Bipolar Expert Peter Ashenden 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/77159 http://www.healthcentral.com/bipolar/c/77159/rss self application/xml en-us 15 120 19 http://www.healthcentral.com/images/hc_logo_sm.gif http://www.healthcentral.com/bipolar/c/77159 http://www.healthcentral.com/bipolar/c/77159/61817/lonlieness Wed, 04 Mar 2009 14:46:00 -0500 Peter Ashenden Loneliness...I've been pondering this particular problem that those of us labeled with a mental illness so often face. Everyone who has been diagnosed will agree that, getting a formal diagnosis brings with it a lot of losses. Some of those losses are, in part, due to the stigma and discrimination that each of us face as soon as we are diagnosed. And our losses might include the loss of friends, community respect, family members, a job, car,... http://www.healthcentral.com/bipolar/c/77159/61817/lonlieness http://www.healthcentral.com/bipolar/c/77159/57431/traumatic-disorder Thu, 29 Jan 2009 10:58:00 -0500 Peter Ashenden Last spring, after touring a mental health center at Fort Bliss, Texas, Defense Secretary Robert Gates noted that awarding Purple Hearts to service members dealing with illnesses like PTSD was "clearly something that needs to be looked at." Recently, however, the Pentagon decided against it. The reasons given were that mental health conditions aren't intentionally caused by enemy action, like a bomb or bullet, and because they remained difficult... http://www.healthcentral.com/bipolar/c/77159/57431/traumatic-disorder http://www.healthcentral.com/bipolar/c/77159/55905/types-quality-care Sun, 18 Jan 2009 21:13:00 -0500 Peter Ashenden Over the past several years, there has been more and more attention given to the idea of evidence-based care in the mental health field. This is the notion that the types of treatment selected and provided should be grounded in science and based upon the best evidence and outcomes. This is an important issue, and we should expect treatment that is effective.   Recently, another concept called etiquette-based care emerged. While care... http://www.healthcentral.com/bipolar/c/77159/55905/types-quality-care http://www.healthcentral.com/bipolar/c/77159/55319/disabilities Mon, 12 Jan 2009 11:25:00 -0500 Peter Ashenden Recently, I had an experience that illustrates the naïve misunderstanding of what it's like to live with a mental illness or disability. I travel fairly often, and it's important to mention I do so with a service dog, Bella. She provides comfort during the at-times stressful and difficult travel situations I encounter. It's also important to mention that every time I travel, I personally call the hotels where I'll be staying, and I also... http://www.healthcentral.com/bipolar/c/77159/55319/disabilities http://www.healthcentral.com/bipolar/c/77159/52794/time-coin-life Thu, 18 Dec 2008 17:39:00 -0500 Peter Ashenden The American poet Carl Sandberg said that "Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you."   Time's an important concept in our lives. We don't have enough time, so we talk on the phone while we drive and multitask in all kinds of other ways. For those of us with depression and bipolar disorder, our moods can influence the... http://www.healthcentral.com/bipolar/c/77159/52794/time-coin-life http://www.healthcentral.com/bipolar/c/77159/51602/island Mon, 08 Dec 2008 16:23:00 -0500 Peter Ashenden They sometimes call Puerto Rico the "Island of Enchantment." With its beautiful Caribbean coral reefs and beaches, it's easy to see why. But I learned this past October that, when we're talking about mental health, island life is difficult ... not enchanted. Barely a month into my new role as DBSA president, I had the honor of visiting San Juan, Puerto Rico, for our first-ever peer specialist training in the Spanish language. (Muchas gracias to... http://www.healthcentral.com/bipolar/c/77159/51602/island http://www.healthcentral.com/bipolar/c/77159/49143/doctor-respect Mon, 17 Nov 2008 16:11:00 -0500 Peter Ashenden A recent article in The Chicago Tribune addressed the issue of how physicians treat their patients. The article cites several popular TV shows that have doctors who adopt a less-than-respectful approach to those in their care. It also raises the question-is TV influencing the real world ... or is the real world influencing TV? It's hard to know which is the case. But the bottom line is how patients should be treated by their... http://www.healthcentral.com/bipolar/c/77159/49143/doctor-respect http://www.healthcentral.com/bipolar/c/77159/43851/integrating-health Tue, 07 Oct 2008 13:44:00 -0400 Peter Ashenden For a long time, we’ve been saying that “there can be no health without mental health.”  In fact, the IOM (Institute of Medicine) report Crossing the Health Quality Chasm makes an impeccable case for this statement. Since the IOM is arguably the most prestigious entity in health care, many of us thought this was a big step forward. (For more info on the IOM’s report on mental health and substance use specifically,... http://www.healthcentral.com/bipolar/c/77159/43851/integrating-health