Staying Focused

Staying Focused

The importance of staying focused in daily  Bipolar Living cannot be stressed enough. Living Bipolar means watching for stressors, keeping an eye on your mood, diet, and sleep patterns. Having self awareness and honestly assessing your mood even when feeling good leads to healthy living which is the goal for every person with a mental illness.

Self empowerment comes along with a healthy lifestyle. A healthy lifestyle consists of diet and weight, emotional health, exercise and fitness, memory, and relationships, healthy eating and sleeping. All of these things helps with managing Bipolar disorder long with coping skills to prevent relapses.

You can bring your life into balance. Your mind is like a fine tuned car, with the proper maintenance you can prevent and ease future moodswings. Medication alone cannot do the entire job of living with Bipolar disorder, in order to be a happier you you must be a healthier you mentally,  emotionally and physically. By being in control of you emotions and behavior you can handle life's daily stressors and challenges and lead a productive, fulfilling life.

Improving emotional fitness as well as physical fitness takes work but the rewards of fewer, less severe moodswings are worth the effort. Committing to building emotional health means fewer hospital stays and a more balanced quality of life.

Healthy choices which strengthen your life while having a mental disorder leads to feeling better about yourself and this will lead to fewer depressions.

Helping your medication work with healthy daily living habits is important when dealing with a mental illness.  Living with a chronic illness is never simple and addressing practical issues by having a plan of action which will go into effect if you are not capable of making decisions should be considered.

Accepting, learning and adapting to your moodswings begins the process of recovery.  Managing your illness as a part of your life and knowing your illness gives you the tools that are needed to make the situation less frightening.  You need to understand and recognize what happens in your body when you experience an episode. There are resources on the web that contains the whats, whys, and hows of mental illnesses


Organizing your daily routine and improving your self awareness will help you and our treatment team to find what works best for you.  Finding a support group online an help immensely.  The ey to treatment is to be realistic and patient, give the medication time to work, you ma have to try different drugs in order to find the right one.  Help your medication do its job by keeping healthy habits in daily life.

Staying Focused

The importance of staying focused in daily  Bipolar Living cannot be stressed enough. Living Bipolar means watching for stressors, keeping an eye on your mood, diet, and sleep patterns. Having self awareness and honestly assessing your mood even when feeling good leads to healthy living which is the goal for every person with a mental illness.

Self empowerment comes along with a healthy lifestyle. A healthy lifestyle consists of diet and weight, emotional health, exercise and fitness, memory, and relationships, healthy eating and sleeping. All of these things helps with managing Bipolar disorder long with coping skills to prevent relapses.

You can bring your life into balance. Your mind is like a fine tuned car, with the proper maintenance you can prevent and ease future moodswings. Medication alone cannot do the entire job of living with Bipolar disorder, in order to be a happier you you must be a healthier you mentally,  emotionally and physically. By being in control of you emotions and behavior you can handle life's daily stressors and challenges and lead a productive, fulfilling life.

Improving emotional fitness as well as physical fitness takes work but the rewards of fewer, less severe moodswings are worth the effort. Committing to building emotional health means fewer hospital stays and a more balanced quality of life.

Healthy choices which strengthen your life while having a mental disorder leads to feeling better about yourself and this will lead to fewer depressions. 

Helping your medication work with healthy daily living habits is important when dealing with a mental illness.  Living with a chronic illness is never simple and addressing practical issues by having a plan of action which will go into effect if you are not capable of making decisions should be considered.

Accepting, learning and adapting to your moodswings begins the process of recovery.  Managing your illness as a part of your life and knowing your illness gives you the tools that are needed to make the situation less frightening.  You need to understand and recognize what happens in your body when you experience an episode. There are resources on the web that contains the whats, whys, and hows of mental illnesses

Organizing your daily routine and improving your self awareness will help you and our treatment team to find what works best for you.  Finding a support group online an help immensely.  The ey to treatment is to be realistic and patient, give the medication time to work, you ma have to try different drugs in order to find the right one.  Help your medication do its job by keeping healthy habits in daily life.

