http://www.bipolar-lives.com/bipolar-blog.html The Bipolar Blog keeps you up-to-date with all our additions and changes. Subscribe here. en-us bipolar Thu, 11 Mar 2010 14:30:56 GMT Thu, 11 Mar 2010 14:30:56 GMT bipolar-lives.com http://www.bipolar-lives.com/bipolar-blog.html#Exercise-to-be-used-as-a-treatment-for-bipolar-disorder? Exercise could play an important role in controlling mood swings, a new study has found. The research, which is published in the current issue of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, said that exercise has the potential to substantially improve acute and long-term outcomes for patients with bipolar disorder, Medical News Today reported. Thu, 11 Mar 2010 14:07:47 GMT http://www.bipolar-lives.com/bipolar-blog.html#Risk-of-Mental-Illness-Higher-If-Both-Parents-Mentally-Ill People whose parents are both diagnosed with bipolar disorder are at much higher risk of developing the disorder, according to a study in the March issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry. The researchers found that the risk of bipolar was significantly higher in children where both parents were diagnosed with (24.9 versus 4.4 percent for one parent diagnosed and 0.48 percent for neither parent diagnosed). The maximal risk of any psychiatric disorder was 44.2 percent when both parents were diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Wed, 03 Mar 2010 12:54:48 GMT http://www.bipolar-lives.com/bipolar-blog.html#Sinead-OConnor-speaks-candidly-of-battle-with-bipolar,-suicide-attempt In 2007, at the age of 37, Sinead told Oprah that she had been diagnosed with bipolar, and that she had tried to kill herself on her 33rd birthday.After her diagnosis, Sinead O Connor was put on antidepressants and this sad phase of her life brought another ray of hope in form of reliving the creativity. Tue, 02 Mar 2010 14:41:47 GMT http://www.bipolar-lives.com/bipolar-blog.html#Rise-in-self-diagnosis-of-bipolar-disorder Psychiatrists in Britain claim to have discovered a new phenomenon -- people diagnosing themselves with bipolar disorder, according to research published on Monday. Celebrities talking publicly about suffering from the illness are linked to the rise in self-diagnosis, London-based psychiatrists Dr Diana Chan and Dr Lester Sireling said. Tue, 02 Mar 2010 14:41:47 GMT http://www.bipolar-lives.com/bipolar-blog.html#Smoking-worsens-outcomes-for-bipolar-patients Patients with bipolar disorder have a poorer prognosis if they are smokers, a prospective two year Melbourne study has shown. Regular smokers had significantly worse outcomes in terms of bipolar and depression scores compared to non smokers and were also more likely to have longer hospital stays, the study of 240 patients from the Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre found. The results, published in the journal Comprehensive Psychiatry (online 19 Feb) are yet more reason to encourage smoking cessation in people with mental illness, say the study authors. As expected, the patients with bipolar disorder had much higher rates of smoking than the general population (51 vs 23), and smoking was also associated with poorer quality of life overall. Tue, 23 Feb 2010 10:28:08 GMT http://www.bipolar-lives.com/bipolar-blog.html#Optical-illusions-reveal-surprising-possible-diagnostic-tool-for-bipolar-disorder Dr Miller, a Monash University neuroscientist, has been conducting research for the past decade into the way the brain processes optical illusions. He has discovered somthing startling. It seems the speed at which people process these optical illusions (known as binocular rivalry) could help diagnose inherited mental health conditions such as bipolar disorder, also called manic depression. Mon, 22 Feb 2010 14:12:02 GMT http://www.bipolar-lives.com/bipolar-blog.html#UC-studies-fish-oil-as-kiddie-bipolar-remedy Researchers at the University of Cincinnati want to know if fish oil, long known for boosting heart health, can prevent bipolar disorder in children and teens. Mon, 22 Feb 2010 14:10:34 GMT http://www.bipolar-lives.com/bipolar-blog.html#Drinking-may-not-worsen-bipolar-symptoms Among people with bipolar disorder who strictly followed their medication plan, drinking alcohol did not appear to worsen their mood