A Quick Tesla Appreciation
I’ve just started reading Margaret Cheney’s biography of the Serbian-American inventor, Nikola Tesla, “Tesla: Man Out of Time.” Not to make a major point of it, but compared to Tesla, Edison was a pedestrian tinkerer. A quick sampling of the Tesla literature invariably casts Edison as the villain. As well as double-crossing him and stealing his ideas, Edison used his considerable influence to seek to destroy what he saw... (Source: John McManamy's SharePosts)
Source: John McManamy's SharePosts - September 22, 2013 Category: Mental Illness Authors: John McManamy Source Type: blogs
Rethinking Stress: What the Latest Research is Telling Us
We need to rethink how we look at stress. Do I have your attention?
For more then a decade, I have written extensively about the devastating effects of chronic stress on our mental and physical health, both here at HealthCentral and elsewhere. So linked is stress to depression and mania that it pays to conceptualize bipolar as a downstream effect of stress. In effect, managing bipolar is a nonstarter without managing stress.
So... (Source: John McManamy's SharePosts)
Source: John McManamy's SharePosts - September 21, 2013 Category: Mental Illness Authors: John McManamy Source Type: blogs
You at Age 91: The Bipolar Question of the Week
Sometimes standing in a check-out line can be inspirational. Yesterday, as I was emptying my shopping cart, I found myself joking with the guy behind me. Ramrod straight, upbeat, quick on the uptake. He informed me he was 91.
No way! 75 at most. A lady came up behind him and greeted him by name. He started flirting with the lady. The kids bagging my groceries were cracking up.
Oh, if we can all be like this at 91. Of course,... (Source: John McManamy's SharePosts)
Source: John McManamy's SharePosts - September 15, 2013 Category: Mental Illness Authors: John McManamy Source Type: blogs
Antipsychotics in the Long Term: Zero Evidence
Last week’s post, Antipsychotics Over the Long Term: Thomas Insel Weighs In, elicited 20 comments. First, a quick summary of the post:
In his NIMH Director’s Blog, Dr Insel cited research in support of the proposition that, contrary to conventional psychiatric wisdom, antipsychotic medications may not always be a wise long-term option. According to Dr Insel:
It appears that what we currently call... (Source: John McManamy's SharePosts)
Source: John McManamy's SharePosts - September 15, 2013 Category: Mental Illness Authors: John McManamy Source Type: blogs
Play in Your Life - The Bipolar Question of the Week
This is about play. I am a frequent attender of drum circles. It started a few years ago when I brought a single didgeridoo to a gathering just north of San Diego. Next thing, I was bringing three. Then I got a mike and portable speaker for my didge. Then I was bringing things to bang on, as well.
Yesterday, I showed up with what I can only describe as a rig. My didge was on a miked-up stand that allowed me to keep my hands free. I sat... (Source: John McManamy's SharePosts)
Source: John McManamy's SharePosts - September 8, 2013 Category: Mental Illness Authors: John McManamy Source Type: blogs
Two Quick Reminders: Seasonal Depression and Off to School
Labor Day weekend. Time for two quick seasonal reminders:
The days are becoming shorter. Many of you, from past experience, are already experiencing a state of terror. As bipolars, we are extremely sensitive to the change in the seasons, which makes us sitting ducks for winter depressions. Even in the San Diego area where I live, this is a major concern.
Winter depression - officially known as seasonal affective disorder - is... (Source: John McManamy's SharePosts)
Source: John McManamy's SharePosts - September 1, 2013 Category: Mental Illness Authors: John McManamy Source Type: blogs
In Search of Identity: Bipolar and the Highly Sensitive Person
In two previous posts, we discussed the highly sensitive person (HSP), based on a 1997 book of that title by Elaine Aron. In brief: A good many of us are hyper-aware of our surroundings. There is a strong upside to this (such as our ability to think and feel deeper) but we also tend to get highly aroused and overwhelmed.
This tendency leads to behaviors that don’t exactly win popularity contests. On one hand, we become... (Source: John McManamy's SharePosts)
Source: John McManamy's SharePosts - September 1, 2013 Category: Mental Illness Authors: John McManamy Source Type: blogs
Antidepressants for the Short Term: How Strong is the Evidence?
