Strongly Bipolar

Observation Improves Behavior, But Charting Can Be Depressing

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 21 Jun 2014 17:01:00 +0000

Even though it’s far from perfect, I’m finding my Jawbone UP electronic wristband quite helpful in gathering information about activity and sleep without the stress of journaling symptoms. Although they can be very helpful, I’ve found that personally charting my moods, sleep, activity, etc. is something I shouldn’t do unless there’s a particular goal and then only for as short a time as will be effective.

One of the secrets to the great life I live is reducing stress and implementing strategies to avoid triggering symptoms. For example, if I have successful strategies for not forgetting to lock my car and not forgetting that I didn’t forget to lock my car, my OCD symptom that requires that I check the car’s lock status repeatedly gets triggered only every so often instead of nearly every time I park the car.

When I am confronted by evidence of my disabilities many times in a single day it causes anger, it lowers my self-esteem, it increases my stress level, it makes me anxious (I have GAD too) about whether I’m going to make a mistake that will hurt me (like a car accident or losing my purse), etc. Since I have ultra-rapid cycling bipolar disorder the stress of all these negative emotions getting riled up can easily trigger an episode.

There’s nothing like entering your day’s experience into a mood chart to confront you with evidence of your ultra-rapid cycling bipolar disorder. Not only do you live the symptoms, you re-live them as you update your chart. Psychologists have proven over and over again that routinely writing down the positive aspects of your day or week improves your mood. Guess what happens when you write down painful symptoms?

Even if another human, say someone you lived with, did the charting it still would be stressful – you would know that person was observing you and you’d wonder what they were thinking about you.

My wristband collects data about my sleep and activity level 24 by 7. These are the things I can strongly influence that most affect my mood disorder. It stores that data until I open up its app and plug the wristband into the headphone jack. I don’t see the data as it’s being collected, and I can sync when I feel like it – the band can hold up to 9 months of data, I also don’t have to spend significant time manipulating or studying the data to see warning trends. in 30 seconds I can see bar charts by the day of my total sleep, deep sleep, activity level, etc. for as far back as I choose to look. That gives me LOTS of good input as to where I am and might be going in my cycling with minimal time spent focusing on my failure to exercise or get enough sleep on any one day. It’s enough to give me a heads up to address my behavior without my beating myself up about my failures.

I also use its ability to connect with Strava, another app, to track my walks, bicycle rides, and hiking. This is all positive information so it’s a good thing for me to log and see the data.

The Jawbone UP app can track other things that affect mood as well, although I’m not yet using those features. There’s a rudimentary mood tracker, but I’m waiting to find an app that will prompt me to make entries on a random basis so I’m not always entering negative symptoms. There is also a food log that has some great features to make it easier to enter (you can scan a barcode as well as the typical food database lookup). The food logger only works when you have access to the internet, however. When I’m on the road as I am now, I can’t count on cell phone signal. I did use it for a while when I was stationary and it pointed out a diet problem to me in less than 2 weeks. I wasn’t getting enough protein – which is not good for my brain or body.

Next post on Jawbone will show some of its feedback, which is amazing good and in accordance with the basic principles of responsible personal coaching and positive psychology (which is not positive thinking).

Another Non-Human Assistant -- an Electronic Bracelet

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 10 Jun 2014 18:38:00 +0000

I have a very supportive family. Even my ex-husband dealt well with my disorder once it was diagnosed and explained to him. I could ask my loved ones for help managing my bipolar disorder, but I rarely do. Why?

Mostly because they are human. Human beings, even the good ones, treat you differently when they are too focused on bipolar symptoms. The observation gets in the way of normal relationships. Also, if they are asked to help too much they end up with compassion fatigue. They simply get worn out by the stress. Getting support from peers is great, but they too can only handle so much -- plus they may be too sick to help when you need it.

What's a girl to do then? Find non-human assistants. I've done just that. I've been using a psychiatric service dog since 2010 (dogs don't judge and don't suffer compassion fatigue), I use apps on my smartphone to help organize me, and now I've added an electronic bracelet called a Jawbone UP. Most people use this device in their physical fitness program. One of its primary functions is not too different from a pedometer. So what's this got to do with bipolar disorder?

First, the bracelet is a nearly silent monitor and it has no screen (unlike most of its competitors and my smartphone) to distract me. I can forget it is there until it needs to alert me. It's also water-resistant and needs charging less than once a week so I don't have to worry about remembering to take it off and then remembering to put it back on. Anyone else out there have memory issues?

