* if you are into reels like this about mood disorder awareness I spend a lot of time on Instagram @this.is.bipolar. I’d love it if you followed along!
Mood Disorders Disorders are NOT a choice! Thoughts, moods and actions aren’t always a choice for those of us living with mental illnesses. It’s much more nuanced than that. I can tell you from personal lived experience living with bipolar 2 that there is no way I would say or do certain things I have if my brain was functioning as it should. Our thoughts and sometimes actions depend on how on how sick we are or how severe an episode is in that moment. This isn’t a statement about accountability or excuses. Of course we must get help and always be working in managing symptoms. I’m saying it is nit always possible to control. Medicine, supplements and coping practices help but they don’t cure. Bipolar is an incurable illness. This sounds hard and hopeless and took me a long time to accept but it helps to know. Once I understood that I would experience some form of hypomania/depression/rapid cycling throughout my life, I could switch my focus from trying to stop episodes from coming and learn to manage them the best I can. Understanding that my illness is not a choice and that it is an actual scientific medical illness helps me focus less on guilt, shame and embarrassment and more on coping skills and asking for help.
We are always learning more about brain & brain function. Here’s some science-y words ⬇️
“The brain of a person with bipolar disorder can differ in many ways from the brain of a person without the disorder.
One contributing factor to bipolar disorder is an imbalance of certain chemicals in the brain called neurotransmitters. A chemical imbalance may cause different symptoms in different people.
Experts also believe that there are structural changes in the brain of somebody living with bipolar disorder, with certain regions of the brain experiencing a reduction in size.”
#b
For World Mental Health Day I made a REEL with some of YOUR tattoos!!! I was honoured that so many shared photos with the stories behind them. This WMHD this is bipolar podcast teamed up with @flourishstonewear to raise awareness. We are thrilled that the Collection is now available at flourishstonewear.com We are so grateful for your support in like, saving, sharing and/or purchasing the earrings. We cannot wait to see pics of you wearing these semicolons! Use my code thisisbipolar10 (today & tomorrow). ; 20% proceeds go to an amazing mental health organization @jacck.org! My tattoo says “be still” because I’m choosing to stay alive and be here still. My tattoo says, “be st;ll” The “I” is a semicolon. It speaks of my journey living with bipolar disorder. I am choosing to be here still tomorrow and for the future.�My tattoo reminds me to keep telling my story, to share my truth because by sharing my truth, others will become aware of these illnesses.
What are three things you are thankful for today? Big or small, I’d love to hear.
Practicing daily gratitude no matter how we are feeling really helps ground us. We hope it does the same for you.
If you can’t muster the energy, just know I am so thankful that you are still here, showing up everyday.
Much love,
Shaley xo
#thisisbipolar #thisisbipolarvlog #thisisbipolarpodcast #bipolarpodcast #mentalhealthpodcast #podcastersofinstagram #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #mentalillness #mentalhealthadvocate #bipolar2 #bipolar #bipolardisorder #bipolarII #bipolarstigma #bipolarmind #gratitudepractice #thankfulthursday
@messybeautywithshaley
I’m so excited to share my new solo trailer for ‘Conversations With’. I feel so passionate about keeping these conversations going with guests from all walks of life from all over the world! Sharing our bipolar journeys is a powerful way to connect, empower, heal, inspire, and educate. So many suffer in silence. More of our stories need to be heard. This series will feature powerful interviews with a vast array of people, each sharing their own unique experiences of living with bipolar disorder. So be sure to join in as I share real & raw journeys from beautiful & brave bipolar warriors. Our voices need to be heard. Our stories aren’t over yet. This is bipolar.... Trailer video credit by the lovely and talented @julie.kraft.author I miss you as my cohost already but can feel you cheering me and all our guest on. Love you more than all the exclamation points in our texts !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
📣📣Introducing
SELF-CARE STORY TIME
Sit down, snuggle in, and listen to a story about BIG feelings. We believe in telling our own stories and we also believe in the power of listening to and reading fiction stories. In this series, Shaley will be putting her elementary school teaching skills together with her mental health advocacy to read us some stories that she uses in the classroom to help people connect with or understand their emotions. We love how storybooks can help us feel seen and heard.
