Bipolar Expert Dr. Ballas shares Bipolar management news and commentary at BipolarConnect.com. The HealthCentral Network, Inc. (www.HealthCentral.com) is one of the top health destinations on the Web, with more than 35 condition-specific, wellness and general health Web properties. http://www.healthcentral.com/bipolar/c/477674 http://www.healthcentral.com/bipolar/c/477674/rss self application/xml en-us 15 120 19 http://www.healthcentral.com/images/hc_logo_sm.gif http://www.healthcentral.com/bipolar/c/477674 http://www.healthcentral.com/bipolar/c/477674/59961/happiness-spreads Wed, 18 Feb 2009 13:22:21 -0500 Dr. Ballas It's 2009 and most American families are facing many problems they didn't face in 2008.  A crumbling economy, high unemployment rates, and home values dropping can all make it tough to get into the spirit of the season.  Most of these problems are self-explanatory, but those who are living with bipolar disorder have challenges most people don't understand and can't appreciate well.  Well, I wanted to write to write a reminder that... http://www.healthcentral.com/bipolar/c/477674/59961/happiness-spreads http://www.healthcentral.com/bipolar/c/477674/59106/antipsychotic Wed, 11 Feb 2009 14:08:55 -0500 Dr. Ballas Heart Disease is a leading cause of death in people with mood disorders and there are more obstacles to overcome for people with these illnesses. Antipsychotic medications are known to increase the chances of gaining weight and having higher cholesterol levels. These medications also can have an impact on how electricity is conducted through the heart. They also tend to be sedating, and may make it tough to exercise, and lack of exercise can... http://www.healthcentral.com/bipolar/c/477674/59106/antipsychotic