symptoms, hint findings of a small study from the Netherlands. Fri, 19 Feb 2010 13:02:24 GMT http://www.bipolar-lives.com/bipolar-blog.html#Why-I-sectioned-my-wife-over-her-bipolar-disorder According to the charity Mind, two-thirds of the population will know somebody close to them who has experienced mental illness. The lives of Kate and William Lyons, a young married couple, have been radically changed by bipolar depression, a condition in which Kate experiences delusional highs and disabling lows. For William, it meant having to commit his wife to hospital under the Mental Health Act. For them both mental illness is a dominating presence in their relationship. Tue, 16 Feb 2010 14:03:08 GMT http://www.bipolar-lives.com/bipolar-blog.html#Bipolar-Disorder-Diagnoses-May-Change-in-New-Manual Doctors would no longer diagnose bipolar disorder in children who do not meet the adult standard under proposed revisions to a manual of psychiatric conditions. Doctors say no evidence exists to justify bipolar disorder in children who do not meet the criteria for adults. Instead, a new category, called temper dysregulation disorder with dysphoria, will be created in order to accommodate children who are aggressive and irritable. Thu, 11 Feb 2010 15:23:54 GMT http://www.bipolar-lives.com/info-on-bipolar-disorder.html Everyone experiences ups and downs in life. Sometimes we all just have a bad day. Other days can be really great, but how can you tell when these Sun, 07 Feb 2010 21:42:58 GMT http://www.bipolar-lives.com/bipolar-insomnia.html What is bipolar insomnia? Discover why are insomnia and bipolar disorder are so closely related. Sun, 07 Feb 2010 04:35:34 GMT http://www.bipolar-lives.com/bipolar-blog.html#Straight-A-schoolchildren-at-higher-risk-of-bipolar-disorder,-research-claims Straight-A schoolchildren have a much higher risk of suffering from bipolar disorder than less intelligent pupils, according to new research. Clever children are almost four times more likely to suffer from the condition, which is also known as manic depression. The latest finding, published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, supports a commonly held belief that exceptional intellectual ability is associated with the mental illness. Thu, 04 Feb 2010 14:17:53 GMT http://www.bipolar-lives.com/bipolar-blog.html#Does-Bipolar-Disorder-Consume-You?-Big-Pharma-Says-it-Does Anyone seen the latest Seroquel XR ads from AstraZeneca? They are pretty dramatic and the theme is that folks with bipolar disorder experience it as all consuming, particularly if they are suffering from bipolar depression. However, having bipolar disorder is not ALL of who we are. If you don't want your bipolar disorder to consume you, try the following 5 tips. Sat, 30 Jan 2010 13:52:59 GMT http://www.bipolar-lives.com/bipolar-blog.html#Want-to-Dump-Your-Therapist? Sometimes we want to change therapists or psychiatrists, doctors, etc. but feel guilty or awkward about it and end up feeling trapped. I know I have gone through this. If you have also had to wrestle with this issue, just think of the old Paul Simon song, There must be 50 ways to leave your lover. I am not sure if there are 50 ways to leave your shrink, but here are some tips and tools you can use. Fri, 29 Jan 2010 20:03:43 GMT http://www.bipolar-lives.com/bipolar-blog.html#Kids-of-bipolar-parents-at-risk-for-mental-woes According to a new study, young children whose parents have bipolar disorder -- a mental illness marked by severe mood swings from depression to mania -- have an eight-fold higher risk of ADHD relative to young children of mentally healthy parents. They also have a six-fold high risk of having two or more mental disorders. Fri, 29 Jan 2010 05:22:55 GMT http://www.bipolar-lives.com/bipolar-blog.html#Simple-eye-test-may-diagnose-bipolar Researchers have new evidence that a simple eye test could help diagnose inherited mental health conditions such as bipolar disorder. Tue, 26 Jan 2010 14:14:51 GMT http://www.bipolar-lives.com/bipolar-blog.html#Fattened-by-pills One of the biggest causes of obesity is seldom discussed. The elephant in the living room is the skyrocketing use of psychiatric drugs.It is striking that the weight of many Americans has ballooned just as the prescribing of psychiatric