I’m glad you stopped by and look forward to seeing you soon.
“Sometimes everything that we are searching for is already in front of us. We just. have to change the lens in which we see things through.”
Karin Hadadan
Melinda
Category: Moving Forward
Just Pondering
I’m glad you stopped by and look forward to seeing you soon.
“Be kind to all the past versions of you. They are the soul in which you now bloom.
Arielle Estoria
Melinda
The planet clearly needs help, so what can you do? Demand change
If the true urgency of climate change was not clear to Americans before, it should be clear by now. The mind-bending heat, drought, fire and floods sweeping the US are both nightmares and wake-up calls to the reality fossil fuels created. For over 40 years, our most powerful people and institutions collectively ignored climate scientists, and now the deadly consequences have arrived at all our doorsteps.
People wade through floodwater during the monsoon rains in Lahore. Pakistan is the fifth most climate-vulnerable country in the world and already experiencing weather extremes. Alamy
“I have witnessed people suffering and dying since I was a child,” the 18-year-old from Pakistan told me over the phone. Her hometown, located in the mountainous Hunza Valley, is surrounded by towering Himalayan glaciers that have been melting at an astonishing rate since before Baig was born. These climate-fueled melts have formed more than 3,000 glacial lakes, which now regularly break their banks and rush through surrounding villages, taking everything — and everyone — in their path with them. More than 7 million people in the region are at risk from these floods, according to UNDP.
Baig now lives in the southern city of Karachi, but friends and family still live in Hunza. Eventually, they’ll face a difficult choice: Move south willingly, or let the mountain do it for them. Even if the world meets its most ambitious climate targets, one-third of the Himalayan glaciers will melt by the end of the century, a 2019 International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development report found. And even the south won’t provide much respite; the heat and monsoon rains there are some of the most punishing in the world. The average daily temperature in Karachi this past week was 104 degrees*. Stepping outside “feels like you’re going to die.”
After 18 years of life in the world’s fifth-most climate-vulnerable nation, Baig sees her family’s predicament for what it is — not just tragedy but profound injustice. Pakistan contributes less than 1 percent of the world’s carbon emissions, and yet has been forced to bear the brunt of the world’s carbon crisis. “I’m angry about it. I’m sad about it. I don’t know how people have the audacity to prioritize money over humanity,” she said. And she can’t help but wonder if this would have happened if America—which has put more carbon into the atmosphere than any other nation—had felt these impacts first.
“I should be in university,” she said. But her life’s work is activism. “I have no choice,” she said, her voice breaking on the phone. Each day, Baig said, she’s fighting to secure the world’s future. And she wants to know, in this critical moment: are you doing anything to help secure hers?
In more than a dozen interviews over the last two weeks, activists from across the climate movement have issued a common call to arms: If you have ever thought of becoming more involved in the fight for climate justice, it’s time to stop thinking — and start doing.
“This is pretty much the biggest moment in climate politics in over a dozen years,” said Jamal Raad, the executive director of Evergreen Action, a progressive climate group focused on federal legislation. “If anyone was considering climate activism at any level, from contacting their member of Congress to volunteering with an organization to attending a protest, now’s the time.”
The scientific case for urgency has never been clearer. Last month, a draft of the latest UN IPCC report — the gold standard summation of modern climate science — was leaked to Agence France-Presse in hopes it might serve as a wake-up call before the next round of international climate talks in November. The report warned that the dire impacts of global heating were materializing faster than most scientists expected. Several “tipping points” — major, rapid changes in climate conditions that once reached are near-impossible to reverse — are now likely to come sooner rather than later, and many impacts are already locked in. Significant and rapid decarbonization can still prevent further pain and suffering, but the longer we wait, the worse things will become. “Life on Earth can recover from a drastic climate shift by evolving into new species and creating new ecosystems,” it warned. “Humans cannot.”
The costs of inaction are also already playing out in American life. More than 100 people were killed by the oppressive heat in Oregon last month, part of a larger record-breaking heat dome event that cumulatively caused more than 800 deaths across the Pacific Northwest. Farmers and ranchers are suffering under historic drought conditions in the West, where states are already limiting water supply while fighting out-of-control wildfires. Record rainfall in Michigan is overwhelming Detroit’s aging sewage systems, part of the growing pandemic of poop-filled floodwaters. And on the East Coast, tropical storm Elsa signaled a powerful start to yet another destructive hurricane season, expected to be “above average” in activity for the sixth year in a row.
