Top-Ranked Author on Mental Health

I am pleased to announce I am the 39th ranked author on ezinearticles out of over 1,640 authors on mental health. Thank you to all my readers and supporters. My goal is to learn as much about bipolar disorder and mental health issues and bring them to the table to you as often as possible. My ranking would not be possible without your readership.  To see my list of articles, please see my author link at:

http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=E_Fiske-Jorgensen

How Bipolar II Disorder Led Me to The Top of My Career Yet to the Bottom of Despair

I started my career at a small, private, and fairly prominent school. Naturally, my thoughts were on getting tenure. I was told that, while you could technically go up for tenure in four years, it was not advisable until your sixth year. I decided to go up in four years and got it, along with being promoted to associate professor.

The one rule where I could not find a loophole was in being granted full-professor. You had to have 12 full years of experience under your belt, and there was no way around that. Unfortunately, I never learned how to make time disappear. Twelve years seemed like forever, which was really only eight at that point, since I was promoted to associate professor after my fourth year. But, I worked to exceed all expectations in teaching, research and service. So, when it was my time, I was unanimously voted in as full-professor.

I had spent the past 15 years jumping through hoops to get the Ph.D., a job, tenure, and my promotions; and now there was nowhere else to go, unless I chose the administrative route. As an administrator, you can work your way up from department chair, to dean, to vice president, and eventually president of a university. But, that is not me. Nothing about that route is appealing. It would mean, no more teaching, much less to do with research and writing, and much more to do with people problems and networking, all of which would lead to my ever-increasing social anxiety and take away from my much-needed alone time. Ultimately, this led me to a state of complete despair.



To read the full article, go to my webiste at:
http://fiskejorgensen.wix.com/livingwithbipolar
and just click on the ezinearticles link.

Bipolar Hope Magazine

There is an online magazine called Bipolar Hope that is definitely worth checking out and reading. The link is:
http://www.bphope.com/

An Inspiring Story of Recovery

This is a powerful blog from the first to the last post, which is about recovering from alcoholism. I hope you find it as inspiring as I did.

http://ashleykayesmith.blogspot.com/

Last Day for 20% Savings on Book

Living With Bipolar Disorder book 20% off this week only.
Five-star rated book on Barnes & Noble

For the 20% discount, go to my e-store at the link below.

Go to:

http://fiskejorgensen.wix.com/livingwithbipolar#!books/cnec

Enter Discount Code:

SVBWMG9R

This book describes my own personal triumphs and struggles with Bipolar Disorder, coupled with ADHD.

I have found some good books and articles about the disorder; but unfortunately, there is still a great deal left unknown about it, even among the most educated in the field. So it is quite an undertaking to find anything to help further your understanding of it or how to cope with it. Along those same lines, very few people are willing to tell their story, mainly because of the stigmas attached to it.

The primary reason I wrote this book is to help others struggling with Bipolar Disorder. Perhaps, if you have been diagnosed with it, you can find a gold nugget along the way that is helpful, or perhaps you can relate to my entire story.

The other reason for writing my story is to help me find some clarity and a better comprehension of what I now have to manage for the rest of my life. If you are reading this to help someone you love with Bipolar Disorder, I hope that this book will help you to grasp it a little better, but be cautious in knowing that each person has his or her own struggles and stories to tell. This book is just my story.

I purposefully omitted all names from the book for confidentiality purposes and to respect others’ privacy. Nothing detracts from the stories, but once you read them, you will understand my reasons for this decision. Throughout the book, I also share some valuable resources that I have found along the way that have helped me better understand and cope with the disorder. I hope they help you too.

Recognizing the Signs of Major Depression

Depression can be an ambiguous term, but it is a serious mental illness. Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a disabling condition that adversely affects a person's family, work or school life, sleeping and eating habits, and general health. MDD can occur on its own as a unipolar illness, or it can accompany other illnesses such as bipolar disorder, where mania lies on the other end of the pendulum.

The word "when" is the key word to recognize the point at which you are entering a state of major depression. My "when" list is provided below as a guideline from my own personal experiences. It is important to not only become aware of the "whens", but to also be honest with yourself about the true symptoms you are suffering. If you experience at least three or more of the following "when" moments, your state of depression is major, and you need to seek expert help.


To read the full article, go to my webiste at:
http://fiskejorgensen.wix.com/livingwithbipolar
and just click on the ezinearticles link.

