“Life is painful, suffering is optional.” If you’re a regular on Facebook or Twitter, you’ve probably seen the quote above attributed to the Buddha, or the Dalai Lama, or Gandhi, or Confucius, or a slew of other spiritual leaders. While it certainly follows Buddha’s principals, and the Buddha likely said something similar, most sayings on […]
Author: Brad
Dr. Sanjay Gupta and I
A couple of months ago I received a message from a reporter from Dr. Sanjay Gupta’s office. There was a planned expansion on bipolar disorder for his website “Health Matters with Dr. Sanjay Gupta,” and I was asked to be interviewed. In case you don’t know of him, Dr. Sanjay Gupta is the multiple Emmy®-award […]
Even Depressed People Are Optimistic
Do you think there are blue sky’s ahead? If you do, you’re in good company because a recent study shows that adults typically believe that life gets better. Even depressed people believe in a brighter future. But, here’s the kicker – this optimistic attitude may not lead to better outcomes. (Sigh) The findings are published […]
Is Suicide Ideation a Big Deal?
I was on the bus the other day and began thinking how much I miss owning a car, which reminded me that I miss owning a home, which reminded me how much I miss having a job and all the good things (materialistic) that come with it. I became sadder as I thought of how […]
Could Your Birth Season Cause Mood Disorder?
Researchers from Budapest, Hungary are presenting a study which links birth season with temperament. The study shows that people born at certain times of year may have a greater chance of developing certain types of affective temperaments, which in turn can lead to mood disorders (affective disorders). Now, I must offer full disclosure here. I […]
Fitness Update October 20, 2014
Why a Fitness Update on a Bipolar Blog? As much as I am grateful for the meds that have made a dramatic difference in making me more balanced, there is one side effect I’m not thrilled about – weight gain. Weight gain can be a major struggle for those of us on bipolar meds because […]
Relief
I refuse to accept that I can’t take two classes and write a blog without killing myself in the process. The quote above is from a recent article I posted. Regular readers know I’ve been struggling with time management and generally feeling overwhelmed. I’ve been trying to balance college classes, blog writing, some volunteer work […]
Mindfulness – Being in the Present
Mindfulness-based meditation has been in the news a lot over the past year or two. Studies around the globe has shown it can reduce blood pressure, alleviate some of the effects of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Other studies have shown it likely improves decision-making, migraines and more. However, it was a study in […]
You’ve Got This Video
Being diagnosed with bipolar disorder can be difficult and even scary. The moment a doctor tells you that you have a mental illness can be one of the worst moments of your life. However, Healthline aims to help those recently diagnosed with bipolar disorder with “You’ve Got This” — a public service campaign which has […]
Bullying Can Have A Lifetime Effect
I hate to admit it, but I was a bully. It hurts to think about it, so I can only imagine how much it likely affects the two individuals who were victims of my bullying. This is especially true after reading a study by Kings College in London which shows the impact of childhood bullying […]