Of Genius and Madness

There is a link between genius and madness. but where this gift comes from and why is unknown. People with Schizophrenia and Bipolar disorder are more frequently found to be highly gifted people. There have been numerous studies that have proven link.

Studies in Sweden done on 16-year-olds showed that the more intelligent teenagers were more likely to develop these mental disorders.


A study of Swedish men whose intelligence was measured during their military careers has found a significant link between high intelligence and hospitalization for Bipolar disorder .

A study of adults showed that those who scored top  grades at school were four times more likely to develop bipolar disorder than those with average grades.


The link was strongest among those who studied music or literature, the where genius and madness are most often connected in people in historical records.  Mania may improve intellectual and academic performance, people with mild mania are often witty and inventive. They tend to have exaggerated emotional responses which shows as  their talent in art, literature or music. In a manic state individuals have a higher capacity for sustained concentration.

More men than in women are shown to be linked with this gift but the difference was not
significant.


Numerous wellknown people have been linked to Bipolar disorder. There have been
lists compiled to show that mental illness can strike anyone at anytime.

Among the famous who have been associated with Bipolar disorder are Richard Dreyfuss, Patty Duke, Carrie Fisher, Linda Hamilton, Margot Kidder, Vivien Leigh.

Singers Charley Pride, Rosemary Clooney, Connie Francis, and Charley Pride have been linked to this illness as are astronaut Buzz Aldrin, Art Buchwald, television host Dick Cavett, Congressman Patrick J. Kennedy.


There are rumors about of many famous people of the past like Vincent Van Gogh, who  throughout his life showed signs of mental instability. Van Gogh has been described as suffering from epilepsy, depression,  psychosis, delusions, and bipolar disorder.



The influential persons whose lives have been studied for extreme, and debilitating, moodswings with Bipolar or Unipolar symptoms are Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, and Winston Churchill.






Many writers have been associated with mental illnesses and others have been the victims of hospitalizations and or suicide some of them were: Hans Christian Andersen, Honore de Balzac, William Faulkner,  F. Scott Fitzgerald ,  Nikolai Gogl,  Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain), Joseph Conrad , Charles Dickins, Isak Dinesen , Ralph Waldo Emerson,  Herman Melville, Mary Shelley , Robert Louis Stevenson , Leo Tolstoy , Tennessee Williams,  Mary Wollstonecraft, Virginia Woolf , Emile Zola.

Mental Illness and Creativity

People who are creative are thought to suffer from mental illnesses, more often than the average person. Illnesses such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia are found in artists and scientists.

Recently researchers have found that families with a family history of Bipolar and Schizophrenia were more likely to have children who are evolved in the arts and sciences.

The researchers looked at the records of patients and their relatives and found that certain mental illness are more common among artists and scientists. Writers in particular were stricken with schizophrenia, depression, anxiety and substance abuse and they also were more likely to have family members being treated for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, anorexia and autism.

New studies show hat a genetic differences in creative people and those with psychoses may be an answer to a link between creativity and mental illnesses.

The idea of a link between insanity and genius dates back to the Ancient Greeks who believed that creativity came from the Gods.
The viewpoint and imagination of psychotic people differs from the normal functioning mind and it is said that they can see things that others cannot.

People are at a creative peak when they are in a positive mood, such as mania in Bipolar Disorder, and during a depressive episode this creativity is suppressed. Adverse problems with poverty, persecution, stress and environmental factors which may contribute to the development of a mental illness.

Bipolar disorder with flight of ideas, delusions and hallucinations a heightened response to audio and visual stimuli associated with the mania and the psychotic symptoms, seen in Bipolar I disorder can contribute to the creativity which can be seen in these individuals. people with bipolar disorder may feel powerful emotions during both depressive and manic phases, mania decreases inhibitions and the persons behavior is often dramatic and unconventional.






It is interesting that many notable individuals have a history or mental illness in their family makeup; James Joyce's daughter was schizophrenic and Albert Einstein's son also suffered with schizophrenia.

Bipolar disorder is found more in people with artistic or scientific professions, such as dancers, researchers, photographers and were more likely to commit suicide than the general population.

