An Update on my GoFundMe and Raising Money

I wanted to give an update of the campaign going on for The Bipolar Writer blog and raising the money to upgrade to the business blog. This will take this blog to the next level and I will be able to allow people to sell their written work here on my blog. There are also so many big things that come along with the business plan so that we can continue to share mental illness stories.

I know it is a lot to ask. So many of us in the mental illness community struggle to meet their basic needs. Here is James asking for money. I know the struggle (it is why I can’t spend the $300 plus of my own money to take the blog to the next level.

We have raised $135! That is amazing.

We are still short of our goal of $325, the cost of the upgrade for a year. If we raise enough, I’d like to upgrade for the next two years (which totals $435.) If you can donate it would mean the world to me, if not I understand. 100% of what is raised will stay with the blog and only used to upgrade.

There are three ways to donate!

GoFundMe Campaign

https://www.gofundme.com/rasing-to-upgrade-the-bipolar-writer-blog

Now, I had to use my real name for this (I write under my pseudonym James Edgar Skye) so don’t be surprised by the name–David TC. Also, this allows me to show how much has been donated (I will give the running total at the end of the post.

Donate Through PayPal

This is another excellent way to donate, and to do so just press Pay with PayPal and you can choose to give a minimum of $3.00 (you can decide how much based on the number so 3 times would be 3 x 3 and you would donate nine dollars.) 

Venmo – 831-287-4369

I don’t mind sharing my number (I have before several times in the past.)

That is it. I am hoping to raise enough money by this weekend.

If you can’t donate please reblog this post or share my GoFundMe link above, it would mean the world to me!

\unsplash-logoSteve Johnson

Idea Topics for February

As January 2019 ends and February 2019 begins, we will be ending a strong month of January for The Bipolar Writer blog. I always like to start the month off by asking what the mental health topics you would like me to write about on my blog. This blog is all about inclusive and a safe place for people to talk about mental health.

If you have a topic in mind leave a comment below. I am also open to a guest blog post and increasing my contributor writer. If you’re interested, please email me @ jamesedgarskye22@gmail.com

Always Keep Fighting

James

Photo by Jasmine Waheed on Unsplash

A Repost – Upgrading The Bipolar Writer Blog – I Need Your Help

Upgrading, and Why it is Important

There was some confusion about how to donate money to the cause, and I wanted to take this opportunity to redo my previous post. I will explain what upgrading means for this blog. These are the ways to donate.

My GoFundMe Page

https://www.gofundme.com/rasing-to-upgrade-the-bipolar-writer-blog&rcid=r01-154734596066-ffeec50b38af4a27&pc=ot_co_campmgmt_w

Now, I had to use my real name for this (I write under my pseudonym James Edgar Skye) so don’t be surprised by the name–David TC. Also, this allows me to show how much has been donated (I will give the running total at the end of the post.

Donate Through PayPal

This is another excellent way to donate, and to do so just press Pay with PayPal and you can choose to give a minimum of $3.00 (you can decide how much based on the number so 3 times would be 3 x 3 and you would donate nine dollars.)

Venmo – 831-287-4369

I don’t mind sharing my number (I have before several times in the past.

Right now we are at $110 total donations which is pretty amazing. Every penny will be going to the upgrade. I thank everyone who has already been a part of this goal. The goal is $325, what it would cost to upgrade for two years. When I reach this goal, I will be taking this page down.

What I am planning on doing is upgrading this blog to the business class. I can do a lot more with sharing the stories of others through this platform. What I want to do is take this blog to the next level. I want to be able to allow others to sell their work on my blog. (It will also help me sell my own work so there is that part of why I would like to upgrade.)

When this blog hit 10,000 (now plus) followers, I was thinking of ways to make it better. My goal is to spread the word about mental illness. Upgrading to a business blog would allow better SEO tools among the many positives of this upgrade. I would love to do it myself, it is my blog after all, but most of my money is going to my memoir. This would benefit any mental health blogger that wants to be a part of this fantastic community my collaborators, and I have created. I want this blog to be so much more and reach so many more amazing people.

Let’s do this together! If you can’t donate please share this blog post on social media. It could make a major difference!

