bp Magazine for Bipolar

what is bipolar?

Bipolar disorder is a treatable illness marked by extreme changes in mood, thought, energy, and behavior. Bipolar disorder is also known as manic depression because a person’s mood can alternate between the “poles”—mania (highs) and depression (lows). The change in mood can last for hours, days, weeks, or months. What bipolar is not Bipolar disorder is not a character flaw or sign of personal weakness. Whom bipolar disorder affects Bipolar disorder affects more than 5.7 million adult Americans and 440,000 adult Canadians. It usually begins in late adolescence, often appearing as depression during teen years, although it can start in early childhood or later in life. An equal number of men and women develop this illness. Men tend to begin with a manic episode, women with a depressive episode. Bipolar disorder is found among all…

just a "thing"

Fifteen years ago, I reached out to a respected publisher in the magazine industry for some guidance on getting bp Magazine’s premiere issue out the door: “You’re launching a magazine on bipolar?” she asked in disbelief. “Yes,” I responded and thought—“Wow, we really have our work cut out for us.” Over the years, through bp Magazine’s pursuit of “selling” the need for a publication dedicated to people living with bipolar, her response stuck with me and always brought me back to golf. Yes, golf. What can you possibly say every month about hitting that little white ball? Apparently, a lot. And that’s where our cover guy, David Feherty comes in. He’s made a career out of golf, from turning pro at 17 to taking his skill, knowledge, and personality literally to the…

we hear you

ALL IN THE FAMILY THANK YOU for bringing your informative, inspirational, and important magazine into my life. I am the daughter of a mother with bipolar, and the mother of two daughters with bipolar, and bp Magazine has nurtured my day-to-day existence in caring for, and loving unconditionally, these three incredible women. I have “met” people from all facets of life within the content of bp Magazine— people who have shared their experiences with bipolar, either within their lives or the lives of those they love. And their presence in my life has given me the quality of support I have rarely found outside this dedicated community. One day, I hope to meet many of them in person to thank them for courageously sharing their lives with the goal of reducing the stigma associated…

meet gabrielle

AGE: 33 LOCATION: MILWAUKEE, WI OCCUPATION: PEER SUPPORT SPECIALIST / YOUTH MENTOR DIAGNOSES: ADHD, BIPOLAR I DISORDER (2006) • • • NICKNAME: G. FAVORITE BOOKS: The Mistborn series, by Brandon Sanderson. TOP OF MY BUCKET LIST: Graduate with my associate’s degree. HARDEST OBSTACLE I’VE OVERCOME: Getting sober and accepting my diagnosis. MY HERO: My mom. BIGGEST ADVENTURE: Going to Scandinavia for a few weeks to play full-contact women’s football. IT MIGHT SURPRISE YOU TO KNOW: I’ve been homeschooled my whole life. MOST TREASURED ITEM: My Gibson guitar. PROUDEST ACHIEVEMENT: I didn’t give up and I am still alive. Every day is an affirmation of that achievement. BIGGEST INDULGENCE: Pizza! BEST WELLNESS STRATEGIES: Working out; listening to music and podcasts; meditating; watching funny YouTube videos. MOST UNUSUAL TALENT: I am really good at climbing things, like parkour-style [freestyle] climbing. GREATEST LESSON I’VE LEARNED: Authenticity is more valuable than…

the pulse

Supergirl Actor Chyler Leigh Opens Up about Bipolar Disorder and Teams Up with Be Vocal: Speak Up for Mental Health Initiative Reported by Denise Mann • December 9th & 10th, 2019 IT TOOK ACTOR and advocate Chyler Leigh years to come to terms with her diagnosis of bipolar and make the decision to share it with the world. But she is speaking up—and out—about it for the first time, alongside the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, in joining Be Vocal: Speak Up for Mental Health, a multi-platform, multiyear empowerment campaign. Since 2015, Be Vocal, an initiative led by Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc. and leading advocacy groups, has encouraged people like Leigh to speak up when talking with their support team and as a community to advance mental health care in America. The group offers…

research

Number of high-functioning people with bipolar underestimated December 1, 2019, LANCASTER, United Kingdom—The number of people with bipolar disorder who are functioning at a high level may have been underestimated in previous studies, new research suggests. British researchers pooled and analyzed data from studies from the past 10 years that measured social and occupational functioning of 26,725 people with bipolar. Some studies included information across mood states, while others looked only at people between mood states. The researchers found that the majority of individuals with bipolar have “some difficulty … but generally [function] pretty well” in social and occupational pursuits. About 16 percent function at a high level, though that figure may be skewed because of a “ceiling” effect in measurements. Fewer than 20 percent fall into the “moderate to serious impairment” categories. The…