Two lessons that take people for a long time to learn people, these thoughts are not the facts and feelings. The reality test can help us see this, but this is a skill that does not. These are hard classes, because our thoughts and feelings are trying to convince differently. Many things in the outside…

In recent years there has been a (welcome) trend towards conducting research “with” or “by” the public rather than “to”, “about” or “for” them (NIHR). While there is a move to standardize this across all health research (for example, many funders now require evidence of patient and community involvement), there remains disparity in the types…

It's been over two years since I wrote Mental Elf blog with my pediatrician colleague (Suetani S and Panagoda G, 2022) on the findings from the evidence in the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). We thought ADHD was a hot topic at the time, but two and a half years later, it remains very hot….

Looking for a last minute gift? I wrote a list before The 10 best mental health gifts for those with bipolar disorder. Right now, one of them might be headed your way through Amazon or some other source. But if you only have days to go, you might consider donating to a mental health charity…

Communication, whether public or private, plays an important role in creating stigma (Escandon, 2024). In particular, media and social media strongly influence community beliefs, knowledge and attitudes about mental health problems, suicide, and alcohol and other drug (AOD) use (Ross et al., 2019). In fact, language is a matter of life and death; depictions of…

Lately I've been learning about shame and guilt. As a writerthese words are very similar to me. In fact, their psychological effects could not be more different. It's a sin normal and even if it is beneficial, shame can have a toxic effect on mental health. Let's talk about how we all experience guilt and…

When the term childhood trauma is mentioned, your mind may first turn to physical or sexual abuse. However, another form of trauma that is often overlooked is neglect. Unlike abuse, neglect is not a visible physical act, which can make its harmful impact easier to assess. Indifference is defined as a “General and persistent failure…

It has been over thirty years since William A. Anthony's seminal article (Anthony, 1993) helped redefine our understanding of mental illness recovery and its implications for services. It amplified the voices of people with lived experience and emphasized that recovery is not just about relieving symptoms, but instead about living a full, hopeful and meaningful…

Today I want to write about the top 10 gift ideas for someone with bipolar disorder, because people often don't know what to get when trying to support not only the person, but also their mental health. Thoughtful, supportive gifts that encourage relaxation, self-care, and creativity can show a person with bipolar disorder how much…

Have you ever met someone with bipolar disorder who insists that they are not sick or who believe that others are the problem instead of them? Maybe you have felt that way yourself. This is not uncommon. In fact, up to 50% of people with bipolar disorder experience a symptom called anosognosia – inability to…