sciencealert.com FIONA MACDONALD Pets can provide incredible value to our lives, but a new study suggests that it’s time doctors and mental health services started considering them more seriously as a source of mental health support. The research shows that not only are pets great for our general wellbeing, they can also greatly help people READ MORE
http://www.womansday.com These too-often-believed myths can be harmful to you and your loved ones. Find out the facts from experts and women so you can help fight stigma and stay well. When Annie Powell, 35, was in the midst of a 72-hour manic episode in February 2013, she felt like Superwoman: productive and energetic. “I went READ MORE
http://www.cbc.ca/ ‘Every day I wake up happy,’ Margaret Trudeau says Margaret Trudeau, an engaging author and public speaker, visited Regina Thursday, where she spoke enthusiastically about the new priorities in her life: her grandchildren. “You’ve got these darlings,” Trudeau said, fondly talking about the youngest generation of a familiar Canadian family. Among their best qualities, READ MORE
www.cbc.ca Ground-breaking research could lead to personalized therapy for bipolar sufferers By Stu Mills, CBC News New research published today unlocks some of the mysteries of bipolar disorder and could lead to effective therapy for those suffering from the illness, the Ottawa-based researcher who led the study says. Bipolar disorder is a debilitating mental illness that affects more than READ MORE
http://thechronicleherald.ca/ Susan Kilbride Roper suffered silently for decades with depression and extreme periods of manic behavior and, at one point, turned to alcohol to self-medicate her fluctuating moods. Eventually, she was diagnosed with bipolar I disorder and was able to get the help she needed to turn her life around — thanks in large part READ MORE
mississauga.com Mental health advocate Margaret Trudeau – mother of PM Justin, ex-wife of PM Pierre – will deliver the keynote address at Interim Place’s upcoming fundraiser. Diagnosed with bipolar disease herself, she is well-known as a strong champion for helping to remove the social stigma that tends to accompany the label. “She experienced mental health READ MORE
http://www.lfpress.com/ It’s time society “lost the shame” associated with mental illness, says one of Canada’s leading authors. Lawrence Hill, author of The Book of Negroes and other acclaimed works, was in London Friday to speak at Huron University College and to mental health experts and donors at a private fundraiser for London Health Sciences Foundation. READ MORE
From scienceworldreport.com Researchers have identified 13 inherited traits linked to severe bipolar disorder, including issues with sleep, wake and cycle activities. Causes of bipolar disorder (BP) are believed to be linked to both genetic and environmental factors that contribute to the problem–resulting in dramatic mood shits, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Previous studies READ MORE
My bipolar brain and mind are interesting places to live. Pleasurable, no, but interesting, yes. At the beginning of the day my mind seems to start out like a blank chalkboard and then my bipolar brain screams at it as soon as I wake. And little by little the chalkboard fills up. Each scream takes READ MORE
I give presentations on mental illness in different places, and one of those places is in schools. Kids aged 12-18 get to hear about mental illness, stigma and my personal story of bipolar disorder. This takes around an hour. And after hearing an hour of me speak about my personal challenges and about how I READ MORE