Fortunately, scientists are also more confident than ever about how to improve the situation. In May, the influential and notoriously conservative International Energy Administration (IEA) released a “bombshell” report outlining how the world could still achieve the Paris Agreement’s goal of preventing a 1.5°C rise in global average temperatures. “As the major source of global emissions, the energy sector holds the key to responding to the world’s climate challenge,” the report read. That sector must fully decarbonize by 2050, which requires not just a massive acceleration to renewables, electric vehicles, and energy-efficient building retrofits, but “a huge decline in the use of fossil fuels,” it said. “There is no need for investment in new fossil fuel supply in our net-zero pathway.”
The dire need to significantly decrease fossil fuel use, however, has still not sunk into the minds of the world’s biggest polluters. Take the United States. The Biden administration has taken some meaningful steps toward reducing carbon pollution, including suspending oil and gas leasing on federal land, canceling the Keystone XL pipeline, and reinstating several EPA climate regulations. But the US Justice Department is also currently defending at least three massive new fossil fuel projects — the Willow drilling project in Alaska, the Line 3 tar sands pipeline in Minnesota, and millions of acres of oil and gas leasing in Wyoming.
The massive infrastructure bill making its way through Congress is also a big opportunity to ensure meaningful climate investments in the energy sector — and may in fact be the last chance to pass meaningful climate legislation during Biden’s presidency. But the latest version was recently stripped of most of its significant climate provisions, including a Clean Energy Standard, tax credits for renewable energy and a new civilian climate corps.
The draft IPCC report places the blame for such inaction directly on the fossil fuel industry. Specifically, “think tanks, foundations, trade associations and other third-party groups that represent fossil fuel companies for promoting ‘contrarian’ science that misleads the public and disrupts efforts to implement climate policies needed to address the rising threats,” Politico reported. “Rhetoric on climate change and the undermining of science have contributed to misperceptions of the scientific consensus, uncertainty, unduly discounted risk and urgency, dissent and, most importantly, polarized public support delaying mitigation and adaptation action, particularly in the US.”
The fossil fuel industry is indeed fighting very hard to undo and prevent further climate action in the US. But others are helping them, too.GOP states are using taxpayer dollars to file lawsuits on their behalf. Advertising and marketing firms are creating sophisticated PR campaigns to help them convince the public they’re green. News outlets, many of which routinely ignore the climate crisis, are running those ad campaigns and making a profit. Social media companies like Facebook and Twitter are doing the same.
In other words, there’s a lot to do — and the IEA, which wrote the blueprint for effective action, says the key is people power.
“A transition of the scale and speed described by the net-zero pathway cannot be achieved without sustained support and participation from citizens,” the blueprint said. That means more than just saying you’re for a healthy planet. It means taking a stand against the reason it’s sick.
The ability to participate in activism is a privilege. Many simply do not have the time, money or emotional bandwidth to take on a global cause. Climate activism also has an unfortunate history of regressive finger-wagging, blaming relatively powerless individuals for not making “better” environmental choices.
The climate activism that is needed today is not that type of activism — especially since, according to the IEA, individual “behavior” changes will only account for around four percent of cumulative emissions reductions in the path to net-zero. What’s needed today is sustained outrage at the powerful, by those with the time and resources to express it.
For 18-year-old Jaweria Baig in Pakistan, this means pushing for big changes at powerful corporations.
Her latest campaign, launched with youth activists from climate-vulnerable counties across the world, targets Microsoft. She’s asking the tech giant to significantly decrease its emissions from corporate flights and use its own video conference platform “Teams” instead, as it did during the pandemic-induced lockdown. Microsoft is currently “one of the world’s top buyers” of flights, the Just Use Teams campaign says, its emissions comparable to some small countries.
Microsoft — which markets itself as a leader in the fight for climate justice — has so far declined to respond to Baig’s campaign. A spokesperson for the tech giant sent me only a link to its corporate sustainability and aviation plans in response to the group’s complaints.
So in the meantime, Baig is asking for people power. She wants Microsoft staff to leave anonymous Glassdoor reviews telling their bosses to use Teams instead of airplanes and wants Microsoft customers to tweet their support.
