My introduction to transpersonal psychology came in the form of initiation. I was no stranger to adolescent disturbances, assigned twelve-step meetings, and group therapy for my drinking after having wrecked my car, and there were many less outwardly consequential experiences that nonetheless ate at my soul. I could not wait to get to college,...
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Mania
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Love, Marriage, and Bipolar Q&A Series: Part 1 of 4
March 21, 2017
Long time married couple Ron and Beka Owens answer your questions about relationships and bipolar disorder.
Q. Do arguments about issues in your relationship with your husband ever trigger manic or depressive episodes? How do you deal with any issues you may have if you feel that discussing problems will trigger an episode? Beka: Sometimes arguments trigger episodes, but I have found that it is better to be honest with each other than to let...
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Dear Future Manic Self
October 20, 2016
This is Part 5 in a 5-Part Series: "When the World is Too Bright: An Intensive View of Mania from On the Ground" (Read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4 here) Dear Future Manic Krystal, Mania and you go together like peanut butter and jelly. After five manias in nine years, it seems pretty inevitable. And this is okay....
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Pet Therapy and Mania
October 20, 2016
This is Part 4 in a 5-Part Series: "When the World is Too Bright: An Intensive View of Mania from On the Ground" (Read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 5 here) I moved back home with my mother a few years ago for financial reasons. Now that I’m back in graduate school, it’s been an even bigger help. My...
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This is Part 3 in a 5-Part Series: "When the World is Too Bright: An Intensive View of Mania from On the Ground" (Read Part 1, Part 2, Part 4, and Part 5 here) I fancy myself an iPhone/Instagram photographer! I love taking pictures throughout my week to document where I’ve been, what I’ve eaten, and what I’...
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Mania Haikus: Using the Heightened Creativity to Process My Episode
October 19, 2016
This is Part 2 in a 5-Part Series: "When the World is Too Bright: An Intensive View of Mania from On the Ground" (Read Part 1, Part 3, Part 4, and Part 5 here) I recently came across the poetry of Nayyirah Waheed. I follow her on Instagram and she posts beautiful, bite-sized poetry. Reading her work...
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Mania #5: What, How, Why
October 19, 2016
This is Part 1 in a 5-Part Series: "When the World is Too Bright: An Intensive View of Mania from On the Ground" (Read Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, and Part 5 here) This is my fifth mania in the nine years since I have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. However, just because this is my fifth mania doesn’t mean...
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A Journey Through Mania and Back
September 6, 2016
My name is Nicole, but most people call me Nic. Mostly because it’s easier and faster to say, but also because Australians are fond of a nickname!I have bipolar disorder Type 1 and am presently recovering from another lengthy manic episode. I could try and put a timeline on it all, but it would be unreliable. So, the best way to describe where I’m...
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Parenting Made Interesting
August 18, 2016
For parents taking care of a child who has autism, life is an everyday challenge. Sometimes, it's good. Other times, not so much. But what if you're a single parent? What if you're a single parent who has bipolar disorder? What would it be like then? With my son and me, I'd say the answer is … interesting.Having bipolar disorder presents me with...
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You Are a Rock Star
August 18, 2016
Hey! Hey you! Yeah, I’m talking to you over there. The one with bipolar disorder. The one that constantly looks down on themselves and wishes they were someone else. The one that wonders what happened in their life to deserve this wretched beast of an illness. I’m talking to the one that thinks about dying more than living, and who struggles some...
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Learning to Manage a Manic Mind
August 2, 2016
If you walked into my house right now, this is what you would see: dishes piling up, laundry in piles waiting to be folded, a dirty floor and me in bed.It’s happening again. I’m having another manic episode. This one, though, is different. Maybe it’s the empty house or the loneliness of not having someone to lie next to at night. Maybe it’s...
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Some Days, I Want To Get Off The Ride
July 28, 2016
Some days, I want to get off the ride. Some days, I just want to be “normal.” I don’t want to deal with unpleasant side effects of medications. I don’t want to endure my lows or spiral out of control during my highs. I don’t want to be crazy. I don’t want to fall short. I don’t want to struggle through my days. Living with bipolar disorder can be...
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