Recovery- What is bipolar recovery?
I am adding a little to this page from time to time. Click here if you would like to say something about bipolar recovery.
14/8/10 UK - In today's Daily Express newspaper the lead article is about NOT putting the clocks back one hour this autumn. It is an emotive issue. The main argument for not putting clocks back is from the 1968 to 1971 experiment where is was demonstarted that most accidents involving school children hit by vehicles occur during the dark hour created by the clock change. Deaths due to road accidents dropped by about 100 per year. Accident prevention organisations have campaigned for 29 years to stop the government killing our children. Isn't it time to change... or do I mean to stop changing.
5/8/2010 The WRAP web site at www.mentalhealthrecovery.com is very well known. If you accidentally type www.mentalhealthrecovery.org there is a very different mental helath recovery web site. I didn't know it was there. Did you?
1/8/2010 How many of us feel we are doing too much? Finding it difficult to do less?
18/7/2010 Rufus also said about needing a network of like-minded people. Maybe it can be difficult to find like-minded people when we are thinking very differently?
15/7/2010 I went to a forum with Rufus May today. He is probably most famous for a film about helping people to cope with hearing voices (auditory hallucinations). He made this comparison, "Living with voices is like living with difficult neighbours - we have got to get on with." www.rufusmay.com
8/7/2010 From Cambridgeshire, England: I have been told about an "exciting new initiative by the Trust to train and employ service users (meaning people with bipolar) as Peer Support Workers." I know this approached has been used in USA - Is it used elsewhere in the world? Other parts of UK?
23/6/10 Here is one of the many 'FREE HUGS' films on uTube. What has it got to do with moods? Well, did your mood change when you watched it? Did you smile? Did you get tears in your eyes?
11/6/10 In London a new charity is starting up which hopes/intends to, "influence the recovery of people who have experienced, are experiencing, or are about to experience mental health difficulties, including those (family; friends; colleagues; etc) impacted by experiences of people in difficulty or distress." Their name; "Creating Mental Wealth" sounds good. If you would like to find out more have a look at: www.creatingmentalwealth.org
8/6/10 So far this year 94 people have subscribed to Bipolar Recovery Bitesize© - I have just simplified the subscription page.
27/5/10 In this short video the well respected Professor John Geddes briefly explains what bipolar disorder is and interestingly near the end says "Recovery does happen in bipolar disorder" and outlines how he sees recovery happening. bipolar disorder video
21/5/10 Another new web site: www.wraptraining.co.uk
I have created this because people in England have been telling me that it has been difficult to find local WRAP training on internet.
18/5/10 I have an additional web site at: www.moodmappingeast.co.uk
This is the first time half and full day Mood Mapping training has been available outside of London or Edinburgh.
8/5/10 last week I saw an article about Bill Oddie's diagnosis with bipolar disorder in the Daily Mail's weekend supplement. I mentioned this during a mental health awareness workshop. I was a little surprised that one person in the audience had never heard of this ex-Goodie / comedian / Actor / TV presenter / Writer / Song-writer / Musician / Conservationist / Bird watcher. There again I guess a lot of people under about 40 or who have not lived in the UK long are going to be unaware of this grandfather figure, I have heard described as, "Eccentric to say the least".
The article surprised me as it seem sit has taken until about his 65th birthday for him to be diagnosed with a disorder that has been plain for millions of viewers to see on TV. Do the psychiatrists not watch TV? Or maybe they thought Bill's sudden changes in mood were part of his acting? The article is reproduce din full here: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1270002/Bill-Oddie-I-wanted-end-I-I-Bipolar.html
Does anyone reading this have a way of passing a message on to Bill Oddie?
2/5/10 On the BBC this morning there was a discussion about the idea of the 'green gym'. This is about people who exercise outdoors generally being healthier and happier than those who either exercise indoors only or do no exercise at all. Why am I talking about this here? Because on this morning's TV they were saying how effective the exercise outdoors idea is for beating depression.
1/5/10 Added a page advertising Mood Mapping courses to my business web site.
