English actor, screenwriter, author, playwright, journalist, poet, comedian, and film director Stephen Fry is the picture of success. And he is bipolar, something that was diagnosed until he was 37 and suffered a frightening brush with deep depression and suicidal feelings. Fry disappeared for a week and when he reappeared he sought treatment for his [...]
The words “inpatient rehabilitation” may sound intimidating, but for many patients, the experience turns out to be one of the best things to happen to them. Inpatient rehab may be ideal for young adults with mental health disorders requiring longer term care and who may also be present with a drug or alcohol addiction. The [...]
“So many people have begged me to come forward,” says mental health therapist Marsha M. Linehan of the University of Washington. “I owe it to them.” With that thought, Dr. Linehan, whose mental illness as young woman merited her the distinction of “one of the most disturbed patients in the hospital”, publically told her story [...]
Chief executive and board member of NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Keris Myrick knows first-hand what it’s like to live with the challenging mental illness known as schizophrenia; she herself suffers from the condition. “I feel my brain is damaged; I don’t know any other way to say it,” Ms. Myrick says. “I don’t know [...]
Pasadena Villa is an adult residential treatment facility that caters to individuals with bipolar syndrome, dual diagnosis, and other challenging mental illnesses. We offer medication management and traditional and group therapies. In keeping with the spirit of our Social Integration Model, we like to draw attention to famous figures who have learned how to cope [...]
While many young adults may not recognize the name Carrie Fisher, they undoubtedly know the beautiful brunette from her role in the original Star Wars trilogy as Princess Leia or as the current spokesperson for Jenny Craig. But there’s much more to Fisher than acting or her best-selling books – Fisher is bipolar, something she [...]
A new study recently published in Nature Genetics has paved the way to beginning to understand how gene mutations predispose one to schizophrenia. The international study, led by Guy A. Rouleau, MD*, used modern DNA sequencing technology to examine 20,000 genes from patients who have schizophrenia but whose parents do not. This circumstance, known as [...]
Mental illness doesn’t just appear; it has its roots deep in genetics and the societal influences that surround children and adolescents and carry them into adulthood. A new report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration found nearly two million adolescents experienced a major bout of depression in the past year. Other findings [...]
Relapse is a common and important concern of the patient with bipolar disorder. A relapse is the return of depression or a manic or hypomanic episode after a period of wellness. A study in the American Journal of Psychiatry found that 73 percent of patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder experienced at least one relapse during [...]
When a loved one is feeling down and hurting, it’s natural to want to say something to make him or her feel better. Have you had the experience of offering what you thought were loving and supportive words, only to be met with anger or frustration? What Helps What Hurts Talk to me. I’m listening… [...]