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Mankind is a great, an immense family. – Pope John XXIII Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile. – Albert Einstein Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth. – Muhammad Ali Gentleness, self-sacrifice and generosity are the exclusive possession of no one race or religion. –…
He who created us without our help will not save us without our consent. – St. Augustine In 1971, an intruder stole into my apartment and held me hostage for two days. I did not know who he was; I did not know his name; I did not discover his real identity until twelve years…
As a single footstep will not make a path on the earth, so a single thought will not make a pathway in the mind. To make a deep physical path, we walk again and again. To make a deep mental path, we must think over and over the kind of thoughts we wish to dominate…
You must take personal responsibility. You cannot change the circumstances, the seasons, or the wind, but you can change yourself. That is something you have charge of. – Jim Rohn Two previous blogs dealt with the changes facing me following the treatment of my bipolar disorder and release from the hospital. The major manic and…
If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading. – Lao Tzu Fear introduced me to Change, another one of his offspring. Apparently, Fear did not want me to become bored or, even worse, forget about him. He need not have feared; Change was up to the task. Whether I…
Just when I think I have learned the way to live, life changes. – Hugh Prather Today’s blog focuses on change. Dictionary definitions of this noun include two of the following: the act or instance of making or becoming different; and, a new or refreshingly different experience. My exposure to change usually does alter my…
You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. – Eleanor Roosevelt The last place I expected to find myself that day in June of 1984 was sitting on the edge of a bed in a psychiatric hospital-that day, or any other day. As…
Peace is that state in which fear of any kind is unknown. – John Buchan After admission to the hospital process was completed, I was led to a private room and left alone for a short period of time; I used that interval in an attempt to assess my condition and situation. After months…
Because I teach and write about depression and bipolar illness, I am often asked what is the most important factor in treating bipolar disorder. My answer is competence. Empathy is important, but competence is essential. –Kay Redfield Jamison When I first sat down with Dr. Kafrissen my manic episode was in full swing. Consequently,…
Mania is as bad as it gets. If not treated, it will become worse, more frequent, and harder to treat. – Kay Redfield Jamison A manic mood swing descended on me without warning, knowledge, or prior experience. After nine months of uninterrupted, severe depression, the crushing weight of the world had been lifted from me.…