Second, the bracelet passively monitors two things critical to bipolar management: amount and quality of sleep and activity. The only thing I need to do is to press a button when I get into bed and do it again when I get out of bed. Even if I forget it I still get a rough idea of my sleep.

Third, the bracelet alerts me . . .

when I've been inactive for an hour. My dog does this too, but she only barks and jumps around to get me to go out and move around twice a day. If she did it every hour I'd want to strangle her. The bracelet vibrates softly (and silently) when I've been inactive for more than an hour during the hours I've set it to do so. That gives me notice that I probably should at least stand up and stretch, if not get up and go for a walk. I can also ignore it. Unlike a human or even my service dog, the bracelet isn't disappointed, nagging, or hurt when I ignore it. I don't have to explain that I'm really busy or that I'm driving and there's no place to pull the car over. It just waits another hour and gently vibrates again.
when it's time to start preparing for bed (optionally, and only at the time I've set it for)
when I've told it to (it can be set up to remind about meds, meals, etc.)
when it's time to wake from a powernap (still experimenting with this one). It tries to wake you after you've gotten the optimal amount of deep sleep but before the maximum time you've set.

None of these alerts is audible to another person, even in a quiet room at close quarters. Privacy and no prompt for another human to judge or nudge me! I don't even look at the bracelet and often don't have to touch it. When it's a persistent alert (like an awake alarm) all I have to do is put my finger on the end of the bracelet and press a button to stop it. Very discreet.

Fourth, it connects with a smartphone app that collects the data, compares it to goals I've set, graphs it, and analyzes it. It feeds me suggestions and attagirls on a daily and weekly basis. Most of the suggestions are pretty good; some I don't like. I can freely and happily ignore any and all of them. Here are some examples:

More specifics about how I'm using this in upcoming posts . . .

My DBSA Life Unlimited Essay

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 12 Jul 2013 15:35:00 +0000

In 2002, I was on the way to marriage with the love of my life. I was a workaholic technologist with a comfortable income. Anxiety disorders and a misdiagnosed mood disorder had troubled me since childhood. Ten years later, I'm divorced; my mood disorder is more severe (ultra-rapid cycling, drug-resistant bipolar); my anxiety is worse; I'm going through menopause; I've been unable to work for years; my only income is a social security check 85% less than my last paycheck; and—my life is so good my friends and family are jealous.

Since December 2011, I've worked, lived, and traveled the U.S. in a 100 sq. ft. eco-campervan converted to my specifications with solar electricity and a dry composting toilet. The van conversion is designed to be economical, have low environmental impact, and to be a safe, healthy environment for me. It reduces my chemical exposure, provides an environment with no incandescent or florescent lighting, and is a secure, cozy refuge for me, my cat, and my psychiatric service dog. Unlike traditional RVs, it has no propane tank, no open flames, no blackwater tank, and no leveling system. This makes it easier and safer for me to handle when I'm not at my best.

I camp on federal lands, including stunning national parks, much of the year for $10 a night. I have no utility bills, no rent, no mortgage, and no storage fees. My income is spent on high quality, healthy groceries, insurance, and fuel. I love outdoors activities and am proud to be living a greener life with extremely low water use and energy conservation. I have solid relationships with my parents, children, and grandchildren. My mental health is improved; my weight and physical health are excellent.

This low-cost eco-recovery allows me to pay for my mission, the Service Poodle Outdoors/Outreach Tour. I became inspired to do this during my training by Advocacy Unlimited in 2010. My psychiatric service dog, Maeve, and I get the word out about federal civil rights laws that give people with psychiatric disabilities in all 50 states the right to have trained service dogs accompany them wherever the public is allowed, as well as the right to have untrained pets (emotional support animals) in no-pets housing without deposits or fees. I talk to groups and individuals. I have a website; blog; Facebook page; Google+ page; and am active on Quora and in a number of Linked In's groups on the topics of disability, Americans with Disabilities Act, and psychology. Maeve and I recently traveled from Connecticut to Portland, Oregon to present our workshop, Mental Health is Going to the Dogs (and Cats), at Alternatives 2012 and I'm beginning a project to write and speak about my recovery and lifestyle. Call me or send a message.