If Microsoft’s flights don’t inspire you, though, there are plenty of other campaigns in need of voices, resources, signatures, or bodies. Is the bipartisan infrastructure deal your thing? Perhaps you’d like No Climate No Deal, a campaign launched by Evergreen Action and the youth-led Sunrise Movement. The campaign is pressuring Democratic members of Congress to reject any infrastructure legislation lacking “transformational investments in climate and environmental justice solutions.” They’ve already secured pledges from 14 Democratic Senators. They’re seeking support in the form of a petition, calls to Senators and tweets.
Or maybe you’re really pissed at advertising agencies, marketing firms and social media giants for helping promote fossil fuel company propaganda. If that’s the case, you might like Clean Creatives. Despite only launching less than a year ago, it has gotten 92 advertising agencies to sign a pledge against working with fossil fuel companies. It’s now spreading a petition to get social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook to ban fossil fuel ads. (Duncan Meisel, one of the group’s cofounders, said in an interview that the HEATED newsletter — which is where this post was first published — was part of the inspiration for forming the group. So maybe you could also start a newsletter, if that’s your thing.)
Indigenous groups also need help opposing fossil fuel projects across the country. Most have action hubs with a range of potential ways to help, like this one for the Line 3 pipeline. Environmental justice groups like We Act and the Climate Justice Alliance also need voices and resources. Perhaps Vice’s list of 12 environmental justice organizations to donate time and money to would be of interest.
If straight-up activism isn’t your thing, maybe you’d like to support climate science education or communications projects like Climate Central or the Alliance for Climate Education. If you believe in the power of journalism, maybe you want to support accountability projects like Floodlight and Drilled News or regional publications like Southerly Mag.
Maybe you’re into culture and want to donate to a place like the Climate Museum. Maybe there’s a state climate policy you want to get involved with; a local office you want to run for; or an opportunity to make a difference at the company you already work at. Maybe you just want to troll fossil fuel companies all day.
The opportunities to get involved in the climate fight are endless, and that can be overwhelming. But the beauty of people power is that you don’t have to do everything. “You don’t need to quit your job and become a climate activist,” said Genevieve Gunther, founder of the media-focused group End Climate Silence. “With enough people, one little thing every week, even a tweet, can make a huge difference.”
Some people may read this and believe it is pointless. That we are too late. That none of it matters. The fossil fuel industry knows this is not true. Their fear of a determined, pissed-off public is why they promoted campaigns of climate denial and “individual responsibility” in the first place. They knew if people were unsure about the problem, they’d waste time fighting about it instead of mobilizing to fix it. They knew if people were confused about the solution, they’d waste time trying to change themselves and each other instead of the system.
However worse the climate crisis gets now depends on how quickly society transforms. And how quickly society transforms depends on how many people demand it. The most harmful lie being spread about climate change today is not that it is fake. It’s that nothing you can do can help save the world.
This story originally appeared in HEATED, Emily Atkin‘s weekly newsletter that is dedicated to original accountability reporting and analysis on the climate crisis. Subscribe here.
The US sewage system is long overdue for an update — and here’s why you should never, ever jump in puddles after a rainstorm. Watch Emily Atkin’s TEDxShinnecockHills Talk now:
Melinda
Reference:
Emily Atkin is the author and founder of HEATED, a weekly newsletter dedicated to original accountability reporting and analysis on the climate crisis. Find her at http://www.emilyatkin.com and subscribe to the newsletter at heated.world.
NO MORE Week 2026 And More @nomoreorg
Let’s spend NO MORE Week advocating, sharing our stories, participating in activities and supporting this most amazing organization. Check out their website for resources galore.