29/4/10 I just noticed this interesting list of books to do with bipolar disorder
26/4/10 I have just returned from 2 days in London assisting with the first Training for Mood Mapping Trainers event. Mood Mapping is an exciting new development as it explains what moods are better than any previous system and then goes on to give practical ideas on how to improve mood and stay well. Mood Mapping Ltd now has sufficient trainers to offer Mood Mapping courses anywhere in the UK. www.moodmapping.com
7/4/10 I have just read an article in the Daily Mail dated 30th March. It says that "being a bit bipolar" is like "being a bit pregnant". This is the view of two psychiatrists who disagree with the DSM definition of a spectrum of mood disorder. It was this black and white view of bipolar that made my life so difficult around the time of diagnosis. It is a view like, "men are from Mars, women are from venus and bipolars are from pluto" - It is so obviously wrong. Anyone can be a little bit bipolar. One doctor says in the article that he turns these worried people away! It is these people who need urgent help before their condition worsens. It is OK to be bipolar. It is awful to let this bipolarity turn into a disorder.
6/4/10 I have added a simple a page with 31 mini Mood Maps for use with Bipolar Recovery Bite-size©
5/4/10 I have added a simple black and white mood chart for use with Bipolar Recovery Bite-size©
2/4/10 The Mood Mapping web site has been updated with far more detail than before
31/3/10 I met David Mariant through Linked In. His company web site looks impressive... www.survivingbipolar.com
27/3/10 Added a new page with discussion of causes of mood disorder.
21/2/10 Seven people subscribed to Bipolar Recovery Bite-size© today.
20/2/10 The Bipolar Disorder Group at www.linkedin.com has reached 100 members. Quite an achievement for a group only started a few months ago.
26/1/10 I have just added a page for subscribing to my Bipolar Recovery Bitesize© email series.
12/1/10 My new newsletter series is now available.
2/1/10 Over Christmas and New Year I have been writing about hope & positive thinking, the importance of quality sleep, self sabotage and a whole lot of other things. I even had some time not thinking quite so much about moods - a little holiday.
15/12/09 John McManamy, Mental health journalist, author, and advocate contacted me. It is amazing how much work John is doing. This is just one of his web sites: McMan's Depression and Bipolar Web at: www.mcmanweb.com I hadn't realised that John is the author of 'Living Well with Depression and Bipolar Disorder: What Your Doctor Doesn't Tell You...That You Need to Know' - have you read this book?
4/12/09 Gregory Montgomery (G Hugh Montgomery Jr) contacted me through www.linkedin.com which made me aware of his blog called, 'The Art of Surviving Bipolar Disorder' at http://bpwellness.blogspot.com
25/10/09 Bipolar disorder comes in many forms. One of these is cyclothymia. Cyclothymia is not talked about a great deal in the UK, with perhaps most people with this form being told they have Bipolar II? The other day, Kathryn who set up The Cyclothymia Collective in 2002 contacted me and mentioned www.thecyclothymiacollective.blogspot.com. This looks like a really useful place for people who have this form of mood disorder.
14/10/09 I have read all "Mood Mapping" and am very impressed. There is a lot more to the book than I first thought there would be. I am particularly interested in Dr Miller's description of the "5 keys to mood". I am planning to meet with Dr Miller in October.
25/9/09 I received my copy of "Mood Mapping" by Dr Liz Miller from Amazon today. Pretty good going as it is not due out until 2nd Oct. (Surprisingly bright orange cover!) Seriously though mood mapping is the most amazing idea ever for understanding moods. It is a simple idea yet explains so much.
14/9/09 At www.bipolarrecovery.net there are the beginnings of some lists of sites about bipolar disorder and which I am hoping to sort to make the lists helpful for those working on recovery from the disorder or recovery from the diagnosis.
12/9/09 I communicated on-line with Katy Sara Culling the other day. She has a site at www.katysaraculling.com that is just the sort of site I could add to my list of useful sites regarding bipolar if I get around to creating it. Katy is the author of DARK CLOUDS GATHER - a bipolar memoir. (A True Story about surviving Mood Disorders, Eating Disorders, Attempted Suicide, and Self-Harm).
10/9/09 There seem to be a great many web sites about bipolar these days. Some are quite official looking ones, whilst others have been created by individuals with the diagnosis. Is anyone aware of any sort of directory of web sites on bipolar?... well, of course we could just google "bipolar" but maybe I am thinking of a list with some comment by each saying how useful the site is likely to be.
7/9/09 A journalist asked me for some comments on Dr Liz Miller's Mood Mapping...
