bipolar disorder
oracknows | June 15, 2016We in Michigan are dealing with yet another effort on the part of NDs, which stands for “naturopathic doctors” but more appropriately should mean “not a doctor, to achieve licensure in the form of Michigan HB 4531. As I mentioned when I first learned that HB 4531 was passed by the House Committee on Health Policy and sent to the full House for consideration, it’s a scary, scary bill. Moreover, it’s supported by the Michigan Association of Naturopathic Physicians (MANP), who are taking money from the supplement industry to lobby for this bill’s passage. It’s a bill that would grant NDs a wide…
jhalper | June 19, 2014Since mental health problems are estimated to affect some 10% of the world’s population, it stands to reason that if you don’t suffer from depression, anxiety or bipolar disorder yourself, you are probably close to someone who does. So you might be pleased to read about a new finding that could eventually lead to a whole new approach to treating this group of common mood disorders.
The finding is that a tiny scrap of RNA – a microRNA that works in the brain – acts as a sort of mood regulator. It works something like the needle in a steam valve. Mice that had high levels of this particular…
grrlscientist | August 19, 2009tags: Obama, Bipolar Disorder, humor, funny, satire, fucking hilarious, Onion News Network, ONN, streaming video
White House officials admit Obama's extreme confidence and total euphoria over "hope" and "change" were symptoms of a prolonged manic episode. He has since recovered and now is depressed -- just like the rest of the country. [2:30]
Not to split hairs, but a typical manic episode doesn't last three years.
grrlscientist | February 7, 2009
Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I (1907).
Oil and gold on canvas by Gustav Klimt.
[larger view].
I have not been writing much recently because I've been quite ill and haven't even managed to leave my apartment for the past week to locate a stable wireless connection.
Actually, I am not ill in the strict sense of the word as we understand it. Instead, I am ill because I am experiencing withdrawal from the last of the so-called "mood stabilizing drugs", citalopram, that the doctors got me hooked on before they unceremoniously dumped me from their program for poor people roughly six months…
grrlscientist | December 13, 2008tags: hypomania, bipolar disorder, manic depression, mood disorders, mental health, psychology
Image: Michael Witte/NYTimes [larger view].
Have you ever met a person who seems to be on a perpetual caffeine high, without all the shaking? You know the type, those few hyperactive extroverts who are always doing things or meeting people, who have an expansive and optimistic mood yet are easily irritated, and who have an overactive libido or who enjoy really risky pastimes, like jumping out of airplanes or climbing buildings. According to some reading I've been doing, these are apparently…
grrlscientist | October 15, 2008tags: bipolar disorder, manic depression, mental illness, psychiatry, psychology, children
Image: Myself43.
If you are like me and suffered from unrecognized bipolar disorder as a child only to later have this mood disorder diagnosed upon reaching young adulthood, you might be pleased to learn that current research suggests bipolar disorder is increasingly being diagnosed as beginning in childhood. As a result, these bipolar kids are more likely to receive proper treatment and support such that they, their families and friends will suffer fewer of the deep emotional and social scars that…
grrlscientist | September 13, 2008tags: bipolar disorder, manic-depression, mental health, mental illness, behavior
Image: Gerald Slota, The New York Times Magazine.
A couple days ago, I heard an interview with Jennifer Egan on WNYC about her upcoming article in tomorrow's New York Magazine about bipolar disorder, often known as manic-depressive illness, "The Bi | Polar Puzzle." It's long but well-written and definitely worth reading. In this touching and informative piece, Egan primarily addresses several questions; whether bipolar disorder exists in children, what it looks like and whether children with undiagnosed/…
grrlscientist | July 18, 2008tags: bipolar disorder, manic depression, mental illness, psychiatry, suicide, audioblog
Image: Myself43.
A friend sent me this interesting link to an audio piece that recently appeared in the NYTimes about bipolar disorder. This piece may help those with the disorder to feel less alone and help those who love someone with the disorder to get a better understanding of what it is like to live with it. It's not very long, and it's well worth listening to.