Life Takes a 180-Degree Turn

This article focuses on how I came to be diagnosed with Bipolar II and ADHD at the ripe old age of 42, and how it turned my life upside down.

To read the full artcle, visit my webite at:

http://fiskejorgensen.wix.com/livingwithbipolar
Just click on the ezinearticles link.

Getting Past the Stigmas of Bipolar Disorder and Moving Towards Acceptance

Once you learn you have a serious, lifelong medical condition called Bipolar Disorder you must get beyond the stigmas and focus on acceptance. One aspect is self-acceptance, and the other piece is who to tell, understand why you are telling them, and to make a plan for how to tell them. We all know there are stigmas attached to Bipolar Disorder. It is not like telling someone you have an overactive thy

To read the full artcle, visit my webite at:

http://fiskejorgensen.wix.com/livingwithbipolar
Just click on the ezinearticles link.

Enjoy 20% Savings on Living With Bipolar Disorder through 8/17

Living With Bipolar Disorder book 20% off this week only.
Five-star rated book on Barnes & Noble

For the 20% discount, go to my e-store at the link below.

 

Go to:

http://fiskejorgensen.wix.com/livingwithbipolar#!books/cnec

Enter Discount Code:

SVBWMG9R

This book describes my own personal triumphs and struggles with Bipolar Disorder, coupled with ADHD.

 

I have found some good books and articles about the disorder; but unfortunately, there is still a great deal left unknown about it, even among the most educated in the field. So it is quite an undertaking to find anything to help further your understanding of it or how to cope with it. Along those same lines, very few people are willing to tell their story, mainly because of the stigmas attached to it.

 

The primary reason I wrote this book is to help others struggling with Bipolar Disorder. Perhaps, if you have been diagnosed with it, you can find a gold nugget along the way that is helpful, or perhaps you can relate to my entire story.

 

The other reason for writing my story is to help me find some clarity and a better comprehension of what I now have to manage for the rest of my life. If you are reading this to help someone you love with Bipolar Disorder, I hope that this book will help you to grasp it a little better, but be cautious in knowing that each person has his or her own struggles and stories to tell. This book is just my story.

 

I purposefully omitted all names from the book for confidentiality purposes and to respect others’ privacy. Nothing detracts from the stories, but once you read them, you will understand my reasons for this decision. Throughout the book, I also share some valuable resources that I have found along the way that have helped me better understand and cope with the disorder. I hope they help you too.

20% Off Living With Bipolar Disorder Book

E Fiske Jorgensen

Living With Bipolar Disorder book 20% off this week only.

Go to:

https://www.createspace.com/4294628

Enter Discount Code:

SVBWMG9R

Important Minerals and Nutrients for Bipolar Disorder

This article discusses eight minerals and other nutrients to help manage the symptoms of Bipolar Disorder, so patients can lead a more happy and healthy life. They include calcium, chromium, magnesium, manganese, rosemary, tryptophan, omega-3 fatty acids, and zinc.

To read the full artcle, visit my webite at:

http://fiskejorgensen.wix.com/livingwithbipolar
Just click on the ezinearticles link.

Becoming Informed and Staying Up to Date on Bipolar Disorder

One of the best things you can do as a Bipolar patient is to stay informed and up to date with research  studies on the illness.

One place to go is the NAMI website. The direct link to Bipolar studies is:
http://www.nami.org/Content/NavigationMenu/Inform_Yourself/About_Research/Bipolar_Disorder_Research_Studies.htm

Another source is Bipolar Network News. Their website URL is:
http://bipolarnews.org/

Life Charting Your Disorder Symptoms

 

A life chart is a systematic and centralized way to track your moods over the course of time, typically each day of a particular month. It provides a snapshot of data on the course of the illness for the patient and/or clinician by using a standardized form.

The basic nature of life charting shows mood states over the course of each day with moods labeled on the left-hand side of the chart, and each day of the month labeled across the top or bottom of the chart. This creates a graphical picture of how moods have fluctuated over the course of time. This can even be done over the course of a week, which is especially helpful to share with a therapist during weekly sessions.

http://bipolarnews.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/MonthlyMoodChart.pdf

History
Life charting was first used at the beginning of the twentieth century by Dr. Emil Kraepelin to help him distinguish between schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. The National Institute of Mental Health then developed one called the NIMH-LCM based on Dr. Kraepelin's principles to help psychiatrists and therapists treat their patients and help determine the effectiveness of medication, as it can be of great value for current and future treatment strategies.

