What’s my life all about? Why am I even here? Why is this [whatever it is] happening to me? If you’re like me, and, I think, most Americans, you were brought up to be practical and action-oriented, and not waste a lot of time thinking about “philosophical” questions like these. We pride ourselves on common sense, and “getting it done” not on self-analysis, reflection, or spiritual musings. Yet a surprising range of thinkers from ancient philosophers to modern medical insurance companies beg us to take another look at our own inner reality. Patients with mental health problems consistently report significant gains in calm, focus, mood stability, energy and hopefulness when following mindfulness or meditation routines. While some may question whether ...
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Control your moods or live with them? A guy we’ve been working with for some time commented today that he didn’t want to focus on control of his moods. His focus is on living with them. This is an attitude that we often recommend to patients who have trouble accepting a diagnosis or a treatment option. Acceptance of the reality of bipolar is the first step towards stability and recovery. Some therapists speak of “acceptance” and the first step, and some even call it “radical acceptance”. Marsha Linehan, a psychologist and writer says that radical acceptance means completely and totally accepting something, stopping the fight against reality, and ultimately, suffering less. Acceptance is not the same as fatalism, where “nothing ...
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Vivek Murthy, the US Surgeon General, has called for a massive, nationwide campaign to reduce the harm related to firearm violence that is spreading throughout our society. “The collective trauma and fear that Americans are experiencing is contributing to the mental health challenges that we are facing today. Nearly 6 in 10 U.S. adults say they worry about a loved one being a victim of firearm violence.” Murthy said. His office has issued a landmark public health advisory, which calls for implementing community violence prevention programs and firearm risk reduction strategies; expanding research funding; and improving access to mental health care and support for those exposed to or at risk for firearm violence including trauma-informed care. People with mental illness ...
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Bipolar disorder is a chronic disease that can present lifelong challenges. However, remission rates and even complete recovery can and have been seen. Finding the factors associated with recovery from bipolar disorder can give us all hope, and also provide health care workers with specific strategies to enhance the possibilities of recovery. A recent Canadian study using data from the 2012 Canadian Community Health Survey-Mental Health looked at three levels of recovery from bipolar disorder: Remission of symptoms for the past year. Individuals who have had no symptoms of bipolar disorder for a year are considered to be recovered. However, other disorders/problems may be present. Absence of psychiatric disorders. Based on no suicidal ideation in the past year, nor bipolar ...
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Strong, stable personal relationships are of great importance to people struggling with moods. Take a minute to reflect on your own experience in this area. Do the people you have important, intimate relationships with help or hinder your mood stability? Two recent conversations with patients helped us drive this point home. On the same day we met with two men in their 30's with bipolar who each spoke to relationship changes as key to mood changes. One of them said he had never had a manic episode when he was in a relationship with a woman. The other said that he always had depressive episodes when he was in a divorce with a spouse (he had been married three times) ...
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Fish oil supplementation for major depression continues to garner positive reviews from scientists and clinicians. A recent review of the past few years of data shows significant positive effects without negative side effects for a variety of patients with differing diagnoses. Some recent findings: Systemic inflammation is increasingly recognized as an associated factor in many mental illnesses. MoodSurfing has investigated the importance of dealing with inflammation as part of a comprehensive approach to depression and physical health. Omega 3 fatty acids, usually taken as a fish oil supplement, have been found helpful, particularly when the symptoms of depression are physical (change in appetite, loss of energy, sleep problems). Omega 3 fatty acids, especially eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) have been shown to ...
Read More About MoodSurfing
Welcome to MoodSurfing.com, the site that highlights strategies for living creatively with moods and coping with depression. This site is for people with bipolar, depression, cyclothymia, and others who experience powerful moods and want to figure out how to integrate these experiences into successful lives.
Although most of us are mental health clinicians of one kind or another, this site is not about providing people with medical or clinical advice (see below). We hope that we can help you cope with depression, maybe even allow you to live well with moods.
If you like what you see here, be sure to sign up to get updated with new posts.
We have done a series of interviews with people who have interesting things to say about different aspects of living creatively with moods. You can find those under the heading “Conversations.”
DISCLAIMER
This site is not designed to and does not provide medical advice, professional diagnosis, opinion, treatment or services to you or to any other individual. Through this site and linkages to other sites, Moodsurfing provides general information for educational purposes only. The information provided in this site, or through linkages to other sites, is not a substitute for medical or professional care, and you should not use the information in place of a visit, call consultation or the advice of your physician or other healthcare provider. Moodsurfing is not liable or responsible for any advice, course of treatment, diagnosis or any other information, services or product you obtain through this site.
IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY, YOU SHOULD IMMEDIATELY CALL 911 OR YOUR PHYSICIAN. If you believe you have any other health problem, or if you have any questions regarding your health or a medical condition, you should promptly consult your physician or other healthcare provider. Never disregard medical or professional advice, or delay seeking it, because of something you read on this site or a linked website. Never rely on information on this website in place of seeking professional medical advice. You should also ask your physician or other healthcare provider to assist you in interpreting any information in this site or in the linked websites, or in applying the information to your individual case.
Medical information changes constantly. Therefore the information on this site or on the linked websites should not be considered current, complete or exhaustive, nor should you rely on such information to recommend a course of treatment for you or any other individual. Reliance on any information provided on this site or any linked websites is solely at your own risk.
Moodsurfing does not recommend or endorse any specific tests, products, procedures, opinions or other information that may be provided on the linked websites. The linked websites may contain text, graphics, images or information that you find offensive (e.g., sexually explicit), Moodsurfing has no control over and accepts no responsibility for such materials.
