I thought virtual reality was a relic of the ‘90s – clunky headsets never to be seen again in this world of smartphones and tablets. But no, it’s being used for medical purposes — particularly to simulate environments for mental health patients.
Sometimes I think “What if I never took a psychotropic med in my life? Would I still be bipolar?” My mania was triggered by the antidepressant Prozac.
Are you bipolar or an addict looking for insight from a like-minded soul? Have a loved one suffering from bipolar or addiction and want some inside advice? While I’m not a doctor or medical expert, I can tell you about my experiences with this dual diagnosis and look to support others with replies. Note that…
Conor Oberst, a.k.a. Bright Eyes, is perhaps the greatest songwriter of my generation. Evoking bipolar and depression, this album is as moody as it gets.
The plight of the mentally ill is not unlike that of the gay population. Like any minority group, sometimes we feel like we are second-class citizens. Like any minority group, sometimes the mentally ill feel like they are second-class citizens. Gays and lesbians for the most part used to feel misunderstood. Ostracized. Stigmatized. In some parts of the country and in certain circles, they still do. But for those of us with bipolar and other mental illnesses, we are also stigmatized to the extreme.
We’ve all encountered people who don’t understand our disease. Whether they’re ignorant and don’t believe bipolar is a real affliction or they just can’t comprehend it, there will always be naysayers or those who can’t sympathize. Here’s a roundup of questions and statements we with bipolar hate being asked or told.
Everyone knows your smartphone can do almost anything. You can order takeout with the flick of a finger. You can analyze your physical health. And now, you can also analyze your mental health. There are several apps in development that will monitor your moods as well as existing apps that foster relationships among the mental health community.
This week marks Schizophrenia Awareness Week. Therefore, I bring you this story in hopes of helping to break the stigma. Mental illness in the news is usually reported when something horrific happens. A homicide. A mass shooting. Infanticide. However, mentally ill people are more likely to be victims of violence than perpetrators themselves.
We’ve seen it in movies – think Jack Nicholson in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest or Malcolm McDowell in A Clockwork Orange. In the case of both films, electroshock therapy is shown as a punishment. The efficacy of the treatment is shrouded in mystery. But electroshock therapy is not archaic, as some would believe. The treatment has evolved.
Nick is a 55-year-old bipolar professionally trained musician. In this excerpt from my upcoming book The Eccentrics, we hear about how he got mixed up with the mob during his drinking days.
