Most of us don’t naturally default to healthy habits. It takes planning and effort, and sometimes a surge of self-discipline, to eat right, exercise, get the sleep we need, and stay on top of work and ...

Something changed when Sasha W. noticed the hot pink running shoes sitting in the corner of her bedroom. She was 27 at the time and struggling with the worst depressive valley of her life. As she lay ...

When Sara F. of Massachusetts has a hypomanic episode, she copes okay. Her hypomania tends to be dysphoric rather than euphoric, so she gets more angry or irritable than usual — but she’s still able ...

Whenever James M. feels stressed, he logs onto his computer and writes it all away. He says that journaling has been a major source of strength and hope in managing his bipolar 1 disorder. His online ...

In his next column for bpHope, Dr. Phelps will be exploring one of the most commonly prescribed medications for bipolar, one that many of you have likely taken. Before he begins, he’d like to know ...

Managing bipolar depression isn’t just about treatment — it’s about recognizing self-doubt, setting limits, and allowing time to heal. I’ve always believed in setting high expectations: in school, ...

I struggled for months with a bipolar depression that smothered me. It felt like suffocation. The heaviness seemed to affect even my breathing: I had to consciously labor for each breath. It felt as ...

Complementary and integrative therapies can be beneficial for those with bipolar disorder — as long as they are an addition to your treatment plan, not a substitution for it. For someone with bipolar ...

Mood shifts come with the territory of bipolar disorder. But sometimes, you can sense them before they fully arrive. Whether it’s an upswing into mania or a downturn into depression — which can show ...

When you live with bipolar disorder, you’re like anyone else in many ways. You care deeply about certain things. Others frustrate you. But bipolar disorder also leads to some experiences that people ...

I’ve lived with bipolar disorder since 1981 — right around the time “manic depression” was renamed. Over these four decades, I’ve learned many lessons — some the hard way. Over time, I learned many ...

Bipolar disorder has taught me that waiting until I’m in a crisis is never the best time to make a plan. For me, mania doesn’t build slowly — sometimes it escalates within hours. That’s why I’ve ...