We are passionate about teaching and learning emotional literacy for all ages. It makes us all more compassionate to ourselves and others when we understand our emotions. We hope this self-care story time will calm your mind and warm your heart ❤️ Like, save and share this story with the big and little people in your lives.
As always, we would love to hear what you think below. Take care of your selves Friends.
Love 2 girls with GIANT feelings,
Shaley & Julie xx
The Boy with BIG Feelings by
Britney Winn Lee
Illustrated by Jacob Souva
@messybeautywithshaley @julie.kraft.author
“Just a few thoughts & reminders about the way we view ourselves, our struggles, our brains, our bipolar .....
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Often times, it’s so easy to focus on the negatives that our mental health struggles can bring. And it’s just as tempting to compare our lives (and brains) to others’. Consider this a reminder that bipolar brains aren’t broken, they’re just wired in a different way- a way that can add sparkle, colour, creativity, art, love, passion (the list goes on!) to this world! Hoping that my words bring encouragement, hope, and a new perspective to anyone out there struggling to see the light & all of the positives that a bipolar mind can bring! .
It’s all good, you’re in great company, and we got this!”
🙌 -Julie
To see the rest of the video visit our Julie highlight. 💗
@julie.kraft.author
Did you know that Julie wrote & illustrated a children’s book? Be sure to get your copy of The Topsy Turvy
Tale of Tilda Whirl. Link in bio.
“I keep this book in my teacher-on-call bag because it’s always a favourite read aloud in all the different classrooms I visit!” -Shaley
Video • @julie.kraft.author
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I'm beyond thrilled to share my most playful project to date- a creative combination of poetry and painting, for a purpose! Introducing my first children's book, the topsy-turvy tale of Tilda Whirl! Inspired by my own mental health journey with bipolar disorder, this book explores the many feelings and fears of a little girl just like me. Like Tilda, I struggled with swirling 'tilt-a-whirl emotions' that I kept bottled up and hidden behind a smile (for decades). It wasn't until I decided to open up and share, that I discovered I wasn't alone, weak, or weird. It is my greatest hope that Tilda's story will spark the most powerful of conversations- ones that make walls come down and masks fall off. Talking about our feelings has the power to bring healing and offer hope. Everyone is like Tilda in some small way, and her story lets us all know we're more than okay! Yes, we're all lovable just the way we are! .
📣To find out more about Tilda or purchase a copy, visit www.juliekraft.com (link in bio!)
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Shout outs: @davierobinson for your incredible original song “Silver Lining” ... and @jjbeancoffee for ‘fueling’ this project by keeping me caffeinated! Thank you for letting me paint your marine building location in this book!
Its WORLD BIPOLAR DAY!
Here is a letter I wrote to my mind in 2017 for @shelovesmag. It was the first time I shared online about living with bipolar 2 disorder. Let me know what you think.
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"I longer blame you. I no longer hate you. I didn’t know how much you were hurting. I didn’t know you were trying your best. I see now how we are connected and that you are my greatest ally. We no longer have to dread the changing seasons.
We get to choose our own songs now. We have so many choices. We can dance slow or upbeat but now with moves of great purpose. We can sit in our pain and not let it drown us. We can live in great joy and excitement without the inevitable crash. We can fully participate in the grand plans Creator has for us.
We know without a doubt that we are all kinds of crazy. The good kind. The kind that tells a story. The kind that searches for others in their darkness. The kind that stands in the brave, beautiful and daring. The kind that seeks freedom and believes in better tomorrows.
Dear Mind, we got this.
@messybeautywithshaley
Original post link in bio.
We cannot wait for you to hear this conversation!
Repost • @rough.edges.podcast
"My faith never really wavered."
"I didn't lose my faith in God. I felt close to Him, but I was disappointed in people."
Join Julie and Shaley as they share their experiences with faith and having a mental illness. In this sneak peek, listen as these ladies speak about having faith in God while having bipolar disorder and what it's like to wrestle with those inquiries.
Tune in on Tuesday to hear the full episode! What stood out to you about Julie and Shaley's stories? Please share in the comments below!
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#mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealth #bipolar #bipolarawareness #thisisbipolar #thisisbipolarpodcast #roughedgespodcast #sneakpeek #podcast #podcastersofinstagram #faith #faithtalk
@messybeautywithshaley @julie.kraft.author
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