Always Keep Fighting (AKF)

James

unsplash-logoIan Schneider

The Bipolar Writer Needs Help… Again

https://www.gofundme.com/rasing-to-upgrade-the-bipolar-writer-blog

This is my GoFundMe under my real name David TC (I wasn’t sure if I could get the funds if I used my Pen Name James Edgar Skye.) Thank you in advance for donating!

So, my goal is $300. The cost to upgrade. If 100 people donate 3 dollars, I can reach my goal quickly (the donation button is below through PayPal.) I am going to try and keep this post going all weekend in hopes that I reach my goal. Please, if you can help it would be amazing, and if you can’t, I understand. I haven’t done one of these in a while, so here it goes!

If you can’t donate please reblog this post or share my GoFundMe link above, it would mean the world to me!

You Can Also Donate Below!

Just Click the Pay with PayPal button!

Always Keep Fighting & Thank You

James

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An Awesome Achievement!!!

I wanted to share a special achievement for The Bipolar Writer blog.

I was told by WordPress that I have reached 10,000 plus followers. Wow. I never imagined about a year ago that this blog would get to this point. I started this blog to share my experiences with Bipolar One, and talk about my brand–The Bipolar Writer.

I never imagined that this thing that I started would take off. I figured that after a month things would change to a point where I would get bored. This wasn’t my first blog.

I am amazed every day that I get to wake up and know that my blog is making a difference in the mental health community. To all the contributor writers, thank you. For all that are following, thank you. It has been an honor to be sharing my experiences with you. To many more amazing people finding this blog!

James

unsplash-logoVal Vesa

A Final Goodbye to 2018

My Last Thoughts of 2018

2018 was a fantastic year The Bipolar Writer blog. I can’t believe it was only the first full year.

149,136 views!

I meant to do this post prior to the New Year, but I digress. I want to say thank you, first to the many followers of this blog, and second to the collaborative writers that make this blog amazing. This year would not have happened without all you amazing people. We are all kindred spirits fighting the great battle–ending the mental health stigma.

Here is to 2019! The best year ever!

Always Keep Fighting, and Love Yourself First!

James

unsplash-logoChris Gilbert

To My Fellow OCD-er

I came across an interview NPR conducted with John Green about his new book, which was based on his own experience with OCD. I learned that John Green has been dealing with OCD ever since as a young child.

One part that I empathized with him whole heartedly was when he spoke about how he gets “squirmy” whenever people ask him to talk about his triggers to his obsessions and compulsions. The interviewer respected and moved on, but I was clearly able to tell that he was still curious.

My fellow OCD-er, I wish I could give you a big hug as we bond over our unspeakable triggers. The triggers that the rest of the world seems to be so “intrigued” about – but how those ruin our days, weeks or even months ahead of us.

I think of my OCD symptoms as an annoying bully. It tags along everywhere I go, wanting an insight in every aspect of my life. Whenever I experience joy, “they” also want to be part of it by giving me a spray of thought that I can cling to and obsess about or drag me to be in an anxious state of mind by bringing the image of worst possible scenarios.

As OCD-ers, we all have unique ways our OCD shows, but in the end the way we describe our disorder seems to be the same – which is why it creates more empathy for one and another.

As weird as this sound, I get so excited when I see one of us! It suddenly feels like “our world” is the world that everyone lives in and it brings immense peace in my heart.

My fellow OCD-er, don’t be scared. Wherever you are, I would love to meet you. Come outside and let’s be bold. We don’t have to hide from the world. Let’s walk together to de-stigmatize our society by introducing our annoying bully.

Hope to hear from you soon,

Haelim

The Mental Health Circuit

When I was younger, I was brutally shoved into what I call the “Mental Health Circuit” of seeing doctors and therapists like there was no tomorrow. Of course I mean I did seriously try to kill myself, so this was completely justified. Still to this day I can’t believe how many bad doctors and therapists I saw. Ones that really only cared about their paycheck and not about me. That was of course until I found my first truly great therapist, Melissa. I found out through her that I greatly improve from being brutally and honestly challenged. There wasn’t a session that I saw here that she didn’t literally call bullshit on my way of thinking. Believe it or not, it really helped. I was so dead set on my ways that I never really believed that what I was thinking was wrong.