Use of Life Charting
The patient or the clinician can use the life chart method. Several studies have shown that patients are capable of completing it without assistance to help in their treatment program.
It can be difficult for a patient to remember what mood state they were in on a particular day, or even how much their moods fluctuated over the course of a specific timeframe. Instead of trying to remember and relay the information to the psychiatrist or therapist, a life chart is a useful tool to look at for both the patient and clinician to discuss. It provides a quick and easy way to visually look at the mood fluctuations and determine if the current treatment options are working for the patient.
It can also give the patient something to discuss during a session. For example, if there is a significant fluctuation in depression during a specific day or over the course of a few days, the clinician can ask the patient what caused the depression. This can help determine whether it was caused by the onset of an environmental event, or if the patient's current medications are not working to help control depression.l

The Life Chart
A life chart has two separate sections, one for mania and one for depression. In each section, the symptoms range from mild, to moderate, to severe, which gives the patient six categories to check-off for a particular day. For mixed states, a patient can even experience both depression and mania during the same day.
The mild category means that the depression or mania is present, but that it caused little or no functional impairment. The moderate category means that the patient experienced either or both mania and depression that caused difficulty in a goal-oriented activity, such as being productive at work. The severe category means that the patient felt essentially incapacitated because of the mood state, which can even mean hospitalization if this is shown over the course of several days (NIMH Life Chart Manual).

How to Start Life Charting
Life charting is a very useful tool. Bipolar Network News provides some easy- to-use and understand forms and manuals. They have a link called Life Charts under their headline where you can find the information.
At the bottom of the article a patient prospective form and manual is provided to help guide the patient. They also provide a sample mood chart, so the patient can see what it is supposed to look like over the course of time.

Summary
Life charting can be an easy and useful tool for patients and their psychiatrists or therapists to utilize. Many patients may not see their psychiatrist but one time each month, and it can be quite difficult to remember how their moods fluctuated over the course of that month without some sort of tracking tool. Life charting has been clinically shown to help. It can also be useful for the patient as they manage their daily lives and try to understand their bipolar disorder and treatment plan.

Funny Quote

Thought this was funny and appropriate given my week. But, Sunday is here, so here's to a new week.

Bipolar and Social Anxiety: Understanding the Linkage

Social anxiety often accompanies bipolar disorder. It happened to me yesterday, so it was  on my mind this morning. The following link is an article discussing the comorbidity of the two:

http://www.adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/related-illnesses/bipolar-disorder

My Talents Despite My Dispolar Disorder

There is a book that many organizations use called StrengthsFinder 2.0. It was developed by the Gallup Organization, and it has outstanding statistical validity and reliability to determine what one's top-five strengths are from 34 possibilities. It was also a #1 Wall Street Journal and #1Business Week bestseller.

My top-five strengths tap directly into my hypomanic episodes. This article discusses those strengths, and my internal struggles with hypomania despite my talents.

To read the full article, go to my website,
http://fiskejorgensen.wix.com/livingwithbipolar
Then just click on the ezinearticles link.

Brain Scan Imaging for Mental Disorders

Brain imaging, or neuroimaging scans, are being discussed and used more to help detect a number of medical disorders and illnesses. As far as mental disorders are concerned, neuroimaging can be considered in the research stages, as brain scans alone cannot officially diagnose someone with disorders such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, autism, or severe depression.



To read the full article, go to my website,
http://fiskejorgensen.wix.com/livingwithbipolar
Then just click on the ezinearticles link.

Stronger Than Yesterday: I Should Be Dead

Stronger Than Yesterday: I Should Be Dead: I guess that pretty much goes without saying.   I spent 27 years drinking and 23 of those years drinking and driving.   But in my last 8 m...

Bipolar I Versus Bipolar Ii. What Is The Real Difference?

Bipolar is a spectrum mood disorder, where patients suffer from both mania and depression. Hypomania, experienced by Bipolar II patients, is generally considered to be different from-full-blown mania, which is experienced by Bipolar I patients. In fact, Bipolar II is often discussed as being something entirely different from Bipolar I in most of the literature. I was diagnosed on the high-end of Bipolar II on the spectrum. This article discusses the very subtle differences.

To read the full article, click on the ezinearticles link on my website:

http://fiskejorgensen.wix.com/livingwithbipolar
Just click on the ezinearticles link.

