Posts Tagged ‘bipolar’
Coping with Seasonal Patterns & Bipolar
If you feel a shift in your mood as the seasons change, you’re not alone. Many people, whether they have bipolar disorder or not, are affected by the changing of the seasons. You may notice changes in your sleep, activity level, and mood. While the mechanisms by which these changes occur are still being studied, you may adapt your treatment plan to help cope with these transitions.Many individuals with bipolar disorder experience depression during the fall and winter months.
< Read More >What is Bipolar Disorder?
In general, bipolar disorder can be defined as a mood disorder with extreme and episodic shifts in a person’s mood and behavior. The mood shifts range from depression to hypomania and mania.Bipolar disorder is defined by subtypes, which include bipolar I, II and mixed episode. Understanding the differences between these subtypes, however, can sometimes be confusing as they tend to share similarities in symptoms.Similarities of Bipolar I and Bipolar II. For instance, depressive episodes for type I…
< Read More >To Tell or Not to Tell? Disclosing Your Mental Illness to Your Employer
Currently, 1 in 5 Canadians are experiencing a mental illness or addiction and 1 of 2 Canadians will have, or have had, a mental illness by the time they reach 40 years of age1. Although these numbers tell us that mental illness is quite common, the stigma tied to mental illness continues to impact our perceptions of mental illness and our decisions around when or with whom to share our diagnoses—especially when it comes to disclosing to our employer.If you are looking for a cut-and-dry answer…
< Read More >Bipolar Disorder and Shame
Whether you have received a mental health diagnosis years ago or just recently, you may be experiencing feelings of shame for having mental health concerns. The Edmonton’s Healthy Living with Bipolar Disorder Support Group recently had a guest speaker discuss her experiences with her bipolar diagnosis and symptoms. Some of the questions that group members asked the speaker were: If she always felt like she had bipolar disorder symptoms, How she was able to accept the idea of being on psychiatric…
< Read More >Living with Bipolar Series – Michelle Black
Michelle Black is a Successful Bipolar Advocate… Her Wellness Journey is a story about having faith, hope, and love.It’s knowing that she is strong and she is brave.It’s about finding a balance and believing in herself.It’s knowing that she is proud of her accomplishmentsThat she has made along this journey!!! Michelle was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder 1 in 2008 when she experienced a manic episode and was hospitalized for three weeks at the University of Alberta Hospital…
< Read More >Living with Bipolar – Colin’s Story
In support of World Bipolar Day, Samantha Pekh sits down with Colin Simpson to candidly discuss his experience of living with bipolar disorder and how he manages his symptoms. Interview Topics: * Life before Diagnosis* Getting Diagnosed* Managing Bipolar* Letting Go of Mania* Dealing with Suicidal Thoughts* Bipolar in the Workplace* Work Life Balance* Involving Support People* Disclosure vs. Discretion* Local Resources…
< Read More >Talking Back to Your Inner Critic – Samantha Pekh
All of us have an inner critic and many of us are unaware of how strong this inner critic is and its influence on us. The inner critic’s voice is the automatic thoughts that run through our minds so quickly that we often do not actually hear them. The words of the inner critic are like the words on an old tape or record that continues to play in our heads, sometimes playing louder, sometimes playing quietly, but always having an impact on us. This inner critic can lead to increased anxiety,…
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