drugs has surged. Sun, 24 Jan 2010 06:25:27 GMT http://www.bipolar-lives.com/bipolar-blog.html#Take-steps-to-prevent-bipolar-card-splurges Untamed spending is one of the most common signs of bipolar disorder. Many people do not understand bipolar spending. To those unfamiliar with bipolar episodes, it can look a lot like compulsive overspending, or even an excuse or a simple lack of self control. However, true bipolar spending differs from ordinary over shopping in some important ways. Sat, 23 Jan 2010 04:45:24 GMT http://www.bipolar-lives.com/is-bipolar-a-disability.html Is bipolar a disability? This is a question I struggle with almost daily. I receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). My psychiatrist Tue, 19 Jan 2010 15:58:28 GMT http://www.bipolar-lives.com/winston-churchill-and-manic-depression.html Curious about Winston Churchill and manic depression? His true story is more amazing than any fiction. Tue, 19 Jan 2010 04:15:34 GMT http://www.bipolar-lives.com/bipolar-blog.html#Study-Shows-Bipolar-Diagnosis-Jump-in-Young-Children The number of children aged 2 to 5 who have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and prescribed powerful antipsychotic drugs has doubled over the past decade, according to research released on Friday. Fri, 15 Jan 2010 14:35:07 GMT http://www.bipolar-lives.com/bipolar-blog.html#Bipolar-Disorder-and-Alternative-Medicine Quick but informative overview of alternative medicine and bipolar disorder from the Mayo Clinic. Thu, 14 Jan 2010 15:28:04 GMT http://www.bipolar-lives.com/bipolar-blog.html#Walking-the-line-with-dual-diagnosis About 50 percent of people with severe mental disorders are affected by substance abuse, according to reports published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The numbers are even higher for those with bipolar disorder: As many as 60 percent turn to drugs and alcohol, often to try to manage their symptoms, but they only add further pain to their lives. Sat, 09 Jan 2010 14:36:03 GMT http://www.bipolar-lives.com/bipolar-blog.html#Lithium-Beats-Valproate-for-Long-Term-Bipolar-Therapy People with bipolar I disorder will do best over the long term with lithium treatment alone or a combination of lithium and valproate compared to valproate alone, new research suggests. Thu, 24 Dec 2009 14:00:10 GMT http://www.bipolar-lives.com/support-files/foodandmood.pdf Food and Mood: Secrets to Managing Mood Swings, Food and Weight explains the connection between food and mood and asks Is your medication making you fat? It lists specific Bipolar Super Foods that help stabilize moods and warns you about the exact foods to avoid. It concludes with a discussion of diabetes and bipolar disorder - people with bipolar disorder are up to 3 times more likely to develop diabetes - and explains how the same healthy eating that protects you from diabetes will also help manage mood swings and control weight. Food and Mood: Secrets to Managing Mood Swings, Food and Weight may be downloaded at no charge - no password, email address or registration is required. Sun, 20 Dec 2009 15:37:31 GMT http://www.bipolar-lives.com/bipolar-blog.html#New-Bipolar-Toolkit-Empowers-People-with-Bipolar-Disorder-to-Take-Charge-of-Their-Own-Recovery The newly developed Bipolar Toolkit is a free downloadable PDF file providing people with bipolar disorder with three powerful tools, empowering them to take charge of their own recovery. These tools are based on proven clinical methods developed by leading mental health organizations and are available at no cost to consumers. Thu, 17 Dec 2009 14:49:15 GMT http://www.bipolar-lives.com/bipolar-treatments.html Bipolar treatments - discover what really works. Wed, 16 Dec 2009 01:51:50 GMT http://www.bipolar-lives.com/bipolar-blog.html#Bipolar-Disorder-Holiday-Survival-Guide---The-12-Steps-of-Christmas More and more we are coming to understand the huge role that stress plays in bipolar disorder. Given how stressed out most folks can get around the holidays, it is no surprise that people with bipolar disorder can find this time of year extremely challenging. Tue, 15 Dec 2009 14:18:23 GMT http://www.bipolar-lives.com/bipolar-blog.html#Testing-motor-function-helps-determine-if-it-is-bipolar-disorder-or-ADHD Motor function may