In this mental health life, a truly great therapist can make all the difference, and I’ve had a very select few. One did betray my trust and used confidential information when I was faced with the police, but I’ve since forgiven her, as it most likely saved my life. It can take years to find a therapist that really listens to you, especially when you say that you have a way of therapy that works best. Most therapists are unable to leave the comfort zone in the way that they were taught, and work a different way just to help you. When you find someone who does their absolute best to try and help you, hold onto that person and never let go. I’ve since found another therapist that challenges me like Melissa did, and I really like to think that seeing her does greatly benefit me in almost every way.

The real trick is finding this person, because there are a lot of bad therapists out there, and they most certainly will take your money until you figure out they aren’t working for you. So my advice as someone who has been around “The Mental Health Circuit” one too many times, is take your time in selecting your therapist and and your psychiatrist, because you really only need one good one (of each) that you can rely on in your time of need. Not anybody that doesn’t listen to you and tries to shove meds down your throat. The unfortunate truth is that meds don’t always work, it took me years to find one med that really did, and then having to live with the side effects was really challenging. In the end though, it was really worth the wait, the painstaking trial and error, just to get a good therapist, doctor and med combo. As now, I really feel like there is progress to be made in my own life. So I know for a fact that you are not a lost cause! You just need to find people that will truly work with and for you. It’ll probably be one of the hardest things you have ever done, but I assure you, it is definitely worth it.

Yours,

Wolfgang

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If you want to read more by me, check out and follow my personal blog The Smiles We Bear

Changes for the Contributor’s of The Bipolar Writer

Today I am changing the statuses of the many contributors here on The Bipolar Writer blog.

All contributors will have their status changed to “Author.” Here is what an author entails.

As the name suggests, users with the author role can write, edit, and publish their posts. They can also delete their posts, even if they are published.

When writing posts, authors cannot create categories however they can choose from existing categories. On the other hand, they can add tags to their posts. Authors can view comments even those that are pending review, but they cannot moderate, approve, or delete any comments.

Please note that all articles must have a a featured picture. If you want to be a contributor writer, email me from the contact page on my site.

The changes will reflect by the end of the day. Stay strong in the fight.

Always Keep Fighting

James

Photo Credit:

Thought Catalog

Fancycrave

Finding My Antidepressant Match

In the late fall of 2016 I was at my lowest point mentally of my entire 25 years on Earth. I laid in bed most of the day, suicidal thoughts constantly buzzed in my head and I was struggling with self-harming on an almost daily basis.

My therapist was very serious when she told me it might be a good idea to get on antidepressants. I never in my life thought I would get to a point where medicine was necessary. I thought about the stigma behind taking antidepressants, that people who take them are “crazy” and “can’t function on their own”.

But you know what? I couldn’t function on my own so I started my grueling journey to find my perfect antidepressant match.

I called my doctor who took my condition very seriously as well which I am so thankful for. I swear without her and my therapist, I wouldn’t be here. She prescribed me a low dose of an SRI as well as Larazapam for my anxiety.

Immediately I got nauseous from the medicine. I already was having trouble eating so the added nausea wasn’t helping. I took it daily for weeks with no improvement in my depression. She increased my dose but it didn’t help.

To get me on the right track with my medicine I was sent to a psychiatrist who created a long list of medicines that he thought could help me. It started with a bunch of different SRI prescriptions but none of them worked for me.

For months I tried different pills at their highest doses but nothing made any difference in my mood nor did they decrease my suicidal thoughts. After 6 months, I was ready to give up. I had heard positive things for other people so I questioned why these pills didn’t work for me.

In spring of 2017 I saw my psychiatrist again hoping he would be able to figure out a better solution for me since no SRIs worked. He said to try a medicine typically prescribed for individuals with bipolar, Wellbutrin.

Starting that was the first time in months that I saw a change. I began to think more clearly, I wasn’t nauseous, I had more energy and my mood was getting better. It was a relief!

If you are trying to find the right medicine for your mental illness, do not give up. It is absolute hell until you get there but finding the right pill for you is possible.

I thought I would never find my perfect match. Even though it took a long time, I am glad that it finally worked out.