Coping with Depression, Mania, and Bipolar Disorder

Welcome

Are you searching because
  • You've just been diagnosed with bipolar disorder or depression.
  • You'd like more information on what being bipolar is like.
  • You'd like more information on drugs and therapy.
  • Someone close to you is bipolar and you'd like to understand or help.
  • You are frustrated about the lack of progress with your mood swings.
  • You feel something is just wrong and maybe Google might offer some answers.

You are not alone. All of us have been here at some point.

Depression

All 64 Articles
Depression isn't about feeling sad. It's a specific set of symptoms. Recognising them allows you understand why you feel the way you feel and, when you can, what kinds of actions you can take.
A really really good description on what happens as you become depressed.
Why the language we use makes things worse. Also, why not to try to cheer us up.
Mood Swings slowly creep up over the years. Signs that suggest that maybe you should get help. Parents should read this too.

Mania and Hypomania

All 31 Articles
You can train yourself to look for and recognise the signs of mania. And you can learn to deal with an ongoing manic episode. You don’t have to upset everyone around you.

Drugs and Therapy

All 44 Articles
Wondering about taking medications? Will they work? What about side effects? Here are my experiences with specific drugs and the information doctors don’t quite get around to telling you about taking meds.

Newest / Featured articles


6 Sep 20:
If Everything has gone Critical, it Doesn’t Matter what you do First

5 Sep 20:Relearning daily activities after a depression episode
31 Aug 2020 (Updated):My Early Teenage Signs Parents should read this too.
There's lots of stuff on the site, so get a glass of milk, some cookies and settle in. It's good stuff.
New here? Does this sound like you? Here's a description of how I ended being diagnosed as bipolar.
I've just migrated the site from Wordpress, so still neatening it up. I apologise for the inconvenience.

Diagnosis and Doctors

All 29 Articles
Just got diagnosed and not sure what to do next? Or think you might be manic or depressed and want to visit a psychiatrist? Or, started seeing one - here's what to expect, what to ask for, and what not to put up with.

Family and Friends

All 47 Articles
If your child, spouse, sibling, boyfriend, girlfriend, partner, parent, or friend is bipolar, you suffer almost as much as they do. Here are some things to help you understand, and what you can do (or not do) to help.
This is the most read post on this siteMood Swings slowly creep up over the years. Might help parents wondering what is wrong with their child.

My Bipolar Diary

All 44 Chapters
My daily thoughts and feelings for the period 1997-2003, written from just after I was diagnosed and through the years as I struggled to cope with being bipolar. The dates are old, but the problems of being bipolar never change.
Read this if you think you are bipolar. Or if you have just been diagnosed and want to know what to expect. Or just to see what someone else has gone through - you'll be surprised how similar it is to your experience.
This section won all my earliest awards, and even after all this time there is still nothing else like it on the web. It's worth checking out.
The experiences and practical suggestions documented here are on how to cope with depression and mania, medications and therapy, and dealing with doctors and friends and family.
There are also ideas on what your family and friends can do to help (and things for them NOT to do).
There are some descriptions on what it's like just living day to day with depression and with being bipolar, so you'll know that you aren't just making it up or being lazy.
Take the time to explore, because psychiatrists and counselors and psychologists might diagnose us, but they don't live with the mood swings 24/7. We do, and our experience makes all the difference in the world.


Doggos


Okay, so this has nothing to do with being bipolar, but I had to put it somewhere!
The ramblings of a guy with dogs who own him.