differentiate attention deficit hyperactivity disorder from early onset bipolar disorder. Research showed an age standardized neuromotor test battery may promote diagnostic accuracy in differentiating ADHD from bipolar disorder, and help evaluate whether symptoms of ADHD in children who have bipolar disorder reflect symptom overlap or real comorbidity. Fri, 11 Dec 2009 15:40:27 GMT http://www.bipolar-lives.com/lithium-and-liver-cancer.html Is there a link between lithium and liver cancer? How to manage bipolar safely! Thu, 10 Dec 2009 14:43:51 GMT http://www.bipolar-lives.com/bipolar-blog.html#Cognitive-Impairment-in-Patients-With-Bipolar-Disorder It is widely accepted that patients with schizophrenia have some degree of cognitive deficiency and that cognitive deficits are an inherent part of the disorder. Historically, there has been less focus on cognitive deficits in patients with bipolar disorder; however, numerous studies of cognition in patients with bipolar disorder, including several comprehensive meta-analyses of bipolar patients who were euthymic at the time of testing, have recently been undertaken. Each of these analyses found that cognitive impairment persists during periods of remission, mainly in domains that include attention and processing speed, memory, and executive functioning. Tue, 08 Dec 2009 14:27:13 GMT http://www.bipolar-lives.com/bipolar-blog.html#Long-term-stress-damages-the-brain So stressed out you cannot think straight? Well, it turns out that is not just a figure of speech. Long term stress damages the brain, impairing everything from emotion and impulse control to certain big picture analytical thinking. And it is worse for people who have underlying conditions such as bipolar disorder. Thu, 03 Dec 2009 09:26:15 GMT http://www.bipolar-lives.com/bipolar-blog.html#Is-It-Bipolar-Depression-or-Postpartum-Depression? All pregnant women should be screened for bipolar disorder, according to a recent article by Verinder Sharma, MB, BS, professor of psychiatry and obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, and colleagues. This is because bipolar depression may be misdiagnosed as major depressive disorder in the postpartum period, resulting in delays in appropriate treatment. Wed, 02 Dec 2009 10:56:57 GMT http://www.bipolar-lives.com/bipolar-blog.html#Offspring-of-Parents-With-Bipolar-Disorder It is generally held that the offspring of parents with bipolar disorder are at risk for bipolar disorder. The degree of risk is an important question for both clinicians and parents. A recent study of bipolar offspring sheds light on this issue. Tue, 01 Dec 2009 14:32:43 GMT http://www.bipolar-lives.com/bipolar-blog.html#Bipolar-Disorder-May-Be-Tied-to-Body-Clock New research suggests that an internal body clock that goes on the fritz could be a factor in the development of bipolar disorder in children. Sat, 28 Nov 2009 16:37:56 GMT http://www.bipolar-lives.com/bipolar-blog.html#Is-Your-Bipolar-Medication-Making-You-Fat? One of the most common barriers to recovery is non-compliance with taking medication. In fact, in working with people with manic-depressive illness, I have reached the point where every day now I hear the same story from either someone under treatment or their spouse - "Everything was fine until I/he/she stopped taking the meds". Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:54:10 GMT http://www.bipolar-lives.com/who-discovered-lithium.html Wondering who discovered lithium? Discover more yourself. Lithium's origins may surprise you. The story is more interesting than you may suspect . . . Sun, 15 Nov 2009 02:47:04 GMT http://www.bipolar-lives.com/bipolar-blog.html#Circadian-Clock-Implicated-in-Kids'-Bipolar-Disorder A faulty circadian clock could be partly to blame for the rapid mood cycles of pediatric bipolar disorder, researchers said. Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:47:14 GMT http://www.bipolar-lives.com/bipolar-blog.html#4,000-Percent-Increase-in-Pediatric-Bipolar-Disorder-Sobering-Statistic-or-Sensational-Twist? This week a headline snagged my attention in Google news proclaiming Bipolar Disorder Increases 4,000 Percent in Children and Adolescents. Mon, 09 Nov 2009 14:33:52 GMT http://www.bipolar-lives.com/bipolar-blog.html#Is-It-Bipolar-Disorder-or-Depression?