Originally published Fall 2012 on the DBSA website, currently archived with other Life Unlimited essays at http://www.dbsalliance.org/site/PageServer?pagename=peer_life_unlimited. If you're interested in writing one of these essays for DBSA, you can contact them at: http://www.dbsalliance.org/site/Survey?ACTION_REQUIRED=URI_ACTION_USER_REQUESTS&SURVEY_ID=6801

Joanne Shortell servicehuman@servicepoodle.com www.servicepoodle.com www.facebook.com/servicepoodle www.linkedin.com/in/joanneshortell www.maevetour.blogspot.com http://www.quora.com/Joanne-Shortell phone: (860) 356-4637 Joanne and Maeve (her psychiatric service poodle) help people with psychiatric disabilities discover their rights to emotional support animals in no-pets housing without pet deposits or pet fees and their rights to service dogs Joanne travels across the U.S. twice a year and would love to speak to your group. See http://www.servicepoodle.com/service-poodle-outreach-outdoors-tour

The Bad News IS the Good News

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 27 May 2013 23:36:00 +0000

There’s been a lot of bad news regarding the treatment of mental health problems. The drug companies are declining to do research to find new drugs, the new DSM (the diagnostic dictionary that defines diagnoses like bipolar disorder, panic disorder, OCD, etc.) is under barrage for its lack of scientific basis, we’re losing more soldiers to suicide than to battle, and the Director of the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health has declared that our treatments are “not effective enough” and “in many cases patients receiving the best of current care are not recovering.”*

How is any of this good news? We’ve finally hit the tipping point where things can actually start to change.

Reality is Peeping Through the Propaganda . . .

The average American, and many not-so-average ones, have not been aware of how very limited our success in treatment of mental illness has been. We’re barraged with ads for antidepressants and for add-ons if one’s antidepressants aren’t working so well. We see laws proposed to force psychiatric drugs on unwilling patients who do not meet legal requirements for incompetency and who are legally allowed to make all other medical decisions for themselves. We’ve got scores of drugs for psych problems of all kinds. The public has been led to believe that if people are still disabled and dying it must be because they can’t afford the drugs, they’re too stubborn or too delusional to recognize that the drugs would fix their problem, or they’re too ashamed to admit that they have a problem. What does Larry Davidson, Professor of Psychiatry at Yale say?

For most people, medications do not eliminate the illness but only lessen some of its more intrusive features. At the same time, side effects are not merely unpleasant or annoying. They may make it difficult for people to function at all and may contribute to the loss of fully a third of the person's expected lifespan [Hartford Courant, "Mental Illness Fallacies Counterproductive," April 26, 2013]

No Fewer are Dying of Suicide . . .

Despite the fact that many drugs have been approved for treatment of depression, anxiety, OCD, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, etc., over the last 30ish years, the number of suicides has not declined in that time, while deaths due to heart disease, leukemia, and stroke have dropped dramatically in the same time. (from the NIMH Director’s slides in his January 2013 TED talk**)

We Still Do Not Know What We’re Treating . . .

It would seem with all the brain scan pictures we’ve seen in the media that we can “see” schizophrenia, depression, bipolar, PTSD, etc., but it’s not true. There is no test or scan a doctor can use to determine which, if any, of those labels apply to a patient. And, BTW, they’re just labels, not specific illnesses. Because medical science is still quite ignorant of what causes these illnesses and how their symptoms are produced the labels are rough guesses which probably include different illnesses under one label, much like lumping TB, bronchitis, lung cancer, and pneumonia together because they cause chest congestion and cough. NIMH Director Insel: said, "DSM ... is, at best, a dictionary, creating a set of labels and defining each. . . . The weakness is its lack of validity." and "Patients with mental disorders deserve better.”***

It’s Time We Found Out the Real Causes . . .

And that’s where things are heading. Obama is funding a mind mapping program, the human biome project is already underway, and the NIMH is moving away from research based around current diagnostic labels. In years to come this research will allow us to understand how and why the brain develops harmful symptoms and from there we can begin to figure out how best to treat the problems.

And Stop Looking for Answers Only Where the Money Is

The same treatment my grandmother got half a century ago is still the treatment of choice for bipolar disorder today. I’m hoping my five grandchildren will become adults in a world where we have made much more progress. The vast majority of the research in the last half century has been done by drug companies, by universities funded by drug companies, and by scientists/doctors funded by drug companies. Guess what type of answers they tend to come up with? There’s no reason to believe that the best way to restore someone to a mentally healthy state must be a drug. Drug research is fine, but to focus on it alone is an example of the old “looking for keys under streetlight” story where a drunk tells the cop he’s looking there because the light’s better, even though he doesn't know if that’s where he lost the keys.

