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Scott Ninneman @ Speaking Bipolar
Defeating Bipolar Depression: Tips to Fight Back
Tips to help you stand up to the enemy. Every time it hits, it’s with an earth-moving impact, like running into a door in the middle of the night. In a flash, everything goes dark. You stop caring about the world and all that’s in it. Everything feels pointless.
Caring for My Aging Parents is a Tougher Gig Than I Expected
The four things I wish I knew from the start. “I’m mad at you,” my mom said, staring out the window and refusing to look at me. For two weeks, she said only a few words to me. I knew something was upsetting her, but I know better than to push. Battles are easier fought on her timetable.
Friendship Challenges with Bipolar Disorder: Distorted Perception & Lost Trust
How mental illness can affect when you see and hear. I've been avoiding you for the last few months,” she said after a long pause. She then said more, but my bipolar brain stopped listening. She had reaffirmed every awful thought in my head, and I knew our friendship was over.
Health Union Announces the 2024 Social Health Awards Finalists
Living with a chronic health condition is a daily battle. No one can truly understand how challenging it is unless they’ve walked the same path. One of the biggest trials faced by those dealing with chronic illness is the isolation they feel. Not only do you feel isolated because of the things you can’t do, but you also feel alone because you think no one understands. That’s why it’s so important for people with various conditions to speak up and help raise awareness. It’s also why I dedicate so much of my time to writing about bipolar disorder.
3 Brutal Truths of Full-Time Caregiving for Aging Parents
It’s a tougher job than I thought. Being a full-time caregiver is brutal. The mental toll is much heavier than I expected. Even though I watched dozens of friends care for their aging parents, the reality is much tougher than what I saw. When you know someone needs your help no matter how you feel or how they might act, it’s a pressure you can’t explain unless you’ve lived it.
Surviving Grief & Bipolar: Finding Light in the Darkness
How I found my way back out of the darkness. “I’ve got a lot to tell you,” Lizzy said. I could tell from her voice that she was smiling. We were discussing one of our friends and some of the stupid decisions he was making. “Will you be able to come over tonight?” she asked me.
A Lifesaving Hospital Stay: Battling Bipolar Disorder
Sitting on the exam table, I glanced around the white room. People came and went — just ghosts brushing past me. Two weeks with no sleep pushed me past the breaking point. I was willing to do anything to stop the voices in my head. The need for peace brought me to this place.
Bipolar Anger: Battling the Internal Monster
Looking at bipolar anger from the inside. It’s a monster that sleeps inside of me, this thing called bipolar anger. Now that I'm in my 50s, the beast rests more often, but when startled, it rises with as much ferocity as ever.
Conquering Bipolar Depression: 3 Steps to Success
THE 3 THINGS THAT HELP ME SUCCEED. There are three times during the year I know to expect bipolar depression: in the spring, midsummer, and late December. Other times, it walks up and smacks the back of my head with all the shock of an unwanted surprise party.
Living with Chronic Illness: A Day in the Life
A day in the life of an exhausted bookkeeper. The ache in my hands and legs kept me awake most of the night. When my first alarm starts playing Dermot Kennedy's Better Days, I already know the type of day I’m facing. I silence the alarm and put a pillow in front of my face to block the glare from the smart light that turned on with the alarm.
Bipolar Anger Unleashed: The Terrifying Power Within
An early-morning event reminded me how fast bipolar anger kicks in. It was 2:35 a.m. when the cat decided she wanted to go outside. I listened to Bootsy bang on the blinds for several minutes before I got out of bed and made my way to the patio door. I opened the door and waited for her to step out.
Bipolar Disorder and Suicidal Ideation: Overcoming the Darkness
The words on my phone screen almost made me drop my morning cup of chai tea. An influencer with bipolar disorder, let's call her Maggie, posted the words on her Instagram feed a few days ago. While she didn’t specifically say she was going to kill herself, the message was clear.
New Year Resolutions w/ Bipolar: 3 Steps to Success
The 3 steps that will help you create and achieve your resolutions. Everyone is busy talking about their resolutions. People are losing weight, changing careers, getting married, moving to dream homes, and the list goes on endlessly. No doubt you’re thinking about your resolutions, too.
Bipolar Dissociation: Coping & Healing
Sharing my experience of bipolar dissociation with tips on how to improve it. Trigger Warning: Self-harm, suicidal ideation, childhood abuse, bipolar dissociation. When I was in my late twenties, a well-meaning psychotherapist diagnosed me with dissociative identity disorder (DID). Doctors used to call DID multiple personality disorder. The diagnosis was my first connection to bipolar dissociation.
Parents May Miss the Signs of Bipolar Disorder in Children
In the 1970’s, few doctors were looking for mental illness in children. My bipolar disorder diagnosis came in the spring of 1995. I was 23 years old, confined to a psychiatric hospital, and fighting through one of the toughest battles of my life.
The Highway 127 Yard Sale Starts August 3 in Dunlap
A shopping excursion the whole family will love. The tables and tents started going up last weekend in Dunlap, Tennessee. Not all local residents are thrilled, but the happy ones are overjoyed. They look forward to this event all year.
Mental Illness Can Make Some Feel Isolated and Alone
A writer shares how bipolar disorder makes him feel. Recently, I witnessed an emotional social media conversation about mental illness. One user commented about how their experience felt unlike any of the other experiences they had heard. As isolating as mental illness can be, their unique struggles made them feel even more alone. The comments I read have stuck with me since.
Misconceptions About Bipolar Disorder Can Stop Some From Getting the Help They Need
Common misbeliefs about bipolar disorder and how to fight them. When I was first diagnosed with bipolar disorder, I only had a vague idea of what the diagnosis meant. I knew of a young man who bought several cars from various dealerships over the course of one week. He disappeared for days at a time and had violent outbursts. Though it was always told in whispers, he had bipolar disorder.
Scott Ninneman @ Speaking Bipolar
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Scott is a passionate advocate for mental health. He shares his own struggles of fighting bipolar disorder on his Speaking Bipolar blog while promoting positivity and understanding. Scott also publishes on Medium and Vocal.
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