These studies are not conclusive evidence that mental illness causes creativity however some diagnoses done posthumously on noted individuals such as Sylvia Plath, Virginia Wolf, Winston Churchill, Ernest Hemingway and Michelangelo offer interesting insights into the idea that creativity and genius often is linked with mental illness.

Online Support Groups

With a chronic disease there often comes the feeling of loneliness and isolation. Most people faced with a mental disorder diagnosis were active and healthy before symptoms started. These diseases are capable of taking the life we know away within months. Friends and family don't always understand what we are going through. Changes in our daily functioning may limit us from working and it becomes very easy to feel isolated and trapped.

 

 

With the changes in our world there are places where we can find hope and can interact with like minded people. The internet offers users living with a chronic disease help in learning about the disease and allow us to take the steps to adjust to living with a chronic condition. In a support group, you'll find people with problems similar to yours. Members of a support group typically share their personal experiences and offer one another emotional comfort and moral support.

 

 

These online support groups offer a haven for so many suffering from a chronic disease. An online support group is a valuable tool for dealing with chronic illness and adjusting to a new life. When symptoms start finding others suffering from the same symptoms and experiences assures us that it is real and not just in our head. The loss of function that can come with a serious mental disorder can leave us without much hope for a real life again talking to others can make you realized that we have ups and downs and not all days are bad.

 

 

Support groups become an invaluable place to turn to ask for advice about medications prescribed or changes many of the people online may have taken these medications and will have tips, and experiences with side effects and taking of the medication can be made easier  because you know what to expect.

 

 

As new people arrive and ask questions, you will be able to offer advice and support which is in turn therapeutic. Online support groups can become one of your most important methods of therapy in dealing with a mental disorder.

 

 

The benefits of these support systems are immediate and anonymous offering an outlet for people with multiple conditions; users can talk to others who know exactly what they're going through.

They are accessible from home, which is helpful for those who live in rural places or when needed at odd hours of the day. If you're facing a major illness or stressful life change, you may want to consider going online.

 

Bipolar Disorder and Living Bipolar

Bipolar disorder lasts a lifetime, the disruptive mood swings cause havoc in a person's life and impacts every part of normal life. The need to Live Bipolar can take years to develop but there hope for a life with as few upheavals as possible. Learning to recognize the danger signs and with determination your quality of life can improve.

Periods of illness can require time off work. Depression symptoms and the lack of inhibition, which often occurs during manic episodes, can lead to decisions that are not in your best interest. Uncertainty about the future and worries about another episode has a profound impact on you but is part of Living Bipolar.

There are strategies that can help with these problems and you can minimize the impact of the illness on your life.

A chronic illness can often prevent you from being able to hold down a job or pursue a career.

The structure and routine that work provides often helps when dealing with Bipolar disorder however, it does seem to offer protection against future episodes. It can be difficult to work and avoid stress which is a number one trigger for both manic and depressive episodes. Bipolar disorder is a serious illness. A period of time off from working may be needed following an episode.

Mental illness is common, there is still a great deal of ignorance about Bipolar disorder and mental illness in general. Some organizations are reluctant to to employ somebody with mental health problems. 

Bipolar disorder is made worse by stress. Finding  ways of keeping your stress under control, and asking your employer to review your tasks may help to ensure it doesn't contribute. Time off from work can sometimes help prevent a longer episode of illness from developing and leading to a prolonged absence. If necessary inform your employer of the chance that this could be a possibility.

Involving family members and friends can lessen the need for hospitalization in bipolar disorder and help manage crisis situations; and the most independent of us need someone who they can depend on in case they cannot make the decisions needed. Educating others about your illness may improve your relationships because sometimes family members and friends can feel helpless.

Living Bipolar is challenging but you can successeed in living a productive fulfilling life. Learning that you have a disability is difficult but does not need to be devestating and in the event that you need to cease working completely there are organizations that can help. Enlist the aid of a professionall disability lawyer in the event that benefits are needed and continue to Live Bipolar.