* Dr Thomas Insel, Director NIMH, from his blog (http://www.nimh.nih.gov/about/director/2012/balancing-immediate-needs-with-future-innovation.shtml) “current treatments are not effective enough. While there have been important innovations in the behavioral treatment of borderline personality disorder and family interventions for anorexia nervosa, for many disorders we have little to show after four decades of pharmacologic research except reduced medication side-effects. In spite of exuberant sales of medications and broader use of psychosocial treatments, we are faced with outcomes that are just as unacceptable for serious mental disorders as they would be for cancer. Briefly stated: in many cases patients receiving the best of current care are not recovering. We can blame the mental health care system, the absence of insurance or providers, or stigma, but the inconvenient truth is that our treatments are not good enough. NIMH has a critical role for ensuring that more effective medications, devices, and psychosocial treatments are available in the future.
**http://www.ted.com/talks/thomas_insel_toward_a_new_understanding_of_mental_illness.html
***http://www.nimh.nih.gov/about/director/2013/transforming-diagnosis.shtml

Photo credit: cakehole

Grass-Fed Cheese Please!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 03 May 2013 02:02:00 +0000

I was in a Safeway store in a rural area yesterday and found a terrific bargain. Kerrygold Dubliner cheese is aged 12 months (meaning little or no lactose to give us gas and other gastric complaints) and is grass fed (which means it has a healthier fat profile than do cheeses from grain-fed cows). To top it off their regular price was only $7.57/lb or 47 cents a serving -- a bargain for grass fed cheese -- and this stuff is really good. It tastes something like an aged U.S. cheddar crossed with swiss cheese. Grass-fed cheese is hard to find in a regular supermarket and is usually quite expensive. Finding this at a good price in a rural area was a big win! I'm going to keep my eyes peeled for this in other supermarkets.

The fat profile stuff is important for those of us who have mood disorders. When it comes to Omega 3 fatty acids (something that just about every modern psychiatrist recommends his patients take fish oil supplements to get), it's not how much you take in,
it's how much you take in compared to the amount of Omega 6 fatty acids. Since the American food chain is heavily dependent on grains, grain-fed animal products, and oils high in Omega 6s, we need a ton of Omega 3s in our diet to offset them and that's not easy to do. Taking enough fish oil pills to offset the amount of Omega 6 in the average American's diet would give you really annoying digestive problems.

To cut down on my Omega 6 intake and thereby keep my need for Omega 3s at a level that's reasonable, I avoid buying meat (unless grass-fed, which is usually not available to me or not within my budget), I'm trying to buy grass-fed/pasture-raised egg and dairy products whenever available at whatever cost it takes, I'm eliminating cooking oils that contain high amounts of Omega 6s and replacing them with coconut oil, and I'm cutting back on grains in general and replacing them with extra fruits and veggies. Aged cheese is a favorite treat for me and getting good, grass-fed, aged cheese at this price makes me very happy!

For more info on grass-fed cheese and your heath: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=121
For more info on Omega 3 fatty acids for people with mental health issues: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15907142
For more info on omega 3 fatty acids and food: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=84

Joanne Shortell servicehuman@servicepoodle.com
www.servicepoodle.com www.facebook.com/servicepoodle
www.linkedin.com/in/joanneshortell
www.maevetour.blogspot.com
http://www.quora.com/Joanne-Shortell
phone: (860) 356-4637

Joanne and Maeve (her psychiatric service poodle) help people with psychiatric disabilities discover their rights to emotional support animals in no-pets housing without pet deposits or pet fees and their rights to service dogs Joanne travels across the U.S. twice a year and would love to speak to your group. See http://www.servicepoodle.com/service-poodle-outreach-outdoors-tour

8 Things I Consider When Choosing Food

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 21:20:00 +0000

Do I like it?
Is it nutrient dense (i.e., how much nutrition am I getting for the amount of calories in this food)?
Does it have things I particularly need: (fiber, vitamin A, folate or other B-vitamins, omega 3 fatty acids, vitamin C, protein, selenium, iodine, magnesium, potassium)
Is it free of chemicals or other things I want to stay away from? (e.g., pesticide residue, hydrogenated fats, high fructose corn syrup, excessively high amount of sugar, excessively high amount of fat, etc.)
Do I like it raw or in simple dishes that work well in my small kitchen area and small energy budget?
Can I store it at room temperature or does it require a freezer (which I do not have) or refrigeration (I have a very small refrigerator)?
Am I likely to eat all of it before it goes bad?
Taking into account all the above, is it worth the price I’m paying?

