Diagnosis – Nancy

What does it mean to have a diagnosis of Bipolar I or II?  For some, finally getting a diagnosis can be a relief, as it was for Demi Lovato, whose story was shared in Moodsurfing a few weeks ago.  For others, not so much.  Mariah Carey was diagnosed with bipolar back in 2011, but she says “I didn’t want to believe it”.  Only after several more years of denial did she seek out proper treatment options. Surprisingly, even today, getting an accurate diagnosis can be a long-drawn out and difficult process.  Especially for Bipolar II (“two”), and the milder form called “cyclothymia” the diagnostic elements may not be clear to many practitioners.  Some people have to persist in the medical ... Read More

Risk Calculator for Youth – Nancy

New research may lead to a risk calculator that can help predict which young people at risk of bipolar go on to develop either bipolar 1 or bipolar 2. Young people with a history of depression and some features of bipolar (a brief period of being energized, for example, that doesn't meet criteria for hypomania) are at risk for developing bipolar I or II as they age.  Until recently, there has been no good way to quantify the risk.  Ways of predicting who will “convert” to a bipolar I or II diagnosis have been developed for the group of at-risk youth as a whole, but these predictors have not been able to discriminate between different types and levels of risk ... Read More

Building Healthy Habits – Gina

Building healthy habits can be very important in managing mood. Regular sleep, exercise and diet can play a key role in reinforcing a stable mood. As a result, I regularly work with clients to identify healthy habits they would like to form and steps they can take in doing so. Most of the the time they are core habits such as creating a regular sleep schedule, exercise plan or reinforcing a healthy eating routine. These goals have also extended to more personalized habits around meditation, journal writing or playing music, for example. Ultimately, I have seen how getting into a regular routine that reinforces daily rhythms and positive activities can help reinforce mood stability. That being said, building new habits ... Read More

Mania and Nitrated Meats – Nancy

A recent study has found some evidence of a link between mania and nitrated meats (meat sticks, beef jerky, turkey jerky, and possibly other foods such as hot dogs).  Research in bipolar has focused on genetic links, but diet is also thought to have significant impacts on mood disorders.  The new study is quite small and used survey data followed by animal experiments to suggest an association between the consumption of nitrated meats and manic episodes. The study did not include any findings about the “dose” or amount of these meats that may have been consumed, and the researchers were not able to determine risk levels: how much consumption may be associated with how much higher an incidence of mania.  ... Read More

Making A Daily Plan

Consider the value of “boring”. Steve Jobs reportedly once said “I’m a big believer in boredom” –meaning maybe that if life is quiet and predictable enough you may have time to think, time to daydream, and time to make new decisions and choices. For people living with bipolar, boring can be a tough goal.  But structure is everything when it comes to surfing your moods.  Julie Fast, bipolar blogger and writer on the site BPHope, says “since my diagnosis in 1995, I’ve created a management plan that I still use daily in order to keep my life focused and positive.” How about that: a plan that’s been working daily for more than 20 years!  How’s it done? These are the ... Read More

Circadian Rhythms – Nancy

A new study from the UK has shown that disruption in the daily rhythms (circadian rhythms) of work and rest is clearly linked to mood disorders and major depression, as well as other concerns: lower subjective happiness, feelings of loneliness, and mood instability. Circadian rhythms are the natural paths our lives take, with patterns of work during daylight hours and sleep at night.  In the modern world, these rhythms are frequently disrupted for many reasons, night shifts at work, insomnia caused by stress, and a host of others.  Researchers followed 91,105 participants whose activity levels were recorded by wearing a wrist-worn accelerometer for 7 days. After adjusting for multiple variables, including age, sex, ethnic origin and the like, there was ... 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.