From Broken to Blessed on The Bipolar Spectrum | Sara Schley ~ ATTMind 178

Jun 16, 2023

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Today’s episode is a bit of a lateral step from psychedelics specifically as we are going to talk about bipolar with Sara Schley, the author of the highly-acclaimed memoir BrainStorm: From Broken to Blessed on the Bipolar Spectrum.

We talk about bipolar as a spectrum and the different variations of bipolar disorder; why it is that so many people with bipolar are misdiagnosed and the issues this presents to those individuals and their families; major triggers for bipolar episodes and why medication isn’t enough to keep people stable; the self-care system Schley has developed for living with a bipolar brain; and how to support your friends/family that are in a bipolar crisis.

Enjoy.

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For links to Schley's work, full show notes, and a link to watch this episode in video, head to bit.ly/ATTMind178

*** FULL TOPICS BREAKDOWN BELOW**

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Episode Breakdown

(0:00) Opening
(1:52) Guest bio and episode summary
(3:40) Patreon thanks | Support the show
(5:45) Interview Begins
(8:37) The story of Sara discovering that she has bipolar
(12:34) The bipolar spectrum and the different variations of bipolar disorder
(16:55) Traditional SSRIs do NOT work for bipolar
(18:21) The epidemic of misdiagnosis of bipolar
(21:52) How undiagnosed bipolar (and mental illness in general) can destroy your relationships and your life
(27:17) Why there are so many mentally ill people in our society
(30:25) The genetics, epigenetics, and neurology of bipolar
(35:34) Does life context “activate” bipolar or is it inevitable regardless of context?
(43:49) PECS self-care system (Physical, emotional, creative, spiritual)
(49:56) Pharmaceutical vs non-pharmaceutical treatment for bipolar
(1:00:39) Having a practical PECS moment
(1:02:19) Keeping bipolar stable and major triggers
(1:08:39) Why isn’t medication enough to keep stable?
(1:14:16) James’ morning practice
(1:16:07) How bipolar made Sara a better person
(1:20:41) What Sara wants you to remember from this podcast
(1:21:31) The emergency ally toolkit (how to support your friends/family that are in a bipolar crisis)
(1:23:04) Follow up links for other content, social media, and Sara’s book Brainstorm
(1:24:33) Closing, socials, and gratitude