How does this work in real life? Let’s take a look at some very different foods:

Jelly Belly Jelly Beans

Yes! I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE them!
No! Virtually no nutrition.
No. There’s a small amount of Vitamin C, but let’s not kid ourselves
No. Way too much sugar, but surprisingly enough, there’s no scary chemicals or high-fructose corn syrup in this brand of jelly beans.
Yes. (the problem is that they’re TOO easy to eat)
Yes! Room temperature is fine for jelly beans
Yes! There is absolutely no question that I could eat many pounds of these before they went bad.
Sometimes. Jelly Belly Jelly Beans are pretty expensive for empty calories. I buy them when I can find a good deal on them or when I really need to self-medicate. Candy is my drug of choice these days and it’s often, but not always, found in my larder.

Organic Baby Spinach

Yes. I’ll eat spinach in salads, some sandwiches, and cooked.
Yes! Spinach is exceptionally nutrient dense
Yes! The majority of the things I need to increase in my diet can be found in spinach
Yes! No pesticides, no additives.
Yes!
No. This not only needs refrigeration, but comes in a big bulky package that takes up precious room.
Yes, if I promise myself I’ll cook whatever is left when it starts to look a bit wilted. Spinach keeps longer than other salad greens too.
Yes, especially if I buy the biggest container (which I can only do if there’s room in my fridge) and I keep my promise to cook what I don’t eat in salads. This is one of my staples – it’s unusual if there isn’t a package in my fridge.

Wild-Caught Alaskan Salmon

Yes! Formerly a fish hater, I’ve learned to love salmon
Yes! Salmon is exceptionally nutrient dense
Yes! Lots of protein, omega 3 fatty acids, and selenium
Yes! No pesticides, no additives and no problem with mercury!
Yes! I’m not about to eat raw salmon (and I don’t like smoked salmon), but it’s very easy and quick-cooking
No! It keeps poorly in the fridge and I usually buy it frozen
No! Unless I can buy a small portion
Sometimes. If I’m staying with a friend or family member who is willing to share a little freezer space, I eat a lot of salmon and also when I can find (and afford) wild Alaskan salmon in a restaurant.

Grapefruit¹

Yes! I LOVE grapefruit!
Yes! Grapefruit is quite nutrient dense
Yes! Lots of vitamin C, vitamin A, and fiber plus some b-vitamins
Yes! Since we don’t eat the skin, even conventionally grown grapefruit is reasonably chemical free.
Yes! It’s easy to eat, especially with a grapefruit spoon.
Yes! While it keeps better in the fridge and I like it cold, I can move it out of the fridge if I need room. It doesn’t necessarily require refrigeration.
Yes! It keeps well.
Yes! This one is a winner on all points and I almost always have it on hand.

What things do YOU consider when buying food? What other things SHOULD you consider?

¹If you take prescription medication, ask your pharmacist or doctor if grapefruit may cause a problem with it.

Why do I have a small energy budget, small fridge, and no freezer? I live, work, and travel in a 100 sqft Mercedes Sprinter van converted to be an economical, ecologically sensitive campervan. Other than the diesel engine and diesel furnace, all energy is provided by solar panels; no propane or hookups are used for cooking, refrigeration, lighting, ventilation, etc. There's no blackwater produced because I use a dry composting toilet. My service dog and my cat also live in the van. Together we use less than 13 gallons of water a week and produce about a gallon of greywater. I do this so I can afford to support myself, my animals and my volunteer work. See http://www.servicepoodle.com/service-poodle-outreach-outdoors-tour for more information.

Photo credit: By Tamorlan (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

The Case for Being Ordinary

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 18:17:00 +0000

It's "normal" for people to be bigoted

I am trying to boycott the word “normal” in my writing because the “normal” mind is not what we think it is. When people think of a normal mind, they are likely to think of a mind that thinks rationally and logically under most circumstances. This is not what normal thinking looks like. Thinking rationally and logically takes great effort and doing it well requires training. Even the most analytical and intelligent of us do not do it except in a small percentage of our thinking tasks. Our brain uses shortcuts to make our thinking more efficient, even though this has significant costs in terms of accuracy.

Psychologists and economists have a great deal of fun (and sell a lot of books) showing how innately irrational humans are. We’ll more easily buy something at $999.99 than at $1,000.00 (a difference of 1/10 of one percent), but we’ll buy coffee at Starbucks rather than turn the coffee pot on in the morning (at least a thousand percent difference). We’ll drink twice as much soda with a meal than we would at home because McDonalds is offering any size for a dollar. It doesn’t matter that the 2-liter bottle at home is cheaper per ounce; it doesn’t matter that we know soda is bad for us and that drinking a huge amount is a stupid thing to do. Speaking of food, think about dieting. Even if we have a huge motivation not to gain weight (ex: an extravagant wedding gown and
wedding photos/videos that we may have to live with for a half century) we still want (and usually eat) desserts and snack food. No matter how many times we read about the statistics that clearly show we are safer flying from point A to point B than driving, most people are much more nervous sitting on the tarmac than they are backing out of their driveways.