Quality of Life Decisions for Mental Health Patients

Mental health patients must make decisions daily that can include different treatment options, adhering to the advice of therapists or psychiatrists, abstaining from certain activities or substances such as alcohol, staying on prescribed medications, following certain dietary restrictions, among other things. All of these decisions can impact several components of overall quality of life.

To read the full article, go to my website,
http://fiskejorgensen.wix.com/livingwithbipolar
Then just click on the ezinearticles link.

The Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is an approach that addresses dysfunctional emotions behavior, and cognitive processes based upon a combination of basic behavioral and cognitive principles and techniques. CBT is problem-focused and action-oriented strategy therapists use to help patients address specific problems such as anxiety, depression, and even more complex psychiatric problems.

See the full article on my website under the EZINEARTICLES tab at the top of the page:
http://fiskejorgensen.wix.com/livingwithbipolar

Or the direct article link at:
http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Effectiveness-of-Cognitive-Behavioral-Therapy&id=7912096

Collection of Mental Health Articles

For my collection of ezinearticles, you can visit:
http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=E_Fiske-Jorgensen

Or you can view them through my website at:
http://fiskejorgensen.wix.com/livingwithbipolar
Just click on the EZINEARTICLES link at the top of the home page.

More articles to come...

Have a great week!

Jorgensen

Bipolar Chats & FAQs

I added a new page to my website so you can contact me directly with questions and also a section on FAQs. I hope you find this helpful.

http://fiskejorgensen.wix.com/livingwithbipolar#!bipolar-chat/cbsz

Life Expectancy of Mental Health Patients

Gap in Life Expectancy Between Psychiatric Patients and the General Population Grows

JULY 26, 2013 · POSTED IN RISK FACTORS 

A study published by Lawrence et al. in the journal BMJ in 2013 suggests that the gap in life expectancy between psychiatric patients and the general population is widening. This was due more to poor physical health than to suicide.

Investigators at the University of Western Australia in Perth found that within that geographic region, the gap in life expectancy for males with all mental disorders combined compared to males in the general population increased from 13.5 years in 1985 to 15.9 years in 2005. For females, the gap increased from 10.4 years in 1985 to 12.0 years in 2005.

Editor’s Note: Data from the US suggest even greater loss of years of life expectancy in those with serious mental illnesses. In the best case, in Virginia patients lost an average of 13 years of life expectancy compared to the general population, while in some western states up to 28 years of life expectancy was lost by the average patient. 

Cardiovascular disease is one of the biggest contributors to these almost unbelievable statistics. It is possible that short telomeres resulting from stressors, episodes of depression, abused substances, and a variety of poor lifestyle factors such as smoking and lack of exercise also contribute to this huge deficit in longevity. Other factors that can co-occur with bipolar illness, such as inflammation, high cortisol, and oxidative stress, are likely problematic as well.

Source:  Bipolar Network News

CTRL+ALT+DEL

It may not always work, but good rules to keep in mind on those bad days!

Overcoming the Challenges for Those With Mood Disorders

Some common symptoms of those with mood disorders include being easily distracted, forgetting to complete tasks, the inability to focus, racing thoughts, and becoming easily irritable. These all cause problematic concerns when patients must go through the process of trial-and-error medications, managing the costs of mental healthcare treatment, and possibly fighting health insurance battles.

Trial-and-Error Medication Process

With the lack of scientific knowledge behind the true causes of some of these disorders, psychiatrists do not know exactly what part(s) of the brain are involved in each patient. So, it becomes a bit of a shot-gun approach to see which medications work and which ones do not work. This can be aggravating, in and of itself, and that alone can make you want to give up. I have been completely deflated because of it. So, I will describe my medication roller coaster ride as an example.

Once my initial diagnoses were complete, I was prescribed Lamitcal for BPII, and Vyvanse for ADHD. As with all medications, they come with side-effects. At first, I was doing well with both, along with no side-effects, but that changed. One of the side effects of Lamictal is skin rash, which happened to me once I reached a 150mg dosage. The second medication my psychiatrist prescribed was Abilify. One side-effect can be insomnia, which was the case for me. Even with my Ambien on board, it would still keep me up at night, throwing me into hypomania, which defeated the whole purpose of the medication. So, we tried a third medication called Saphris.

After being on Saphris for almost four months now, I have not had one hypomanic episode. So, this medication works and with no side-effects. But, the whole process took six months before finding the right medication.

