Dear Philip,

“Another One Bites The Dust?” --- Philip Dawdy

It is interesting from my perspective to see things somewhat differently from you. How about the next time your headline reading:

“Another One Goes On To Live Life!”

Warmly,
Herb
VNSdepression.com

I agree. I think that's what keeps me going too. If my life is boring and everything's going OK, I'm still passionate about mental health news so if anything, that's what my blog would shift to if I ever fully recovered. I'm not sure if it would be as interesting though.

Writing a health blog takes a lot out of a person, whether it's related to their life or not, the topics are so intense. It's an evolution of self that ends up happening,is what I've personally noticed in my writing. I came to the point where I needed to lay down and rest my mind of the larger world of psych topics and focus on myself, especially while enduring xanax withdrawals. Writing about myself and my daughter's journey became real time, rather than when I started the blog, it was telling a story. Life happened while writing. Even during my less intense mental health topic writing, I've remained writing, because it's still about my mental wellness, how the drug taper affected me, how having my dog (who went to visit my daughter at a psych ward!)have emergency health issues, all brings it full circle, the therapeutic aspect of pets (and it seems most health bloggers have one!)well, it's an evolution of sort. So therefore, I don't think there is a line that crosses over from "recovered" or into "recovery" as much as then the next step is to write about "recovery" itself, or basically the possible spiritual awakening of self that happened. It's a community that is hard to leave once entered, and I imagine all of us will be here for quite some time, even Jon. Best of luck to him!

Gianna,author of Bipolar Blast, Beyond Meds, has closed her comments and blog due to unbearable comments.

When blog authors like her or myself for example, write our lives out for others to read, there is this element that can happen, which I feel is a human nature to feel real hurt and pain when we encounter mean comments, because though we can delete them, or not approve them, we still see them and read them, and that is a vulnerable person the stalker is attacking, and it's hard to not allow it to effect a soul.

It's just another angle in the mental health blog world, and it's one that can affect our mental health and wellness too.

It's a complex topic, health blogging, and one that is worth asking: why do we blog?

I can imagine why Gianna made this decision.
Complex topic, Stephany, yes.
I'm also stopping commenting.
The past month I've been reading Furiousseasons and visiting other sites.
I'm horrified and could never imagine that things were worse than I could imagine.
I've stopped searching for 2 years and was restricted to some news.
Now I've visited blogs I didn't know and revisiting communities that started by 2005.
I had no idea that these drugs had made all these harms to people around my age.
I'm feeling depressed and today I have a headache.
I have to stop for it's too hard to see a wonderful person and a good journalist like Philip having to ask for money to keep on working.
It hurts me.
I've cried a lot reading so many people suffering from side effects, withdrawal effects and the way their lives became so difficult.
Seeing children and even newborns being put on drugs. They are developing for God sake!
Can't anybody have this in mind?
As if it were not enough there are these "anomyzers" or stalkers or even people whose intentions are just making sarcastic remarks or raising doubts about real serious health problems...
I have to stop for some time.

"I'm tired of having life revolve around my bipolar disorder symptoms."

I can appreciate your sentiment. By far the majority of us are just trying to live our lives. And when we can start thinking of our lives beyond this illness, it's a remarkable step.

Best of luck to you.

In all honesty-I am happy for him. While blogging on the perils of our mental health system (or lack of one) may be therapeutic for some, there does come a time when one must ask themselves if blogging and being involved at the constant negativity of mental health news, stigma, and ridiculous naysayers on the net, is worth it to their own personal mental health. I commend those who can; they are much stronger than I am.