Bipolar - What's new?

Excellent pages and short videos from the BBC about bipolar disorder (manic depression):BBC

You have probably heard of light therapy, here you can find out about dark therapy: www.psycheducation.org/depression/LightDark.htm (accessed 26/7/09)

Same site discussing one way in which Lithium works:

www.psycheducation.org/mechanism/Clock.htm (accessed 26/7/09)

The Cambridge MDF group have put many items and links together: for bipolar people in the UK

Have you ever heard of Pete Wentz - well it appears he has joined a lot of other celebrities by admitting to his bipolar diagnosis. Do you think this is a brave thing to do, or simply sensible?

The idea that there must be some advantage in having mood swings has been around for a while. This is something that can be covered in courses from Stop Paddling. Bipolar Advantage is a Californian based "consumer run organisation" created after the publication of the book of the same name Bipolar Advantage by Tom Wootton.

"Link Found Between Depression And Household Mold" - This really made me think about the chicken and egg - which comes first! Are they going to prove that the mold increases likelihood of depression or is it as simple as depressed people cannot keep their homes mold free?

"Students With Symptoms Of Mental Illness Often Don't Seek Help" - not really so surprising. Perhaps more interestingly, the article also talks about, "the incidence of mental illness on college campuses is rising". This is in USA - is this your experience too?

Readers of, "Sailing Ideas" newsletters will already be familiar with the fact that smiling causes people to be happy due to feedback to the brain. Here is a new article on this subject: Smiling (May 2007)

"Traditional drug regimes for people with bipolar disorder could be increasingly replaced with therapies to treat the "triggers" of manic episodes, scientists say. In the future, making "lifestyle changes", as well as learning new ways to cope with stress..." reports Polly Curtis

The Guardian (April 2007)

The very impressive work of Mark Hannant: Bipolaraware

Symptoms: Changes in thoughts

Surviving Christmas:

http://bipolar.about.com/od/support/a/10holidaytips.htm (Dec 2006)

Mood swings are often related to or even caused by alcohol or illegal drugs. About 50% of those diagnosed as bipolar are involved with substand abuse. You may wish to try one of these self assessments, but please do not blame me if you find them upsetting:

http://alcoholism.about.com/b/a/096193.htm (March 2007)

Football to beat schizophrenia and depression (about a true story and film from Italy):

http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,1984988,00.html (Jan 2007)

Web site run by a local bipolar self-help group: www.mdfcambridge.org.uk

Dr Haupt: Blog

One person's views on: Lithium side effects

Some medical stuff: Massachusetts

Publisher of books written by people with mental health diagnosis: www.chipmunkapublishing.co.uk

Andy Behrman's website: www.electroboy.com