Our previous post, Antidepressants: The Evidence, offered a quick rundown of what three major depression treatment guidelines tell us and what they don’t tell us. The guidelines were issued by the American Psychiatric Association (APA), the Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatment (CANMAT), and (in the UK) the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE). All three guidelines cite strong evidence in support of the efficacy of... (Source: John McManamy's SharePosts)
Source: John McManamy's SharePosts - August 31, 2013 Category: Mental Illness Authors: John McManamy Source Type: blogs
Antidepressants for Depression: The Evidence
Do antidepressants work? Three treatment guidelines, totaling more than a thousand pages, should give us something to go on, right?
In 2010, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) issued its third edition to its Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Patients with Major Depressive Disorder. That same year, in the UK, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Practice (NICE) issued its latest version of The NICE Guideline... (Source: John McManamy's SharePosts)
Source: John McManamy's SharePosts - August 31, 2013 Category: Mental Illness Authors: John McManamy Source Type: blogs
Is Your Head in the Clouds? - The Bipolar Question of the Week
Perhaps you’ve been told you have your head in the clouds. If I were an Indian, this would be my name: Head In The Clouds. I have serious issues with people named Feet On the Ground.
Anyway, a few evenings ago, I ventured outdoors. The summer heat had dissipated somewhat. The air was pleasant, with a brisk hint of electricity. I looked up and beheld an amazing fluffy golden cloud, refulgent in the last rays of the sun.
I... (Source: John McManamy's SharePosts)
Source: John McManamy's SharePosts - August 25, 2013 Category: Mental Illness Authors: John McManamy Source Type: blogs
Bipolar and Sensitivity: Creating an Environment That Works For You
Last week, I posed this question: "Would you be willing to consider a TV/Radio-free month?"
The question came up in the context of “ the highly sensitive person” (HSP), which is the name of an eye-opening 1997 book by Elaine Aron. In a nutshell, a good many of us are hyper-aware of our surroundings. This can be a tremendous blessing when our environment is right, but there is a huge downside. As Tabby pointed out in a... (Source: John McManamy's SharePosts)
Source: John McManamy's SharePosts - August 24, 2013 Category: Mental Illness Authors: John McManamy Source Type: blogs
TV and Radio in Your Life - The Bipolar Question of the Week
Yesterday, I posted on highly sensitive persons (HSP). Basically, our brains pick up on subtle changes in the environment, far more so than those deemed “normal.” There are many advantages to this (such as creativity and a profound appreciation for beauty), but the downside is that we are easily overwhelmed. On a self-test, I answered “true” to 26 of 27 questions. Those who posted comments (here and on Facebook) reported... (Source: John McManamy's SharePosts)
Source: John McManamy's SharePosts - August 18, 2013 Category: Mental Illness Authors: John McManamy Source Type: blogs
Are You Highly Sensitive? - The Bipolar Question of the Week
I’m writing this piece ahead of time. By the time you read it, I will be in the Oregon woods surrounded by mobs of didgeridoo-wielding festival-goers. I know, I know - you read about this stuff all the time.
There is nothing like being amongst my tribe, but introverts such as myself typically face special challenges. It’s not that we’re not social or sociable - it’s just that being around people for extended... (Source: John McManamy's SharePosts)
Source: John McManamy's SharePosts - August 9, 2013 Category: Mental Illness Authors: John McManamy Source Type: blogs
An Anti Anti-Stigma Philippic
If a tree fell in the forest and no one saw the lumberjack, would everyone blame the tree?
Let’s apply this to stigma: Our brains fail on us. No one can spot a clear cause. Ergo: Let’s blame the malfunction on the brain’s owner.
Donna lays out the issue. In response to an earlier piece, When Anti-Stigma Backfires, she comments:
If you say a person's "insanity" is caused by a brain tumor, then people act... (Source: John McManamy's SharePosts)
Source: John McManamy's SharePosts - August 9, 2013 Category: Mental Illness Authors: John McManamy Source Type: blogs