Then there’s the problem with word associations. If you’re not “normal,” then what are you? Mel Brooks has the answer for you:

Dr. Frederick Frankenstein: [pause, then] Abby someone. Abby who?Igor: Abby... Normal. Dr. Frederick Frankenstein: [pause, then] Abby Normal? Igor: I'm almost sure that was the name. Dr. Frederick Frankenstein: [chuckles, then] Are you saying that I put an abnormal brain into a seven and a half foot long, fifty-four inch wide GORILLA?[grabs Igor and starts throttling him]

(http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072431/quotes)

This is crippling for people with mental illness. Not only because “normal” people have irrational assumptions about them that persist despite good evidence to the contrary, but also because people with mental illness are pretty “normal” too. They irrationally buy into the stereotype, not only of themselves being "abnormal," but also of the “normal” people being rational and logical almost all the time. Every failure to do the right, logical, rational thing gets blamed on their mental illness by them and by the people close to them. That makes the mental illness seem like an enormous and insurmountable problem to all concerned. In fact, the vast majority of these failures are due to being human, not to being people with mental illness.

There are no “normal” people, just ordinary ones, and people with mental illness are far more ordinary than they or others believe them to be.

What are some of the effects of this irrational thinking on ourselves, our loved ones, our relationships, and our treatment? I'll discuss that in upcoming posts.

Diet is a Four-Letter Word . . .

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 02:41:00 +0000

Diets don’t work for ordinary people in the long run, so only a fool would bet on a diet working for someone with bipolar disorder. Appetites of all sorts get amped up by mania and hypomania. The pain of depression is soothed by treats high in fat and sugar, and they are perhaps the least harmful substances with which we might choose to self-medicate. Add to that the psych meds that increase appetite, decrease metabolism, make us thirst for sweet soft drinks, and sedate us to the point where we can’t even be couch potatoes because we don’t have the energy to get out of bed and walk to the couch.

How addictive would meth be if it came in these flavors?

So . . . . FORGET DIETING.

Even if all you do is gradually improve your eating habits, the effects can be dramatic.

I have dramatically improved my eating habits VERY gradually. I started a little more than ten years ago, and I’m still working on it, but within months of my first steps, I had eliminated my IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) and decreased my peri-menopausal symptoms. As my eating habits have improved, the positive effect on my mood disorder have increased. My weight is right where I want it and my overall physical health is great – better than before my mental illness knocked me out of the workforce -- despite
the fact that I quit smoking and went through menopause during those years.

I’ve never been accused of being domestic

I’m not a great cook and there have been a lot of years in my life where I lived primarily on restaurant meals and takeout – when I bothered to eat meals at all. My adult children still joke that I couldn’t even make Kraft Macaroni and Cheese as well as our next door neighbor (and all she did was follow the instructions on the package).

I still eat a lot of crap

I have a jelly bean problem – and a spice drop problem. I’m very lucky not to suffer alcoholism along with my mood disorder, but as a former beer judge, I love a good beer. Even moderate drinking adds significant empty calories.

I have great goals which I regularly fail to reach

Did you know that maintaining good intentions can be twice as important as consistently carrying them out? Here’s my trick: I strive to meet my goals and not let my failures bother me at all. Getting upset because last night I ate an entire bag (or even two) of candy doesn’t help me feed myself better today.The candy binge thing happens on a regular basis. If I do this one day out of ten then I’m eating well 90% of the time, but if I spend a couple of days focused on each failure instead of on healthy eating I’m only eating well 70% of the time. In that case my self-loathing problem is doing twice as much damage to me as is my candy problem. If I decide I hate myself and completely give in to that inner voice that tells me I’m never going to eat the way I should, I’m likely to buy out Costco’s entire stock of Jelly Belly jelly beans and eat nothing else until they’re gone [and, damn it, that sounds really good to me even as I write this].

Despite all this, I’ve got perfect blood work and I’m at my ideal weight

P.S.: Don’t believe I’ve really got a jelly bean problem? I am out of jelly beans right now. After I finished this post I walked by my cat’s litter box and saw a stray jelly bean right next to it. I gave myself BIG points for throwing it away rather than eating it – especially because there was no one there to see.