Before finding Vyvanse for ADHD, I was on a drug called Focalin. This drug did not work for me at all. On the medication, I could not correctly organize my thoughts. My speech pattern was slowed, and sometimes I did not make much sense. That process took less time, but it was still a struggle. It was aggravating, and that alone can make you want to give up. In fact, it left me feeling completely deflated with severe depression. With mood disorder symptoms, your mindset is simply not well-suited for this trial-and-error process.

Managing the Costs of Mental Health Treatment

You cannot put a price on good health, but know that finding and maintaining good quality healthcare does cost money. Your psychiatrist appointments, therapy sessions, and medications all require money. Even if your insurance covers part of it, there are always some out-of-pocket expenses.

In my case, my health insurance plan covers most of my medication expenses and my co-pay for my psychiatric appointments is relatively low. However, my psychotherapy sessions are not covered by my insurance. I have to make sure each month that I set aside enough money to cover all the costs. Before giving into the medications, I drank heavily. While the money I save by not buying alcohol helps tremendously, I still have to be responsible and forward-thinking enough to set aside the right funds for proper mental healthcare.

Fighting Health Insurance Battles

Even if you find the right medications, your insurance company may deny coverage. This happened to me with Saphris. I was so angry and in such a state of confusion, that I experienced a very bad state of depression, one of my all-time lows. I even had suicidal thoughts, just because I did not want to be dealing with any or all of this anymore.

The only thing you can do is file an appeal, which normally starts with your psychiatrist. If that is unsuccessful, then the patient can file an appeal. This means filling out detailed paperwork and getting files from your doctor to finish the appeal. Once that is complete, you have to wait at least a month to hear a response, which can still be a denial.

My psychiatrist called the insurance company to file an appeal, and they denied her claim. As a patient, I filed an appeal as well. So far, my appeal has also been denied until I send in all my medical records, including those from my general practitioner. And then, they have to go over everything again before making a decision, which could still result in a denial.

Once I found the right medications for both disorders, my insurance company denied both. I have since won the battle with Vyvanse, but I am still waiting on their decision for Saphris. This is a maddening process that aggravates symptoms of irritability and depression.

I can go to an external review board in my state if my insurance company ends up denying Saphris. But, If the external review board also denies it, then there is no other alternative. I am hoping to hear from my insurance company soon and trying to prepare myself for another appeal process to the state. This long and detailed process is not well-suited for someone who suffers from the symptoms of mood disorders.

Advice for Managing it All

Find a good psychiatrist and therapist, and do not just take the first ones you find if you feel they are not strong advocates for all your concerns. As I mentioned before, my insurance does not cover my therapy sessions. However, I would never seek out another therapist. She provides many things to me that I would not try to change or even attempt to find in another therapist.

There may be things you need to give up in exchange for good mental healthcare and medications you are receiving. For example, I quit drinking, which was a huge expense every month when you add up the costs of all the drinks at home and out to dinner. It might be helpful for you to consider some things you can give up in exchange for better healthcare. Chances are, if you are suffering from a mood disorder, you are also engaging in some kind of substance abuse. Giving up the cost of that substance just might cover the cost of good, high-quality mental healthcare.

Realize that there is only so much your psychiatrist and therapist can do for you. Many of the struggles of lie in your own hands, including fighting the insurance battles. You have to be prepared to stand up for yourself even during times you feel completely deflated.

While the science to date has lagged in comparison to other psychological disorders, realize that progress is being made in the field to better understand and treat those of us with bipolar disorder. There is also the chance that other medications will become available in the near future for mood disorders as the result of current and future research. So, try to think that some hope may be on the horizon for better medications and possibly a cure.

http://fiskejorgensen.wix.com/livingwithbipolar

Living With Bipolar Disorder Website Updated with Winning Contest Photo

http://fiskejorgensen.wix.com/livingwithbipolar#

Winning Photo is on the Book page. Thanks for all the great submissions! And look for a new contest in August!

Winner of Photo Contest and Free Living With Bipolar Disorder Book

The winner of the photo contest for the picture that captures the essence of living with bipolar disorder is Melissa Feldman. She receives a free Living With Bipolar Disorder book plus shipping.

See the picture on my website at:
http://fiskejorgensen.wix.com/livingwithbipolar#!books/cnec

The Ketogenic Diet for Bipolar Patients

See link to article here:
http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Ketogenic-Diet-for-Bipolar-Patients&id=7899151