There are MANY things that are frustrating about bipolar. I hate the meds, the side effects of the meds, the stigma from other people, weight gain, and on and on. I deal with paranoia, depression, insomnia, racing thoughts and other mood symptoms. For some reason though the anger, agitation and anxiety that are part of … Continue reading Anger, Agitation, Anxiety
Yes, I know. I hate hearing, reading and talking about exercise and my mental health. I get tired of my doctors suggesting more exercise to help battle the side effects of my medications. I despise listening to the doctors that have prescribed the meds tell me that I could balance out the weight gain from … Continue reading Exercise, Bipolar, and the Battle for Self
Holidays have been a bit rough the last few years. And this year is no different. It’s during these winter months that the deaths of my mother and grandmother are most felt. The holidays are very hard without them. I think one of the reasons I started to teach myself how to bake was to … Continue reading Holiday Planning
The last few months have been filled with changes. Along with the medication additions and adjustments I’ve made some significant diet changes. In December we moved to a mostly vegan diet. The only dairy I eat is the occasional cup of milk or the few eggs in some of the breads I still make. I … Continue reading Progress Update
I’ve been struggling with a manic swing the last few weeks. I can’t sleep, I’m agitated and irritable, and I can’t concentrate. To make matters worse the quarantine has made my usual coping skills impossible to utilize. I can’t go wander through Barnes and Noble or go sit in my favorite diner for breakfast. I … Continue reading Mania and Mini Breads
http://www.cnn.com/2020/04/12/world/meanwhile-in-america-april-10-intl-bread/index.html Ok. Seriously people is everyone baking bread now?! I can’t find flour anywhere! How am I supposed to do any coping baking, and eating during this quarantine without my baking supplies? I love that everyone is baking more but holy hell. Flour is getting impossible to find. I’ve even tried to purchase online from a … Continue reading Is Everyone Making Bread!?
How do we keep connected to those around us when we’re struggling with the symptoms of our mental illness? How do we keep our relationships healthy as well as take care of our own individual health? How do I talk about my mental health without making others uncomfortable? How do we make meaningful connections? Is … Continue reading How do we stay connected?
During this stressful time, it’s even more important for us to take a breath, refocus, and find gratitude for the little things. Continue reading Grateful
The holiday season can be difficult. Continue reading Holiday Blues
Traveling. Who doesn’t love to take a vacation from the daily grind? Unfortunately for many of us, traveling can be stressful. And a possible bipolar mood episode trigger that we may spend months recovering from. The packing, the planning, the crowded airports, the plane ride, the car ride, the sleep disruptions….and on and on. I … Continue reading Bipolar and the Nightmare of Travel
One of the hardest things about having bipolar, for me, is dealing with the depressive episodes. My mania is usually mild in nature and affects my sleep and irritability levels more then anything else. But the depressive episodes are very disruptive. Medication changes can help but they are hard to manage. The trial and error … Continue reading The Depressive Side of Bipolar
The last month has been a challenge. I had a medication change that had the wonderful side effect of wanting to eat EVERYTHING in the house. It started out helping with the depressive episodes and irritability, but I was hungry all the time. In the end the side effects didn’t outweigh the benefits. Which means…back … Continue reading Can’t focus.Can’t sleep.What can you do?
To say I’ve been a little anxious is
Continue reading Relax. Breathe. Bake
I’ve had my eye on this iced treat Continue reading Smells like Christmas
