Posts pertaining to Bi-polar Disorder or to my daughter, Paix.
***Warning: This article may trigger those who self-harm.*** This topic is very difficult for me to write about because of how closely it hits home. I have been a self-harmer far into my adult years. It’s something I still struggle with sometimes. When most people hear the term ‘self-harm’ they think of a young teenagerRead more
Genetic testing for medications has gained popularity in the past few years especially in the psychiatric community. Also called Pharmacogenetics, this genome testing analyzes your DNA to determine how your body will react to certain medications. I’ve had the testing done myself, so has my daughter as well as another member of my family. We’veRead more
Recently I sat down with my daughter, Paix, and asked her several questions about her Bipolar II Disorder. She’s had a really rough time over the past few years and I wanted to see what she thought about her disorder from her point of view. It comes across as very dry and interview-y (if that’sRead more
A term that we hear quite often, especially in mental health and special needs circles is ‘self-care’ but what does it really mean and why is it so important? Self-care is the deliberate act of taking care of one’s personal physical, emotional and mental health. In short, it is taking care of ourselves! Being goodRead more
One thing that most people don’t think about when speaking about mental illness is how that disorder affects the family as a whole. We usually talk about the person who deals with the mental illness; how they can cope, tips on self-care, what to do if such-and-such happens, etc. Rarely, do we hear about theRead more
Loving a person with a mental health disorder can be hard. There always seems to be times where life turns on end and chaos takes over. Times where you aren’t sure you can handle this person and their issues. It can make being in love feel more like a roller coaster rather than a rideRead more
Sitting around one day letting my mind wander, I came up with a question regarding mental health. Is being ok with not being ok really ok? It can be a confusing question so let me break it down for you. Say my meds are working but I’m not really happy. I’m not depressed. Just kindRead more
My daughter, Paix, and I have been at odds a great deal lately. When trying to discuss her mental health, we usually end up in an argument where we both walk away angry and hurt. I’m afraid she thinks I don’t love her or, worse, don’t care at all, but it gets so frustrating dealingRead more
Have you ever been through a time in your life where you have lost your purpose? I think we all have a period in life when this happens. If you haven’t gone through yours yet, just wait. It’s coming. For the past couple of months, I have been struggling with finding my purpose again. ItRead more
The past few weeks have been hard. My meds have quit working, as I discussed in an earlier post (When the Meds Stop Working). I’m happy to report though that my psychiatrist has upped the dosage and I should be feeling better very soon. Thank God!! As I’ve said before, every day is a struggleRead more