Subscribe to this blog so you don’t miss upcoming posts which will include related information on:
Losing weight and gaining health by eating more than you do now
How to improve your eating habits gradually

Note: I promise these will come, but I don’t confine myself to one subject at a time, so please be patient.

Does Anybody Actually Enjoy Life? I Do -- Now.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 18:03:00 +0000

I just answered a question on Quora :

Life: Does anybody actually enjoy life?

Joanne Shortell, Mental Health Advocate

Despite serious mental illness (bipolar disorder and a bunch of anxiety disorders), frequent migraines, violent childhood, being next door to the first tower hit on 9/11, being divorced from the love of my life, and other painful issues, I actually enjoy life. This wasn't true earlier in my life even though fewer of those issues had happened and my mental illness was less severe. I spent decades just trying to get through life until my children were independent of me so I could commit suicide with a clear conscience.

There is actually a branch of psychology that studies what makes people feel good about their lives: Positive Psychology (see Using the new Positive Psychology on the UPenn website). Positive psychologists do scientific research to establish what works and what doesn't. Here are some of the basics that they've found consistently:

The keys to having a life you enjoy are not what you think they are. In the long term it's not
marriage, wealth, possessions, or the good things that happen to us through luck that make us happy.

Much more effective are things which are mostly in your control and which are free (or at least inexpensive):

identifying your strengths and using them*
finding work (or hobby/interest/art etc.) in which you can lose yourself for hours (referred to as "flow")
doing things that are meaningful (helping others, practicing a religion, etc.)

According to the research, about 60% of our "happiness" is genetic (temperament) and 40% is within our control.

My genes are not good when it comes to happiness, but I've been able to use that 40% to good effect now that I understand how to do so. You can read about my life in my blog at Recreational Recovery: Eight Steps to a New Life

If you're looking for a "how-to" book that is based on real positive psychology research, my favorite is The How of Happiness: A New Approach to Getting the Life You Want: Sonja Lyubomirsky: 9780143114956. Lyubomirsky is a respected positive psychologist and her book summarizes the actions one can take to make life feel good along with including assessment tests that help one choose the actions most likely to work for that person. For example, I am an atheist and I'm not a spiritual person. Practicing a religion is not going to work for me, but committing to my goals and helping others will.

*You can take a free strengths test (VIA Survey of Character Strengths) at the UPenn website. Note: this long test seems to yield much more accurate results than the "Brief Strengths Test." Invest 40 minutes and take the long test.

servicehuman@servicepoodle.com
www.servicepoodle.com
www.facebook.com/servicepoodle
www.linkedin.com/in/joanneshortell
www.maevetour.blogspot.com
http://www.quora.com/Joanne-Shortell
phone: (860) 356-4637

Joanne and Maeve (her psychiatric service poodle) help people with psychiatric disabilities discover their rights to emotional support animals in no-pets housing without pet deposits or pet fees and their rights to service dogs

Joanne travels across the U.S. twice a year and would love to speak to your group. See http://www.servicepoodle.com/service-poodle-outreach-outdoors-tour

I have bipolar disorder; I am strong; I am happy. Join me.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 05:17:00 +0000

I have bipolar disorder . . .

I suffer from bipolar II. This is not bipolar "lite" -- people with bipolar II have a suicide rate at least as high as those with bipolar I. My particular type of bipolar II, one that has been permanently accelerated and amplified by repeated inappropriate prescription of antidepressants, is the most disabling and dangerous. Although I had a long career and was a workaholic, I was knocked out of the workforce and determined to be 100% disabled. I don't have a "mild" case of bipolar disorder; I am strongly bipolar.

I am strong . . .

I've suffered from mental illness since before puberty, but I raised two children (including a stint as a single Mom), started my own business, had a 3-decade career that began with clerical work and ended with a six-figure technology management position (all without a single college credit). I never was fired or collected unemployment, never was arrested, and never had even a moving violation, I survived childhood in a violent household, marriage to a 19-year-old cop before I was out of high school, teenage motherhood 10 months later, a nasty divorce and custody suit (which I won), bankruptcy (due to the custody suit), and 9/11.

I am happy . . .

In 2002 I was heading towards marriage with the love of my life. I was a workaholic technologist with a comfortable income. Anxiety disorders and a misdiagnosed mood disorder had troubled me since childhood. In 2012 I was divorced; my mood disorder was more severe (ultra-rapid cycling, drug-resistant bipolar); my anxiety was worse; I was going through menopause; I'd been unable to work for years; my only income was a social security check that was 85% less than my last paycheck; and . . . my life was so good my friends and family were jealous.

Join me . . .

