Turning to the experts who live successfully with BD
Very little is known about how people successfully self-manage their bipolar disorder (BD). Information about people living successfully with BD isn’t nearly as easy to find, for example, as information about disability or dysfunction.
Now, a team of researchers is looking at self-management techniques provided by the experts themselves—people with bipolar disorder who are living well. The hope is to turn their strategies into a kind of how-to guide that others can use to improve their lives. (more…)
Christmas is traditionally a season of joy, family reunions, friendship and generosity. So why do so many people get so tied up in knots about it all? For some, Christmastime can be the most difficult, even the loneliest time of the year. What’s the best approach to use during the holiday season?
A local advocacy group working on behalf of people experiencing mental illness and addictions is looking to expand its membership.
A self-described former ‘bad-ass’, Andrea Paquette only discovered at age 26 that she had bipolar disorder, a diagnosis that helped her understand much of what had been happening over her life. One of Andrea’s current missions is to reach out to others with mental illness—young people and students in particular—and work to end stigma. She’s a firm believer in leading a balanced life. [Source: thestraight.com]
Suicide is a leading cause of death for people worldwide, and one of the three leading causes of death for young people under 25. Suicide has biological, cultural, social and psychological risk factors but despite its often complex origins, suicide can be prevented. World Suicide Prevention Day is an opportunity for all sectors of the community to focus public attention on the unacceptable burden and costs of suicidal behaviours and promote understanding about suicide and highlight effective prevention activities. 
The experimental link between creativity and mental illness is well-documented, and now a new study out of Hungary has discovered what could be a genetic link between the two. In dicussing his findings, Dr. Szabolcs Keri also suggested that people with mental illness can express themselves a lot better through visual and musical forms of communication. [Source: The Edmonton Journal] 