| February has been a powerful month for reflection. We commemorated Black History Month and raised awareness of challenges facing young people for Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month. We continue to be both awed by the strength and courage of the Epstein survivors in speaking out and horrified by even more revelations of the abuse so many endured and so many ignored. It is all a constant reminder of the vast scourge of violence, the far-reaching, long-lasting implications of it, and the need to continue to build a global movement to stop it… for everyone! It’s in this spirit that we continue our work, creating moments that bring communities together and driving change to end domestic and sexual violence once and for all. Get Ready for NO MORE Week 2026! In just a few days, NO MORE Week 2026 kicks off! From March 2nd–8th, communities from around the world are uniting to support survivors and prevention efforts. If you haven’t yet made your plans for NO MORE Week, it’s not too late! Throughout the week, commit to sharing tools, resources, information, and stories to help more people be able to recognize and respond to abuse. Or, plan to host a lunch & learn, pledge drive, or another small-scale awareness event at your workplace, campus, or community space. You can also join the NO MORE Week Challenge, our free, virtual Walk/Run uniting advocates and allies everywhere in raising awareness and speaking out against abuse. Take on the Challenge. However you choose to take part, be sure to tag @nomoreorg in your posts to share how you’re saying “NO MORE,” so we can celebrate and help amplify your efforts! |
Advancing Safety: NO MORE x CERRET
This month, we were proud to announce our new partnership with CERRET, which will include the co-development of a co-branded CERRET safety bracelet, as well as the integration of NO MORE’s awareness and training content into the CERRET app. Together, by bridging the gap between advocacy and tech, we’re looking forward to amplifying prevention efforts, empowering users, and expanding access to safety resources around the world.
Read more about this new partnership and check out the existing safety features on the CERRET app today!
I’m a proud supporter of No More and Joyfull Heart charities, they we’re both founded by Mariska Hargitay and she leads powerful teams and through her committed efforts, police across the country have cleared their backlog of untested rape kits. We’re not there yet but we will.
Melinda
15 Ways to Soothe Your Mind and Body During Times of Distress
When upsetting thoughts and feelings pop up, you might find yourself plummeting into a deep well of dread and overwhelm. During such stressful moments, you might start to believe there’s not much you can do about those emotions.
But that’s not actually the case. In fact, practicing self-soothing activities can help you climb out of that dark well and work toward feeling better.
How? According to psychologist Rebecca Leslie, PsyD, self-soothing activities can:
- calm your mind and body
- reduce anxiety
- help you think clearly
- improve your sleep
So, the next time you start to feel distressed, consider trying these 15 lesser-known self-soothing strategies.
Fill up the balloon
Diaphragmatic (deep) breathing “helps calm you down and tells your mind and body you are safe,” says Leslie.
Research suggests that deep breathing can bring increased comfort and relaxation while helping decrease symptoms of anxiety, anger, confusion, and depression.
Leslie suggests imagining you have a balloon behind your belly button that fills up with your breath as you breathe in.
- Inhale slowly through your nose until the balloon feels “full.” This might take about 4 to 5 seconds.
- Purse your lips and slowly exhale for the same amount of time until you feel the balloon “empty.”
- Repeat until you start to feel calmer.
Practice square breathing
Square breathing, also called box breathing, offers another powerful technique.
To try this type of breathing:
- Breathe in for 4 seconds.
- Hold your breath for 4 seconds.
- Breathe out for 4 seconds.
- Relax for 4 seconds.
In short, each step forms one side of the “square.”
Try this for 4 rounds or more, recommends Selma Bacevac, LMHC, a psychotherapist specializing in childhood trauma and attachment.
Focus on a color
Scan your surroundings for the color blue or for your favorite color, suggests Bacevac.
“Gently rest your eyes in the hues of the color as you bring awareness to your breath, and slowly breathe in for 7 seconds,” she says.
Follow the inhale with a long, slow exhale.
It’s worth noting, too, that challenging yourself to find different objects in the same color could offer a distraction from the source of your distress.
Give yourself a hug
A hug or any kind of compassionate touch causes your brain to release oxytocin. This hormone can make you feel safe, connected, and loved, explains Joree Rose, LMFT, a therapist and mindfulness and meditation teacher.
Bonus: Your brain can’t tell the difference between a hug someone gives you and one you give yourself. Wrapping your arms around your chest can instantly soothe your tense body.
Paint with watercolors
“Art is an active tool we can use to move stress out of our body, express distress, and distract ourselves from what is bothering us by externalizing it,” says Jackie Tassiello, a board certified creative arts therapist and co-founder of Soulutions Therapy, based in Montclair, New Jersey.
One art technique to try? Watercolor painting. According to yoga teacher Namita Kulkarni, benefits reside in the “tactile pleasure of touching the paint to the paper, visual surprise and delight of watching the pigments swirl into the water and the ever-present unpredictability of water’s behavior.”
To start, simply buy a watercolor set at any craft or big box store.