-Learn-the-Signs Bipolar disorder and major depression are two very different mental health conditions that, to the chagrin of sufferers, often manifest with similar symptoms. Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:09:51 GMT http://www.bipolar-lives.com/bipolar-blog.html#Early-course-of-bipolar-disorder-in-high-risk-offspring New research shows that adolescence marks the beginning of the high-risk period for major mood episodes related to bipolar disorder. Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:24:19 GMT http://www.bipolar-lives.com/bipolar-blog.html#Home-Monitor-for-Lithium-Levels-in-Bipolar-Disorder-To-Become-Available ADA Technologies, Inc. has received a $189,886 grant from the National Institute of Mental Health to develop a home lithium monitor for use by patients with bipolar disorder. The testing tool would allow reliable, routine home monitoring of blood lithium levels, enabling individuals with bipolar disorder to conveniently and effectively manage their care. Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:00:05 GMT http://www.bipolar-lives.com/bipolar-blog.html#Alarming-weight-gain-seen-in-kids-on-psych-drugs Children on widely used psychiatric drugs can quickly gain an alarming amount of weight; many pack on nearly 20 pounds and become obese within just 11 weeks, a study found. Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:45:13 GMT http://www.bipolar-lives.com/bipolar-blog.html#Does-Bipolar-Disorder-Get-Better-As-We-Get-Older? Two fascinating research studies have just been published, which at first glance appear to be a tad contradictory. On September 2nd, 2009 we reported in the Bipolar Lives Blog that a University of Missouri study discovered that almost half of young adults suffering from bipolar disorder will recover from the condition when they reach their 30s. However, the very next day on September 3rd, we reported an Australian study which found that developing Bipolar 1 at an early age is associated with worse clinical outcomes. So is a young person who has developed bipolar disorder more likely to get better, or are they more likely to get worse? Mon, 26 Oct 2009 19:37:38 GMT http://www.bipolar-lives.com/bipolar-blog.html#Is-Chocolate-a-Mood-Stabilizer? Why do so many of us crave chocolate when depressed? The common sense explanation is simple emotional eating. After all, chocolate is probably the world's number one comfort food. However, psychiatrists have traditionally identified loss of appetite with classic depression, and labeled depression with increased cravings for food as atypical depression. Now there is new thinking that speculates this atypical increased appetite and food cravings may not be psychological symptoms, but instead may be an attempt by the body to rebalance itself. In other words, cravings, including the craving for chocolate, may be rooted as much in physiology as in mental or emotional health. Mon, 26 Oct 2009 19:37:38 GMT http://www.bipolar-lives.com/bipolar-blog.html#Pfizer-Email-on-Negligible-Evidence-for-Neurontin-as-a-Bipolar-Drug An email in the Neurontin litigation that Pfizer claims should be sealed shows former Pfizer vp/neuroscience Atul Pande telling a colleague that there is negligible evidence for the use of Neurontin in bipolar disorder and that the drug is not a good anti-manic treatment. Fri, 02 Oct 2009 11:44:00 GMT http://www.bipolar-lives.com/bipolar-blog.html#Informant-A-Drama-About-Untreated-Bipolar-Disorder,-Not-Price-Fixing According to whistleblower Mark Whitacre, portrayed by Matt Damon, the new movie The Informant is more about untreated and undiagnosed mental illness than the infamous Archer Daniels Midland price fixing case. Sat, 26 Sep 2009 14:38:22 GMT http://www.bipolar-lives.com/bipolar-blog.html#The-Impact-of-Bipolar-Disorder-on-Sex The impact of bipolar disorder on sex can be frustrating or even devastating to self-esteem and relationships. Sun, 20 Sep 2009 15:53:38 GMT http://www.bipolar-lives.com/bipolar-blog.html#Bipolar-Adults-at-Increased-Risk-for-Cardiovascular-Disease A new study suggests that adults with bipolar I disorder are at increased risk of developing heart disease and hypertension than those without the disorder. Fri, 11 Sep 2009 13:33:52 GMT