Blogs
"How are you?" is a commonly asked question, but for those of us living with dissociative identity disorder (DID), the answer is not so simple. A person may seem alright on the outside, but can be hiding a tremendous amount of despair on the inside. One part may very well answer, "Great!" while another part wants to answer, "Horrible!" Most times, when living with DID, we end up telling people we're okay -- but are we really okay?
When I feel overwhelmed by emotions, sometimes the difference between misery and bliss is nothing more than a healthy perspective. You can manage overwhelming emotions with healthy perspectives.
Before cutting ties with family, take time to heal yourself and forgive them. Admittedly, no one can wound us like our families can. Even if we rarely spend time with our families, no one can topple self-esteem and wound us deeply like our families. In families with a lot of dysfunction (every family has some, right?), it can be easy to get overwhelmed by repeated hurts. Sometimes it seems like the best way to heal that hurt is to cut ties with your family. But before cutting ties with your family, take time to heal yourself and forgive them before making this life-altering decision.
I am practically famous for saying, “I am bipolar,” but I still fully recognize that I am more than a bipolar diagnosis. We all are. No one is a diagnosis, no matter what it is. I would suggest that, for many of us, our bipolar diagnosis invades almost every aspect of our lives, but that doesn’t mean that we are only bipolar. We are ourselves first. I am the one who did 150 skydives – not just the one who was unlucky enough to have bipolar disorder. I am more than a bipolar diagnosis.
Can diet affect mental health? I went vegetarian for Lent this year. One thing I noticed is how much better I felt--I wasn't exhausted in the morning, I had more energy than normal, my head felt clear, and my mood was pretty much even all the time. It left me wondering "Can diet affect mental health?" And, if so, what dietary changes do we need to consider?
Is it an anxiety attack or an asthma attack? This is a question that those of us with both frequently ask when we feel short of breath, have chest pain, and are light-headed (Panic Attack Symptoms: Warning Signs of Panic Attacks). If you are in doubt you should call 911 or whatever your emergency number is, but there are some ways to tell if it is an asthma attack or an anxiety attack.
Spring holidays are upon us, so here are some survival tips for those with binge eating disorder during the holidays. I have gathered these tips from my personal experience and also from friends and associates with with eating disorders. It's important to remember, that you know best what will work with your specific situation. Check out these survival tips for binge eating disorder during the holidays for suggestions that might work for you.
Political activism with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder can be hard, even when I have the same commitment other people feel. It’s hard to go to rallies or protests where large crowds of loud people can be over-stimulating. But these aren’t the only ways to be politically active if you have schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. Especially in the age of the Internet, people with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder take political action without going to loud, disorienting events.
It shouldn’t be a surprise that you can find joy in life by doing the things you love. Doing the things you love cultivates joy and happiness in our lives.
Buddhism is more than a religion and spiritual practice -- the principles of Buddhism provide tools for an addiction recovery program. Applying the principles of Buddhism to addiction recovery is not necessarily a new or unique idea, but it is less mainstream than typical addiction recovery programs. Maybe this program will resonate with you more so than SMART Recovery, Moderation Management, or 12 step programs.
I believe she will only be able to rid herself of her demons, and hopefully her BPD as well, when she's ready to confront the abuse of her father. If she can put the blame where it belongs, she may stop projecting that victim/perpetrator cycle on the present men in her life. These demons are a metaphor for the purgatory she has created for herself. That reality has consequences in the real world, but it need not be real in the tangible sense. Exorcising her demons will require the expenditure of real physical energy and probably the destruction of aspects of her personality. If this ever happens, and it's possible but not probable, then these demons will evaporate. They are only as real as one's personality is real. In short, reality is not the question, it's what you make of the things you feel to be real.