Provide validation
When you’re upset, you might tell yourself stories like “This isn’t that bad,” “I’m overly sensitive,” or “I shouldn’t be feeling this way,” says Sera Lavelle, PhD, a clinical psychologist and hypnosis expert.
But this kind of dismissive, invalidating self-talk often just leaves you feeling worse.
Instead, validate your experience with self-compassion. According to Lavelle, this might involve:
- noticing your inner dialogue
- placing your hands over your heart
- using language that offers comfort, such as “I recognize I feel scared right now and that’s hard. In this moment, the things I fear aren’t happening, and I am safe.”
Try autogenic training
Considered a form of self-hypnosis, autogenic training promotes relaxation in the body and a state of emotional calm.
To start, you might repeat certain phrases three times, says Leslie. Examples of soothing phrases might include:
- My right arm is heavy.
- My left arm is heavy.
- My arms are heavy.
- I am calm and relaxed.
- My left leg is heavy.
- My right leg is heavy.
- My legs are heavy.
- I am calm and relaxed.
Play with something you’re wearing
Kaylin Zabienski, LMFT, a therapist and yoga teacher, used to get overwhelmed when running groups at her treatment center. To self-soothe, she’d wear a long necklace with a pendant or charm that she’d move up and down the chain.
“It doesn’t look like anything special, but the subtle vibration and sound that it made was extremely calming to me,” says Zabienski.
She suggests doing the same with your own clothing and accessories. “Using mindfulness and curiosity, it can be soothing to explore the item with your hands, to move it around on your skin, to notice its texture or any sounds it makes.”
Surround yourself with love
Sending messages of love to yourself can go a long way toward helping ease emotional distress.
Liz FitzGerald, a yoga instructor and co-founder of Daygold, suggests doing this loving practice for at least 5 minutes:
- Sit comfortably with your eyes open or closed.
- Starting with both hands at the top of your head, gently move your hands over your head while saying “I am with me.”
- Move your hands across your face and say, “I see me.”
- Move your hands across your ears and the front and back of the throat and say, “I hear me.”
- Move your hands over your chest and say, “I trust me.”
- Move your hands over your belly and say, “I am safe.”
- Move your hands over your legs and feet and say, “I am loved.”
Practice Legs Up the Wall
According to Kulkarni, this restorative yoga pose activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for rest and relaxation.
To try this pose, simply lie down with your legs up a wall. Hold the pose for up to 20 minutes.
Tip: If putting your legs up against a wall feels uncomfortable, you can put your legs on a couch, chair, or bed, says yoga and meditation teacher Catherine Tingey.
Perform repetitive tasks
“Anything that we have to do over and over creates a rhythm, which can ease tension and create an outlet for our anxiety or stress,” says Tassiello.
Examples of repetitive tasks that may help soothe stress include:
- knitting
- dicing vegetables
- folding laundry
- washing dishes
- doodling patterns
Observe the tornado
During periods of intense distress and overwhelm, it can feel like you’re in the center of a tornado, at the whims of “wherever it’ll take you, making you feel helpless and more stuck,” says Rose.
Instead, try to shift your vantage point and imagine yourself as the meteorologist commenting on the tornado, she says, not someone trapped in the center.
In a nutshell, picturing yourself on the sidelines of an emotional storm can help reduce its power over you.
Savor your senses
Immerse yourself in a sensory experience, recommends Neha Chaudhary, MD, a psychiatrist at Massachusetts General Hospital and chief medical officer at BeMe Health.
Chaudhary notes that this could mean:
- putting on headphones and playing your favorite songs
- using aromatherapy oil
- dipping your hands in a bowl of cold water
Practice heart breathing
Heart breathing, based on work from the HeartMath Institute, helps us “gain a deeper awareness and sense of calm, and return to center,” says Bara Sapir, an integrative life coach, MBSR-Trained provider, and founder of City Test Prep.
To practice, perform these three steps:
- Heart focus. Place one hand over your heart and the other over your belly. Focus your attention on the area around your heart.
- Heart breathing. As you inhale, feel as if your breath is flowing in through your heart. As you exhale, feel it leaving through this area. Continue breathing with ease until you find a natural rhythm that feels good to you.
- Heart feeling. As you maintain your heart focus and heart breathing, recall a time you felt good. Take a moment to re-experience this positive feeling.
Set up a preventive plan
Using self-soothing tools in the moment can help a lot, but it’s equally as important to work on creating calm in your day-to-day routine.
