Uncategorized « Straight Talk on Managing Bipolar Disorder

My Bp Magazine Blog: An Interview with Sherry Joiner. What is the Difference between Bipolar Disorder and Schizo-affective Disorder?

Note: It’s Labor Day here in the States. I’m doing a contest where a person who has schizoaffective disorder can win Sherry’s book. Please visit my Facebook page at Julie A. Fast for contest details. Today only! Woo. Today is also the day we announce the winner of Sherry’s beautiful flower painting that you see below. So if you bought her book in the past month, please make sure you send in your name to BooksbyMental Health Writers at gmail dot com with your contact info.

Do you know the difference between bipolar disorder and schizo-affective disorder?

I interviewed Sherry Joiner, the author of Sherry Goes Sane: Living a Life with Schizo Affective Disorder and asked her to explain the difference and tell us more about [ Read More ]

How are your friendships these days?

How do you deal with change in your friendships?

Changes in friendships are inevitable, especially as we get older. I went through the wave of changes when my friends started having kids. I never wanted children, but most of my friends did. I saw them less once the kids were born- but now that the kids are getting older, I see these friends more! When friends get into a GOOD relationship, you see them less. It’s natural. When it’s a BAD relationship, you talk to them more because they want to vent.

It can be hard to take if you’re feeling left out.. because the person naturally wants to spend time with their new love and simply can’t have the same time for you as they had in the past.

It [ Read More ]

Accepting New Family Member and Partner Coaching Clients

b father

Five years ago, I started coaching partners and family members of people with bipolar disorder as an addition to my writing career.

I never, ever thought I would find work that I enjoy as much as I enjoy coaching. I feel at home with the parents and partners as I have been where they are- and I remain calm during the crises that many of my clients are going through while we are working together. Bipolar disorder is like a puzzle. It’s not always easy to find the right pieces on your own. It helps to have a coach as a guide.

My coaching practice has room for new clients. I take new clients about once a month-and then help them as best I can. It’s a partnership that saves relationships and often [ Read More ]

ENOUGH! MY RESPONSE TO THOSE WHO ATTACK ME FOR BELIEVING IN THE MEDICAL MODEL TREATMENT OF BIPOLAR DISORDER.

I’ve had enough of comments that knock my belief that there are situations where people with bipolar disorder desperately need medications.

As many of you know, I wrote my first book, Bipolar Happens! in 1998. I then wrote the Health Cards- a treatment plan that works with or without medications- and then Loving Someone with Bipolar Disorder, Take Charge of Bipolar Disorder and Get it Done When You’re Depressed. ALL of these books are based on the idea that medications are ONE part of bipolar disorder management. Not the end all and be all- but an integral piece of the puzzle, especially for those of use who are unlucky enough to have chronic, never ending mood swings.

To attack someone for using medications is sinister.

What can the motive for this behavior possibly be? Are these people writing MS and diabetes websites and telling people they should not take medications? Are they [ Read More ]

100% Lesbian.. Except When Manic: A Guest Blog from Selina Glater

100% Lesbian, Except When Manic by Selina Glater

It seems that sexual orientation doesn’t change. You either know that you are heterosexual, or that you are gay, or that you might be both. In my opinion, I believe we are hard wired in our sexual orientation. I know that I’m a lesbian, but with one relatively simple wrinkle.

I’m also an individual with bipolar disorder.

Double whammy you say. You had better believe that it is! When I’m manic, I do many outlandish things such as talking too rapidly, spending more money than I have, and you guessed it, jumping into bed with men.

Normally, the idea of having sex with men is not exactly a turn on, but when [ Read More ]

What the BipolarHappens.com Blog is… and What the BipolarHappens.com Blog isn’t…

Why has the internet become a place where we think it’s ok to write inflammatory comments as though there is not another human being on the other side who will read them, take them in and have to answer them?

It’s a two way interaction. I have read every comment on this blog for 10 years- and most have been insightful and thoughtful. Then there are those that are accusatory and inflammatory. I used to just post them and let readers decide to listen or not, but something in me has changed. I realize that we need to take more responsibility for what we write on the web and for making sure we stop others who attack people for their mental health opinions.

This is a mental health site that focuses [ Read More ]