re: high functioning bipolars:
"In fact, many people with bipolar disorder are higher functioning than most, and achieve a lot in their life, and very creative people, excellent business people, excellent minds."

Ya see that everyone?

LSD has a birthday, and I think we should all celebrate it. That guy looks too damn happy. I also like his description of "not unpleasant intoxicated-like condition.."

information overload... information overload...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_overload

Former figure skater soapbox:

First of all, I love how this is listed under "Crime File". [what?] I also object to the phrase "not surprising..she suffered from bipolar disorder.."[hmm,..I read that somewhere before, where was that?] She used language equal to the NHL locker room? give me a break. Figure skaters and hockey players all cuss, so do cheerleaders."Prince allegedly told others that Gornall had to look less like a "mom" or a "housewife" and coached her on how to enhance her God-given attributes." Yeah. That's why I had ruffled panty fluff when I did a[ice skating or cheerleader] show. Disney ice shows are not exactly squeaky clean for kids. The worst part of this article:.."cast yesterday as a mentally ill pervert by Garden attorneys." They missed the part about how most figure skaters and cheerleaders have eating disorders, and know they rely on sex appeal for entertainment of the masses.
rah rah!

This is a great service to post this. Thanks FS!!

I would say that LSD should get credit for being a good hallucinogenic drug for SOME people. My recommendation (take it with a grain of sand) is that people with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia get rather, stabilized, BEFORE using LSD. It IS NOT a medication for depression and hypomania like strains of Marijuana. Rather, without proper guidance from a experienced users, I worry about people with active psychiatric or mood symptoms using.

If you consider that bipolar disorder, which runs in my family, is SOME percent genetically based, and that the POTENTIAL for intellectual curiosity (IQ) is also somewhat genetic in nature, then, maybe, MY PERSONAL observation that most bipolar people ARE ABOVE THE MEDIAN on IQ and creativity makes sense.

It is that INTELLIGENCE that makes bipolar consumers of psychiatric services particularly QUESTIONING of suggested treatments. Good for US!!! Let us continue to question the treatments, that don't work for us, and not be labeled "difficult patients."

This is my new label... and I guess I can be happy with it on some level... Dr. BK

re:VT shooting


I've got the tv on as I'm rushing around this morning & in the background I'm hearing buzzwords coming out of the talking heads' mouths that are sending cold chills through my soul..."the mentally ill patients' right to refuse medication treatment", "for the greater good"...etc Frightening.

Someone, quick, grab a NASA diaper and do something goofy to steal the headlines and the attention from the media/and the kneejerk legislation that could happen because of this.

D, I'm afraid people may soon find themselves with a few less rights because of this. I hope I'm wrong.

TAC and Fuller Torrey have been waiting for this type of media blitz for years. I am sure they are optimistic that we will all be force fed meditcations by law, and that once on you wont be able to go off of them.

To lump us all together in the same description as a mass murderer is insulting at best.
Let's make sure all of the Einstein's and Patty Duke's and Jane Pauley's get the same stigma attached. This is unrealistic and over the top sensationalistic journalism at it's best. We are a disgusting country in this regard.

D-yeah I think we should do something alright--like a roadtrip to DC and do a million bipolar chick march.

More mental health blog must reads:

I was a college student "mental patient" by David W. Oaks, MindFreedom International

The Real "Mental Health Lessons" from Virginia Tech, Dr. Peter Breggin

If not now, when?, Writhe Safely

Chuck Schumer (sp?) Dumas-NY Just used the words *I kid you not* "people with defects"

"We" (I'm assuming anyone with any dx) are now defective. He was talking about stopping defective people from buying firearms.

OMG...that's right....go after something that sounds popular with the public at first (like smoking) then what right will they be going after next? Because heaven knows "those defective people" cannot be trusted with a something like, oh.....a constitutional right. Holy crap in a pita meatwad.

I agree with the authors above -

MARCH ON WASHINGTON - INTELLIGENT BIPOLAR PEOPLE WHO WANT THEIR ILLNESS DE-STIGMATIZED, AND WANT A SAY IN THEIR PERSONAL INDIVIDUALIZED TREATMENT PLAN :)

This includes the use of psychiatric advance directives (with some real power behind them as binding legal documents), giving consumer choices of therapeutic modalities, and an individuals treatment plan is decided on BY AN ACTUAL CONVERSATION between CONSUMERS and health care providers. The goal is for consumer satisfaction, good quality of life, and keeping your day job :)

Peace and Love, BK

"BTW, there were no cheerleaders in hockey when I played, so when did this change?"

When you stopped playing, of course. ;)