According to Tassiello, you could:
- Make your bedroom into a sanctuary.
- Limit screen time.
- Create a relaxing bedtime routine.
- Process stress daily before it reaches a breaking point.
The bottom line
When you experience a difficult emotion, a self-soothing technique can reduce distressing thoughts and help relax a frazzled body.
It can help to try these activities before you’re upset to see which ones resonate with you. You can even keep a list of your top five soothers in your phone.
Remember that learning to soothe yourself can take time, says Lavelle. Try to be patient with yourself while “reminding yourself that you deserve to feel peaceful and taken care of.”
Margarita Tartakovsky, MS, has been writing for Psych Central and other websites for more than a decade on a wide range of topics. She’s the author of the mental health journal “Vibe Check: Be Your Best You” (Sterling Teen). She’s especially passionate about helping readers feel less alone and overwhelmed and more empowered. You can connect with Margarita on LinkedIn, or check out her writing at her website.
Melinda
Reference:
https://www.healthline.com/health/self-soothe?utm_term=roundup&utm_source=Sailthru%20Email&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=alzheimers_carejourney&utm_content=2026-02-03&apid=36735751&rvid=7f053d6ecf820dccd09e4914833cbd49bdfe95bb517404ee9b41601767d1bace
7 household habits from the 1980s that no one does anymore
From phone habits to VHS etiquette, here are some of the most nostalgic rituals from the 80s that have since been forgotten.
Every era has its household hallmarks, and the 80s were certainly no different. Long before smartphones and streaming took over, daily life had its own set of rules that families considered essential – many of which have since faded into nostalgia.
Today, we’re taking a look at 7 household habits from the era that practically no one does anymore, from the rituals that defined home life to the little customs that make the decade so unmistakably 80s.
Letting answering machines handle your calls
Before the age of voicemail, answering machines did all the heavy lifting. If the phone rang while you were deep in an episode of Cheers, you could let the machine handle it and decide later whether it was worth picking up. Though we definitely don’t miss swapping out those cassettes every time they filled up…
Watching TV on the network’s schedule
Prime time was serious – if you missed an episode of Dallas, there was no bingeing it in your free time on catch-up TV. Being at the mercy of the network had kids up and awake on Saturday morning, ready to watch cartoons – and bonus points for the towering stack of TV guides on the table, which were somehow less annoying than juggling a dozen streaming subscriptions today…
Answering the phone without caller ID
Was it a friend? Telemarketer? A wrong number? You had no idea until you picked up the phone, making every call a heart-palpitating gamble. Though no matter who it ended up being, you didn’t have an ounce of privacy unless you stretched the phone cord to its limits (and probably knocked the base off the kitchen counter in the process).
Kids roaming all day with no tracking
No hourly check-ins over text or social media, just a promise that you’d be home at a certain time (probably when hunger struck). Kids were trusted to be street smart, often disappearing on a Sunday to a friend’s house or local park and not reappearing until sunset. Hearing nothing all day wasn’t a cause for panic, it was just the norm.
Handwriting everything
From letters and notes to grocery lists and random reminders, handwriting was how you recorded just about anything. Unless you owned a typewriter – or, if you were really lucky, a computer – everything was written by hand, and there was certainly no notes app to jot down a quick phone number or reminder to pick up milk.
Vacuuming appliance coils
Crawling behind your fridge or freezer armed with a vacuum to clean out dust and pet hair from its coils used to be an essential task (that no one would ever volunteer for). Clean coils meant your devices kept humming along happily – thankfully nowadays, it takes more than a bit of dust to send a fridge into meltdown.
Rewinding VHS tapes
Though you may be longing for bed after staying up late to watch a VHS of Flashdance before it went back to Blockbuster, rewinding your tape before returning was imperative or you’d be chancing a nasty fine. As we all used to say – be kind, rewind!
Melinda
Reference:
https://www.hellomagazine.com/homes/881077/household-habits-from-the-eighties-no-one-does-anymore/
The Future Is Behind The Door
The seller accepted our offer over the weekend! During the closing period you find yourself filling out a ton of paperwork and making phone calls, yet every step counts.
Melinda
Daily Writing Prompt
Daily writing prompt
Do you spend more time thinking about the future or the past? Why?