grrlscientist | February 28, 2008tags: researchblogging.org, bipolar disorder, clinical depression, mental illness, mood disorder, functional genomics, blood test, biomarkers
Image: Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services, serious mental illnesses affect approximately 44 million Americans. Serious mental illnesses include mood disorders; depression and bipolar disorder. Unfortunately, correctly diagnosing mental illnesses, such as bipolar disorder, appears to be a sort of voodoo science that depends upon the skill of the mental health professional…
grrlscientist | December 8, 2007You may not remember this, but one year ago today, I was discharged from the nuthouse after being hospitalized for a little longer than four months. What a long journey it's been since that day, one year ago. I was intensely lonely and barely functional for oh so many months, and the doctors were constantly worried and wished to send me back to the hospital (they even made housecalls), but I managed to maintain my freedom and to survive. I still experience many rough days and many setbacks, and I am still working on getting my feet under me and "regaining functionality" even today. But…
grrlscientist | September 20, 2007A couple days ago, I mentioned that I, along with several other blog writers, had been invited to participate in a conference call-interview with several experts who were going to discuss the topic of bipolar disorder with us so we could write about it on our blogs. Well, thanks to a friend here in NYC, who lent me his cell phone so I could make that call without using more of my severely limited daytime minutes, I did get to participate in this discussion. Even though I was not sure what to expect, I found it to be fascinating. I have not yet received the recording of the phone call, but I…
sporte | September 18, 2007At least this is what I imagine it's like to live with someone who has bipolar disorder. Tonight - Sept. 19th, between 7-8 pm EDT, there will a "blogger's conference with the experts," discussing this very thing.
The transcript will be posted and you can learn more about the event here.
grrlscientist | September 18, 2007tags: online mental health fair, bipolar disorder, manic-depressive illness, manic depression, Revolution Health
It has come to my attention that Revolution Health is currently running an Online Mental Health Fair, with a special focus on reaching college students and their parents. College is a particularly challenging time for students struggling with depression or bipolar disorder because students' mood disorders are complicated by being away from home and family for the first time. Thus, Revolution Health's goal is both to raise awareness on college campuses and to help raise money for…
grrlscientist | September 17, 2007tags: researchblogging.org, bipolar disorder, manic-depressive illness, unipolar depressive disorder, clinical depression, seasonal affective disorder, SAD, circadian clock, light therapy
"Starry Night" (1889) is an oil painting by Dutch post-impressionist artist Vincent van Gogh. It was added to the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City in 1941. [wallpaper size].
According to a "NewsFocus" article that appeared in last Friday's Science, there is a move afoot to use light therapy and sleep deprivation to help the body's circadian clock reset and maintain…
grrlscientist | September 12, 2007tags: Bipolar disorder, manic-depressive illness, mental health, blog awards
Wow, my blog was given another award! This time, Living the Scientific Life was recognized by Psych Central as being one of the top ten blogs to go to to read about bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive illness. The top ten list for bipolar disorder was compiled with input from readers, one of their associate editors, Sandra, and by John Grohol, PsyD. According to John, "[This award] reflects the excellence in regular writing of entries related to this mental health concern that we feel is consistent and…
grrlscientist | September 10, 2007tags: suicide, world suicide prevention day, mental health, depression, bipolar disorder
Suicide is a major public health issue and accounts for nearly 3% of all deaths worldwide -- around the world, one million people will die by suicide this year. But suicide is a taboo subject that many people, regardless of age, sex, socioeconomic status or religious and cultural affiliations, are ashamed of, and rarely speak about. This veil of secrecy leads to needless deaths worldwide. So as a result, today was designated as World Suicide Prevention Day, which is designed to raise public awareness of…
grrlscientist | September 6, 2007tags: researchblogging.org, mental health, suicide, depression, bipolar disorder, SSRIs, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, antidepressants, FDA black-box warning
Prozac.
Image: Tom Varco
After a 2003 report linking selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, with increased suicide rates among children and teen agers was published, the use of this class of antidepressants in these age groups has decreased dramatically. This led to a change in labeling in 2003 that warned that use of the medications could increase suicidal thoughts and behavior among youths. Sadly, this 'black…
grrlscientist | September 2, 2007tags: researchblogging.org, bipolar disorder, manic-depressive illness, mental health, research
Those of you who suffer from bipolar disorder, as I do, will be pleased to learn that some novel treatments are being developed for this illness, thanks to research combined with careful observations.
Bipolar disorder is also known as manic-depressive illness. It is a mood disorder where a person who suffers from it experiences tremendous emotional shifts, from crushing depressions to intense mania and back again. These mood swings often are independent from what is happening in the person's…
grrlscientist | May 23, 2007tags: mental health, bipolar disorder, manic depression, depression, blog carnivals
The Mental Health Blog Carnival is now available. They include a piece that I wrote, so be sure to check it out. Incidentally, they are seeking people to host this blog carnival, so if you might be interested, be sure to contact them. After I get all this law suit stuff solved, I think I will host one of their blog carnivals, and hopefully I can give it a bit of a boost in traffic.
grrlscientist | May 10, 2007tags: bipolar disorder, manic-depressive illness, mental health, molecular biology
Bipolar disorder depends upon small, combined effects from variations in many different brain genes, none of which is powerful enough by itself to cause the disease, according to a new genome-wide study. Despite this revelation, this new study shows that targeting one enzyme produced by one of these altered genes could lead to development of new and more effective medications.
The research, conducted by Amber E. Baum, Francis J. McMahon, and their colleagues, is the first study to genetically scan thousands of…