I learned how to be strong, and I learned how to be happy. I could have done it better and sooner, if I'd had
someone to point the way. I'm sharing my story and my techniques in hope that at least one other person suffering from bipolar disorder will be able to strengthen themselves, build a life well worth living, and do so faster and more successfully than I.

Joanne Shortell
servicehuman@servicepoodle.com
www.servicepoodle.com
www.facebook.com/servicepoodle
www.linkedin.com/in/joanneshortell
www.maevetour.blogspot.com
http://www.quora.com/Joanne-Shortell
phone: (860) 356-4637

Joanne and Maeve (her psychiatric service poodle) help people with psychiatric disabilities discover their rights to emotional support animals in no-pets housing without pet deposits or pet fees and their rights to service dogs

Joanne travels across the U.S. twice a year and would love to speak to your group. See http://www.servicepoodle.com/service-poodle-outreach-outdoors-tour

Feed Your Head: Folic Acid / Folate

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 17:51:00 +0000

Folic Acid / Folate:

Folic acid is critical for everyone who has a mood disorder.

NOTE! Studies indicate that it is better and safer to get your folic acid from your food rather than from supplements.* Studies using folic acid supplements have found increased rates of the same cancers that a diet rich in folic acid sources reduces.

Here's a excerpt from whfoods.com about folate:

What events can indicate a need for more high-folate foods?

Irritability

Mental fatigue, forgetfulness, or confusion

Depression

Insomnia

General or muscular fatigue

Gingivitis or periodontal disease

Excellent sources of folate include romaine lettuce, spinach,asparagus, turnip greens, mustard greens, calf's liver, parsley, collard greens, broccoli, cauliflower, beets, and lentils.

I find it easiest to get in the habit of having large salads based on spinach or romaine to ensure I get enough folate.

*There is, however, a small percentage of us who have a genetic problem that makes it difficult for our body to process folic acid. There is a test that can be ordered by a doctor to find out if this is true of someone and, if so, there is a prescription form of folic acid that can help them.

Feed Your Head: Wild Alaskan Salmon Spinach Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 03:05:00 +0000

Trident Wild Alaskan Salmon Burgers

Quick, simple, delicious, energy efficient, inexpensive, nutritious, and mood enhancing!

Per person:
1 or 2 wild alaskan salmon burgers
2 cups prewashed organic baby spinach
Trader Joe's fat free Sesame Soy Ginger Vinaigrette
Toasted Sesame Oil (a little sesame oil makes spinach more nutritious and delicious!)
Freshly ground pepper

I cook the salmon burgers on my seasoned cast-iron griddle, about 4 minutes per side (they can also be cooked in the oven or on a grill). I use a Lodge cast iron griddle that is seasoned so I don't need any fat on the pan, but I've also cooked them with a little butter and olive oil in a regular pan.

When the burgers are done I cut them each up into about 8 pieces with my spatula and put them on top of the spinach in a bowl. Add salad dressing, sprinkle with a little sesame oil and grind pepper over salad.

If you want to be fancier, add some more nutrition, or do other wonderfully creative things, add some additional raw veggies: cucumbers, peppers, carrots, etc.

Energy note: I don't use a freezer (because I have limited electricity), so I mostly buy frozen salmon burgers when I'm staying with friends/family members who do have a freezer. However, these burgers only have 4 burgers per package, so I could cook them all if I was willing to eat them repeatedly in one week. If you're cooking for 2 or more, this is no problem.

Why WILD ALASKAN salmon? "Even though contamination with mercury, pesticides, and persistent organic pollutants (POPS) has become a widespread problem in salmon habitats and with the quality of salmon itself, there are still salmon runs that pose relatively low risk in terms of contaminants. Leading this low-risk category for wild-caught salmon are Alaskan salmon. Southeast Alaskan chum, sockeye, coho, pink, and chinook salmon, together with Kodiak coho, pink, and chum salmon have all been evaluated for contaminant consumption risk involving many POPs (including dioxins, dioxin-like compounds, or DLCs, and polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs) and have been found to be the lowest risk category of wild-caught salmon for regular consumption. This lower contamination risk amongst all wild-caught salmon is one of the reasons we recommend selection of wild-caught Alaskan salmon as a salmon of choice. "*

Why ORGANIC spinach? "According to the Environmental Working Group's 2012 report "Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce," spinach is among the 12 foods on which pesticide residues have been most frequently found. Therefore, individuals wanting to avoid pesticide-associated health risks may want to avoid consumption of spinach unless it is grown organically."**

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=104
**http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=43