"Liz presented Mood Mapping to our bipolar self help group just over a year ago. The idea that moods have two major components matched the way I had been thinking for years. The idea of putting these as axes on the same chart was totally new to me. That evening I created and printed a page with 31 little mood maps so that I could record my moods over the next month. I found it was very easy to plot points on the charts.
I had previously found that using a traditional (up/down) mood scale was useful in knowing how to control moods. Using the mood map simplified this process of knowing what to do in response to an undesirable mood. I used the charts on paper for 2 months then found that I was carrying the image of the mood map in my head such that I could say where my mood was at any time should I ask myself or want to tell people how I was feeling.
I facilitate training in Mental Health Awareness, Understanding Mood Disorder and Food & Mood. Mood mapping has become an integral component of all 3 courses meaning that I have now shared mood mapping with people from many walks of life. Workshop participants are amazed that feelings and moods can be explained so simply and they find they can be using the mood map to describe their own feelings just moments after seeing it for the first time.
I see mood mapping as the greatest breakthrough ever in understanding mood disorder! For the first time we have a way beyond words that accurately says where our moods are and also where we want our moods to be. In my workshops new ideas are coming forward all the time as to the ways mood mapping can be used by those in distress, carers and professionals."
5/9/09 This web site was out of action for a week due to a hacker messing about with files on server. Have taken advice and security now improved.
21/08/09
Your web site looks really interesting - there's lots of good information
in it. The page on "bipolar symptoms / mood swings - a
brief introduction" in particular is really good and easy to read.
Julie
20/8/09
When I first started working in the wellness field for those (including myself) for bipolar disorder, there were hardly any hits on a Google search about bipolar and recovery. Now there are nearly 2 1/2 million. Wellness happens. And it happens with medical treatment, psychotherapy, education, street knowledge (learning what others have done for their health) and hope. No one should ever take our hope away.
Jane
17/8/09
I also wrote a book regarding my experience with bipolar disorder it will be released on September 17th. The book is called `Bipolar Shoes' it is for the everyday working person to understand. Take a look at: http://daveoriordan.com
Dave
16/8/09
Hi Roger,
I put details [of the talk in Grantham] on www.bipolarassociation.org
and will pass it around the email groups
Liz
15/8/09
What you describe resonates with my mood I think but I must try to be positive
and see bends in the road rather than mountains and pitfalls :)
The site looks good and the frank debate and feelings about recovery very
relevant.
Ian
14/8/09
I don't think that we need more sites. It can be confusing to know which one to access but I think you should try to create a balanced view/discussion about recovery. I am with you in being told that there is no recovery only remission. How do they know? Optimism is very healing. If you want to discuss this further please say.
Linda
13/8/09
I felt so sad when I read your discussion. Not just sad for you and me but for all the people like us who were never offered any hope of recovery. My life, as I saw it, was to keeping swallowing my pills and wait for the next episode to occur to take me back into the loathsome psychiatric hospital. And then a miracle happened - one day someone at my local mental health centre started talking about recovery and running recovery groups. It was like a light bulb going off in my head. I attended the recovery groups and I spent hours and hours on the internet researching bipolar disorder and mental illness and I discovered that lots of other people were talking about recovery. It is a hard journey because you have to begin to know yourself inside out and you have to stay so positive but it has worked for me. I have not taken any medication for a year now and I have been completely signed off by my psychiatrist. I can only hope that you will be able to take the same journey and realise that there is most definitely light at the end of the tunnel.
Carolyn
12/8/09
I have spent some time thinking about your new web site and
I find the links very useful and I haven't got bi-polar.
There are lots of good sources of information there if you want to read around
the subject. In my spare time I have been doing that and sometimes I find
it a bit disturbing because some of it is not very positive, I like reading
positive stuff which really helps, like making lots of little choices and
decisions as you go along to help you in your recovery.
As for if people do really completely recover or just have long periods of
time when they just manage to seem well is another matter, I like to think
you can be happy and enjoy life even though you might never come off medication
or always need support.
What ever we do even if we are very successful in life, we still need special
people who love us, accept us and are willing to step in in an emergency.
Sarah
Bipolar recovery: Our email series Bipolar-Recovery-Bitesize© is nicely structured to give you useful information in bites - much better than this rambling blog writing. :-)