Positive Changes in Our Bipolar Disorder World

I’m writing today to share good news about the changes I see in our mental health world. I’ve been rather despondent for years regarding the struggles we all seem to go through due to bipolar disorder. This includes those of us with the illness as well as the families, partners, friends and health care processionals who want to help us live stable and productive lives.

What is the good news?

We all know more help is needed from the outside world, especially in terms of government support and today I see it happening.  If you’re on Facebook, you know they often share old posts where you can see what you in the past. This morning, I saw a post from two years ago where I wrote:

How many more times do we have to say that our mental health system here in the United States is broken before something is done about the problem? It’s catastrophic and I don’t see any change.

We have to take charge and make change happen from our end. Julie 

Well, guess what. I see change! I see the tide turing, the sun glowing and the moon rising. I see conversations I NEVER thought possible two years ago. Here is the positive news.

1. Marijuana and Mental Health Disorders:  I was on the radio last week to talk about high THC marijuana and the risks it MIGHT pose for those of us with bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, depression and anxiety. There was zero backlash. The conversation was moderate and loving. The audience was receptive. We educated without shaming. We offered information without judgement. We changed the world one moment at a time. Now people who have mental health disorders can say to themselves, “If I’m smoking weed to feel better and relax, I can look for a low THC, high CBD strain so I don’t get psychotic or manic.”  This is music to my ears. Bravo!

Note: I choose not to use any form of marijuana as it makes me very ill. I tried it when I broke my back in a biking accident and though it helped my pain, it caused too many bipolar disorder symptoms that I could not tolerate. I now believe in a harm reduction, moderate approach in talking about the topic. I have learned and grown in my crusade to educate the public about high THC marijuana. 

2. Family and Partner Support Through HIPPA Reform:  HIPPA reform now!  Thanks to the people in politics who have experienced the devastation of trying to help a loved one who is psychotic and or manic get help in today’s society, HIPPA is finally going to change and parents, partners and other people who care will have ACCESS to a person’s medical needs.  (HIPPA is a privacy act that 100% limits access to medical information unless the person receiving the information signs a release. When a person is very manic or psychotic, they will rarely sign the release.)

Note: As a person with bipolar disorder, I’m not able to do advocacy work in public due to the symptoms it creates. I know. It’s a bummer to want to get out there and go political on everyone, but I have to stay stable. Thank you to the amazing people who can advocate for those of us who can’t. I can advocate with my words. I can let others do the walking and talking. 

3. Mental Health and Violent Behavior:  Two days ago, on NPR- our national public radio station here in the United States, I heard a state governor say, “Until we fix our mental health system, we will not be able to deal with our gun violence.” This is the first time since I started writing about the SILENT majority problem of violent behavior in mental health that I have heard someone say this openly in relation to our shooting epidemic in the United States. Let’s stop trying to tell the world that people with serious mental health disorders such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia are not violent. It’s not true. All of us who get manic and psychotic have the capacity for violence. Families should not have to suffer in silence. It’s nuanced. It’s not black and white.

Note: I have been shocked and appalled at the response I have received over the past five years when I talk about possible violent behavior in mental health. It’s as though I said we all have two heads. Many people reading this have been my coaching clients. You know there is violence in mental health because you live it. I know about it because my dysphoric mania makes me have violent thoughts and behaviors. We can tell the truth. 

There are so many positives here.

The above are just three ways I see our world changing in a positive direction. I’m a cock-eyed optimist who will never give up in my quest to educate the world on what those of us with bipolar disorder and other mental health disorders need.

Just two years ago I talked about all of these topics regularly and was bullied and shamed online. (This was rather stressful!)

Now, they are public news.

We are growing and changing. I feel good about this. Social media is working. We are joining hands and telling our reality of living with mental health disorders. People are listening.

Julie