Bipolar Disorder and Social Security

 

Bipolar disorder is a mental disorder that involves changes in a person's mood. Bipolar individuals have alternating depressive and manic periods ; Bipolar disorder used to be called Manic Depression.

 

The cyclic periods of extreme euphoria and activity (mania), most often followed by periods of extreme depression; these moods are up and down for most people, and differ from normal mood swings or traditional depression, the patient must experience four or five symptoms of mania for at least a week.

 

There are classifications of bipolar disorder, including Bipolar I, Bipolar II, Bipolar NOS, and Cyclothymia.

 

Rapid cycling, is diagnosed when the moods of mania and depression cycle back and forth more than 4 times a year. Many people also suffer from mixed mood episodes, or mixed states, which includes depression and mania, shown as anger, belligerence, delusional behavior, insomnia, fatigue, suicidal thoughts, and many other behavioral symptoms.

 

Symptoms of mania can include quickened speech, short attention span, sleeplessness, racing thoughts, impaired judgment, and unusual behavior. When people are experiencing mania, they may engage in increased and unsafe sexual activity, and display aggressiveness and grandiose, delusional ideas about themselves .

 

Symptoms of depression can include deep sadness, fatigue, isolation, guilt, hopelessness, and anxiety. Depression may also cause a loss of sleep, sexual drive, interest in normal activities, and appetite; accompanied by social anxiety, and lack of motivation. Those experiencing depression may become suicidal and psychotic.

 

Symptoms of bipolar disorder typically first occur in childhood or early adulthood and is diagnosed after other illnesses are ruled out. Counseling, therapy, and medications such as antipsychotic medications or mood stabilizers are used to treat the disorder.

 

Bipolar disorder is a disability in the Social Security administration's impairment manual. People with bipolar can automatically win disability benefits by satisfying the criteria in the bipolar depression listing. They can prove they can't perform their past work or even any other unskilled work.

Social Security's disability requires that you have had severe episodes of both depression and mania.

 

To qualify as mania, you have to had experienced during a manic episode: high energy and activity; rapidly changing thoughts; fast, frenzied talking; decreased sleep; high self-esteem ; easy distractibility; risk-taking behavior, or paranoia, delusions, or hallucinations.

 

 

As depression you need to have had decreased energy or activity; loss of interest or pleasure in activities; difficulty concentrating or thinking; poor appetite or weight gain; too much sleep or too little sleep; guilty or worthless feelings; suicidal thoughts, or paranoia, delusions, or hallucinations.

 

You need to have had recurrent, episodes of worsening bipolar symptoms or serious problems with social functioning, focusing or in daily living.

 

If you don't currently have the above symptoms, you could qualify for benefits if your disorder is being managed with medication, support, and/or assisted living, but still limits your ability to work because of the likelihood that a change in environment or job stress could cause you to relapse.

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If your condition isn't severe enough to meet the requirements for bipolar disorder, Social Security considers whether you can do unskilled work with your symptoms. If your symptoms effect your ability to follow instructions, remember details, or focus, the Social Security administration will grant you disability under a Medical-Vocational benefit.

 

It can be difficult to get a Medical-Vocational for bipolar disorder.

 

To determine bipolar disorder disability, the Social Security administration uses medical-vocational rules, which vary according to age. They review the age, education, work experience and physical/mental condition of the person to determine what other work the person can perform,

If a person is: under age 50 and, as a result of the symptoms of Bipolar disorder, unable to, due to the Bipolar disorder disability, limited to performing sedentary work, but has no work-related skills that allow him to do so or, age 55 or older and, due to the disability, limited to performing light work, but has no work-related skills; over age 60 and, due to the Bipolar disorder disability, unable to perform any of the jobs he performed in the last 15 years; any age and, because of Bipolar disorder, has a psychological impairment that prevents even simple, unskilled work.

 

The strict guidelines of the Social Security administration often are complicated and sometimes requires the aid of a professional. There are lawyers who are skilled in getting benefits for a person for a fee; there are also government offices who an aid the person seeking entitlements. The decision to apply for disability benefits is difficult and unpleasant but if it is needed there is help.