I conducted ‘chats’ with these courageous women while an in-patient on the psychiatric floor of a medical hospital, recovering from depression in 2002.  I was able to converse with each woman separately where they shared their stories. Note:  I was discharged earlier than any of these women; therefore at that point, a conclusion to each woman’s [...]

Written by: ME I describe bipolar as a house with three levels. Upstairs is Mania, Main Floor in even moods, and of course the basement where the shackles of Depression are clasped ever so tightly around your ankles.  I seem to wind up in the basement much more often than upstairs. I was diagnosed with Bipolar in the late [...]

See also TOXIC PARENTS .  I received many comments on this first article – seems there are so many people experiencing this. It was difficult at first, but now as time goes on I feel this weight lifted off me and the feelings of guilt just aren’t there.   I’ve cut ties with my family.  Just to know [...]

     I ultimately realized that depression was altering my life when I met some girls from work for dinner.  Sounds bizarre. Supervisor of three women in accounting, I enjoyed my position and found it a challenge. Crushing depression found me with two brief hospital admissions in 1994, and an on and off medical leave from [...]

Mental illness is surrounded by a glut of half-truths and untruths. If you tell someone that you’ve been diagnosed with, for example, bipolar disorder, they are likely to roll their eyes and say, “I don’t believe it – you don’t look mentally ill…?” Which brings me to my question: Do I perchance look like I [...]

When you first hear these words, you automatically think of losing your job.  I thought I would take it one step further and think back to some of the times I’ve actually been ‘fired’ in other situations. I will begin with the career position.  The ‘firing’ took place during my first year, in what would [...]