Our award-winning bpHope Blog is a collection of posts written with heartfelt honesty by a group of bloggers from around the world, with each providing their own unique perspectives on living with bipolar disorder. Our bloggers write on issues that reflect their experiences and knowledge of living with bipolar disorder and address a range of topics, including relationships, treatment, symptoms (mania, depression, anger, hypersexuality, impulsivity, sleep), stigma, parenting, and more. Our diverse and eclectic group of blog/vlog authors offer information, inspiration, practical guidance—and HOPE, no matter what your needs are. Whether you have bipolar disorder or have a loved one who does, the bpHope Blog is a trusted community for you to connect with.
Self-care doesn’t have to be self-indulgent. It’s about taking time to invest in your own well-being, which is especially important if you have bipolar. I have learned many “dos and don’ts” for living with this mental health condition, ever since my diagnosis of bipolar 1 disorder nearly 30 years ago. It has taken me a...
READ MORE
Setting boundaries — especially if you have bipolar — can transform your relationships into ones that are meaningful, successful, and happy. Boundaries are absolutely necessary to keep us safe, happy, and to help us maintain our mental well-being. This goes for people with or without bipolar. Boundaries are a system of proverbial “lines” we don’t...
READ MORE
I now strive less for ‘recovery’ and more for the ability to be the champion of my bipolar — to accept its persistent existence. Based on my life experiences living alongside a serious and persistent mental health condition, bipolar disorder, I find the concept of “recovery” to be tricky and elusive. It’s a desired outcome...
READ MORE
Living with bipolar disorder can trigger feelings of shame and guilt, yet by confronting stigma, we can discover peace and acceptance in our lives. Bipolar disorder will no doubt forge an unsettling fork in the road throughout our life’s journeys. We face — and will continue to face — challenging situations that force us to...
READ MORE
It’s common for people with bipolar disorder to have memory problems, caused by a variety of factors. So it’s important to know the reason for yours. Getty Images (Stock photo posed by model) I once wrote a blog post called “Do People ‘Black Out’ in Manic Episodes?” and then read the questions from readers. They’d asked,...
READ MORE
Learning to remain grounded in the present helps me resist the impulsive urges of my bipolar disorder. Too often, those of us who live with bipolar disorder give in to our impulses. Whether it’s to drive for miles just to buy that piece of chocolate we suddenly crave, or to follow impulsive urges that are...
READ MORE
Many films and TV shows sensationalize bipolar disorder’s extreme episodes and neglect the daily management and stability. This only perpetuates public stigma. Please note: Suicide is discussed in the content below. Reader discretion is advised. In her insightful review of the documentary Roadrunner, author Jessica Lynn eloquently captures the shock and disappointment I experienced after...
READ MORE
Gaining insight into your triggers and treatment strategies to manage mood swings takes patience and dedication, but it can payoff by helping you achieve stability. Getty Images There is a term that is used in the mental health world called “insight.” In the dictionary, insight is defined as, “the act or result of apprehending the...
READ MORE
My bipolar 1 diagnosis explained my symptoms, but didn’t give me relief. Forget the painful social stigma — I was stigmatizing myself. When people who take psychiatric medications are burdened with guilt and shame from stigmatizing themselves, this is proof of an obvious problem in our world. Sometimes, being diagnosed with a mental health condition...
READ MORE
Often, the most telling sign that I’m experiencing a relapse in my bipolar disorder is silence — the quiet nature of withdrawal itself makes it easy to overlook. A while back, I received a phone call from someone who wanted to check in on the state of my thoughts. I was having a trying mental...
READ MORE
It may not be easy, but letting go of hypomania’s false promises and accepting the challenge of committing to treatment can help you manage your bipolar disorder. Sometimes I miss hypomania. If all my hypomanic episodes didn’t culminate in crushing depression, I’m pretty sure I would still be prancing around untreated, oblivious, and fundamentally convinced...
READ MORE
Shifting from an ‘I can’t’ to an ‘I can’ mindset is key to managing your bipolar — a challenging yet rewarding process. I recently reflected on something I seem to struggle with all the time: negative self-talk. The way we talk to ourselves has a meaningful impact — on our attitude, mental health, our ability...
READ MORE
It’s important to understand the major differences between bipolar depression and unipolar depression — and to help educate others about the distinctions. Most people know what depression looks and feels like — a lack of motivation, waking up in the morning with the thought, What is the point of my life? and asking, Is this all...
READ MORE
When it comes to bipolar disorder, what people don’t understand greatly outweighs what people do understand. The internet is filled with posts titled, “What I wish the world knew about…,” filled in with something that, while seemingly common, is actually quite misunderstood. (For example, “What I wish the world knew about being on food stamps.”)...
READ MORE
With my unpredictable moods, I never felt secure. Caught in a cycle of paranoia and intrusive thoughts, I had to learn to challenge my mistaken core beliefs. I Don’t Trust You — Because I Don’t Trust Myself When we talk about trust in relationships, we rarely address how important it is to trust ourselves. When...
READ MORE
The varieties of talk therapy can be confusing: Is a counselor required? What’s the difference between CBT and DBT? Do I need a workbook or something? Talk Therapies, Decoded If you’ve considered talk therapy for bipolar disorder, you’ve probably heard of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and its proven benefits for those of us living with...
READ MORE
If negative experiences have left you wary of relationships, it’s OK. Take the first step towards healing, and open your mind to change. We’ve all been hurt. This is life, it’s hard to avoid it. Sometimes our experiences can leave us distrustful of people, relationships, or situations and can result in the defense mechanism of...
READ MORE
I recognize the importance of a consistent routine for managing bipolar. But to maintain my stability, it’s crucial for me to have free time for spontaneity. The Importance of Routine When Living With Bipolar We hear it all the time: Routine is so important for people with bipolar disorder! Keep a steady routine to combat...
READ MORE
Bipolar disorder can interrupt the life you had planned and leave you feeling hopeless, but hope is always there if you look for it. Trigger Warning: If matters of faith trigger you easily, then you’ll want to skip reading this or at least replaces the references to faith within this post with the things that...
READ MORE
If you’re a friend of someone living with bipolar disorder, you can play the important role of vigilantly helping them watch for symptoms of depression or mania. In a previous article I mentioned “red flags” that can alert you when your friend may be slipping into depression or mania. What are these bipolar red flags,...
READ MORE
