award I Am Now Proudly Displaying on This Website

There are many excellent blogs in the list. Some I had not heard of so will now check out.

Best Bipolar Disorder Blogs on the Planet

That’s what the article says! Lol.

The full list is here: Top 100 Bipolar Disorder Blogs and Websites for People Living with Bipolar Disorder.

Check it out!

I have to admit, when I received the email and then went to read it I was worried that I’d come in number 99 or something. But no, I made it in the top half at number 39.

Woot!

Thank You!

I love my cool new badge, and feel a sense of accomplishment at having been acknowledged and included.

Thank you to all at Feedspot who worked on the list and I will keep taking it to the next level.

What’s going on today – overdiagnosing, overmedicating, ECT – has to change. And I will work towards making that happen.

It’s not health-oriented, it is profit-making oriented. Professionals have no right to abuse others.

They have no right to hide data about the harmful effects of psychiatric medications and no right to lie about their supposed effectiveness.

Everyone should be aware of children who are being mislabeled, and those that have lost their lives to psychotropic medications: PAPA – Amazing Parents Fighting for All of Our Kids.

You have to be a special kind-of evil to not find that disconcerting.

Proven Treatment Modalities to Help Heal Mood Disorders

Let’s move forward and focus on legitimate science-backed treatments that can help someone (child, adolescent or adult) heal.

Here are some things to think about:

What to Do if Autoimmune Disease Caused Your Bipolar Disorder

Hypothyroidism May Be a Root Cause of Your Bipolar Disorder

Take a Probiotic Supplement to Help Your Bipolar Disorder

How Omega 3 Fatty Acids Help Bipolar Disorder + My Story

Marijuana Can Help Bipolar Disorder – Know the Facts

Testing for Bipolar Disorder – What Your Doctor May Not Know

Think about how and why you became ill. Then learn how you can get help to identify and treat underlying causes of your mood disorder.

Then go on and live the best life you can. Cheers, Molly

Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedinmail

Categories // Uncategorized

Did Big Brother Edit My Book For Me?

10.27.2016 by Molly McHugh // Leave a Comment

Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedinmail

Did big brother edit my book for me? This is just a note in lieu of making a few minor updates to my book: Bipolar 1 Disorder – How to Survive and Thrive.

Self-Publsihing on Amazon is as Simple as Uploading a PDF File. And You Are At Their Mercy for Protection of Your Data.
Self-Publsihing on Amazon is as Simple as Uploading a PDF File. And You Are At Their Mercy for Protection of Your Data.

I ordered a few of the paperbacks to send to a few people who have kindly offered to read it and noticed a few changes to the text – that I am pretty sure I didn’t make. One that I will change asap and that really bothers me it is in there, is this:

“More than 2 or 3 is insane unless absolutely necessary”

I agonized a bit what to put there, and decided on “1 or 2”. Simply as I know how severe mood states can be and someone may need medical help to stabilize. I did not – intentionally – put “2 or 3”.

It was in the “Bipolar Disorder vs Drug Addiction” chapter. And I was commenting on how insane it is today the number of medications people are given (medical malpractice actually, but another topic for another day). That some people have told me they are taking 7 different medications.

Seven psychotropic medications at once?

That is sickening to even think about, and insane. And why disability rates for mental illness are so high.

Related post: If Antidepressants Worked We Would Have Less Disability From Depression.

Is the above a major issue? No, but it is not what I wrote, or would support, or was saying. So I’ll fix it and make sure it stays fixed in the text.

Need to Update Section on Low Dose Prozac

When you write a memoir you are in the mode of trying to tell a story – your story. Your trying to share with the reader whatever subject matter the book is focusing on in a way that will be of interest and enjoyable to read.

[bctt tweet=”Being on More Than 1 or 2 Psych Meds is Insane. And Will Make You Sick.”]

At least that was how I approached the project. I shared as much down and dirty detail as I could that related to my experience of living with this illness and treatments. One involved low-dose Prozac. It was many years ago, and I would never do it again. So will add a comment in that section to clarify.

And I wrote this post after realizing how that may sound like I am recommending it as a treatment. I know much more now about these meds, how they work, and how disabling long-term use is. I would treat a similar severe mood state in other ways now.

Relatd post: Would I Ever Take Prozac Again?

Twenty Years to Complete the Book

I actually started the book many years ago – when I was in my late twenties. Yes, I was in a pretty strong hypomanic state at the time – the book was of course going to be ground-breaking and a best seller! – and also rapid cycling. And I didn’t get much done at that time other than a few starter notes.

The motivation though in making an attempt to write a book was very sincere – I simply wanted to share my story in the hope it helped others. I’d read quite a few mental health memoirs by that time and wanted to add mine to the mix.

So many of those books gave me solace during times I was hanging on by a pretty thin thread. Made me feel not alone. Helped me to understand that others go through severe illness states, can experience psychiatric hospitalization and come out on the other side.

Get back to living their lives like others do. Become a part of society again, enjoy life.

Plus, in the early 1990s there were few memoirs with a focus on Manic Depression. Now with the explosion of the diagnosis due to all the new versions of it (BP-lite diagnoses, reactions from antidepressants then getting BP-2 diagnosis, etc.) there are many books that have been written about ‘bipolar disorder’.

Related post: Brief History of Bipolar Disorder Diagnoses – From Rare to Common.

Though mine still is one of a few that are actually about classic Manic Depression. And I do feel I’ve created something of value to others, to help them not only feel alone, but to understand the illness a little better and some things that may be helpful in healing severe mood states.

I’m proud of my contribution, and hope if the topic interests you you’ll check it out. It is only 99 cents as a Kindle book, and I am going to keep it priced at 99 cents so anyone can read it regardless of income level.

Cheers.

Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedinmail

Categories // Uncategorized

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • Next Page »

Bipolar1Survivor.com is owned and operated by Mike Veny mental heath speaker

Recent Posts

  • Advice and Tips for Psychiatric Medication Withdrawal
  • Neuroprotective Properties of Lithium
  • How Much Melatonin to Take For Bipolar Disorder
  • Autoimmune Disease Could Be a Root Cause of Your Bipolar Disorder
  • Understanding The Placebo Effect of Antidepressants

Disclaimer

We are not mental health professionals. If you need medical help, please consult a doctor. If you are in an emergency, please call 911.

Privacy Policy      Terms & Conditions     Anti-Discrimination Policy
Copyright © 2021 ยท bipolar1survivor.com. All Rights Reserved.