Support Resources

Photo Above: Stacco Troncoso

Online Resources

http://www.nami.org/

National Alliance on Mental Illness: "Easy-to-understand information about mental illnesses, mental health care, diagnosis, treatment and recovery."

http://www.dbsalliance.org

Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance: one of the most established and widely located mental health advocacy and support organizations you can find. Helpful for finding groups and resources within your area.

"Support is essential to recovery. One of the most helpful things one person can say to (or hear from) another is “I’ve been there.” Depression and bipolar disorder can be isolating illnesses, but DBSA has many ways to help connect you with others who have been there as well."

http://www.bphope.com/

"Hope and Harmony for People with Bipolar"

bp Magazine provides inspiring stories and real-life applicable advice. The home page provides such helpful information as: "5 Coping Strategies for Dealing with Relapse."

Suicide Prevention

http://us.reachout.com/

"ReachOut.com is a place where teens and young adults can go to get through a tough time. It provides information, real life stories and the ability to connect and contribute in a safe and supported community."

College Students

http://www.bazelon.org/

College students oftentimes confront institutional discrimination, whether while seeking routine care or experiencing a crisis. The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law created the Campus Mental Health: Know Your Rights! guide for students who want to seek help for mental illnesses or emotional distress.

Interview Quotes

"People out there: there's hope with bipolar. I’ve had bipolar all my life. But I cope with it, I’ve done research on it and there’s a lot of people out there that’s willing to help." ~ Pauline

"Bipolar’s nothing to feel shame about. Do not feel that you have to close yourself in away from society. There’s progress out there. There’s help. There’s people that have it and know how to handle it, know what to do about it.

"Do not be afraid. Don’t feel that you’re less of a person, because you, you are somebody who can be loved the same way as someone with no bipolar. You know, if you feel that you’re out of place, there’s a website you can get to. So for all you mothers out there- reach out! And touch." ~ Pauline, Age 64

"I just feel like my bipolar has taken me to places where I- I can’t come back from, whether it’s being angry or sad or mad, just whatever. But yeah, I’m just tryin to live my life the way it is and so far, um, I’m doing pretty good." ~ Manny, Age 14

"I just can’t turn my thoughts off- like they won’t go off and I’ve tried a hundred times to get out of my head- I just want to shake myself and be like, ‘why do you have a hard- SUCH a hard time getting out of there, because…everybody else- the world is still moving around you- there are still people getting up and going to work and nothing’s stopping in the universe for you, so why did you stop for yourself right now? So- let’s get real." ~ Age 24

Informational Autobiographies

“And the ability to feel intensity the highs and lows, to have the capacity to be at one with the human condition, is something I wouldn’t have traded for anything. I would not have liked to go through life dulled, even though there was a time when I did envy people who were dull […] They weren’t afraid of life, they weren’t afraid of death, they weren’t afraid of anything. It took me a long time to recognize that they also didn’t experience one one-millionth of what I did on this planet. So I stopped envying them.” (p. 191)

Duke, Patty. A Brilliant Madness: Living with Manic-Depressive Illness. New York: Bantam Books, 1992. Print.

Smith, Hilary. Welcome to the Jungle. San Francisco: Red Wheel/ Weiser, LLC, 2010. Print.

“Solution? Be aware at all times of the many responses you could have to any situation. As much as you can, choose patience over impatience, calm over frustration, grace over fear, and happiness over disappointment. The decisions you make from moment to moment are more powerful than any medication in determining your overall happiness in life.” (p. 69)

"Creative, imaginative, caring [...] let's toot our bipolar horn for a moment. The drive, the courage, the intensity of feeling [...] not only a challenge but a gift that can produce a splendid outcome." (p. 2)

Jones, Paul E. The Up and Down Life. New York: Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 2008. Print.

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