Spending too much time thinking about the past is holding you back from planning your future. Daydreaming about the future is very healthy, we use our imagination and we can manifest a brighter future. That’s not to say I never look back, there’s great joy in thinking about my grandparents and looking at old photos all the way back to when I was born.
Thinking about the past all the time can stagnate your growth and could mean you have unresolved anger or trauma. I first experienced trauma shorthly after I was born because my mother abused me. I’ve had other trauma’s like being stalked, sexually assaulted and my father’s suicide, I don’t want to wallow in those memories. Seeing my Therapist for 32 years has helped me resolve my trauma and I don’t look back.
The future is wide open and you have the ability to live your best life.
Melinda
You Are Not Alone: Quotes for the Toughest Days
Leaning on the hard-earned wisdom of others helps shift your perspective and uplift your spirits, serving as a reminder that resilience is possible even on the toughest days.
May these words serve as a gentle source of inspiration and comfort. If you have a specific quote that helps you through the hard times, we invite you to share it in the comments.
Love’s Power to Ease Life’s Sorrows
“Love has, at its best, made the inherent sadness of life bearable, and its beauty manifest.” ~ Kay Redfield Jamison (An Unquiet Mind, 1995)
Seeing Stars Beyond the Tears
“If you cry because the sun has gone out of your life, your tears will prevent you from seeing the stars.”
~ Rabindranath Tagore
Finding Safety in the Present
“In times of pain, when the future is too terrifying to contemplate and the past too painful to remember, I have learned to pay attention to right now. The precise moment I was in was always the only safe place for me.”
~ Nicholas Sparks
Courage Is Something Quiet
“Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, ‘I will try again tomorrow.’”
~ Mary Anne Radmacher
Perseverance Is the Foundation
“Of all that is good, sublimity is supreme. Succeeding is the coming together of all that is beautiful. Furtherance is the agreement of all that is just. Perseverance is the foundation of all actions.”
~ Lao Tzu
The Power of Hope
“Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul — and sings the tune without the words — and never stops at all.”
~ Emily Dickinson
Imagination, Love, and Laughter
“I believe that imagination is stronger than knowledge; myth is more potent than history; dreams are more powerful than facts; hope always triumphs over experience; laughter is the cure for grief; love is stronger than death.”
~ Robert Fulghum (All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten: Uncommon Thoughts on Common Things, 1986)
Life is Music — Both Joyful and Sad
“Life is like a piano; the white keys represent happiness and the black show sadness. But as you go through life’s journey, remember that the black keys also create music.”
~ Ehssan
How Our Loved Ones See Us
“Those who love you are not fooled by mistakes you have made or dark images you hold about yourself. They remember your beauty when you feel ugly; your wholeness when you are broken; your innocence when you feel guilty; and your purpose when you are confused.”
~ Alan Cohen (Wisdom of the Heart, 2002)
Embrace Nature’s Reality
“It isn’t the language of painters one ought to listen to but the language of nature…. Feeling things themselves, reality, is more important than feeling paintings, at least more productive and life-giving.”
~ Vincent van Gogh (letter to Theo van Gogh, The Hague, on or about Friday, July 21, 1882)
Welcoming the Day With Joy
“Hello, sun in my face. Hello, you who made the morning and spread it over the fields… Watch, now, how I start the day in happiness, in kindness.”
~ Mary Oliver (poem, “Why I Wake Early,” 2004)
The Art of Living Well
“Living well is an art that can be developed: a love of life and ability to take great pleasure from small offerings and assurance that the world owes you nothing and that every gift is exactly that, a gift.”
~ Maya Angelou (Wouldn’t Take Nothing for My Journey Now)
Happiness is What Drives Life
“Happiness is what greases the wheels of life, what opens the floodgates, raises the sun, aligns the stars, beats your heart, finds true love.”
~ Mike Dooley
Courage Through Facing Fear
“You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face.”
~ Eleanor Roosevelt (You Learn by Living, 1960)
Accepting Life’s Unexpected Path
“We must let go of the life we have planned, so as to accept the one that is waiting for us.”
~ Joseph Campbell (to Diane K. Osbon, as recorded in Reflections on the Art of Living: A Joseph Campbell Companion)
Stronger After Life’s Storms
“And once the storm is over, you won’t remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won’t even be sure whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in. That’s what this storm’s all about.”
~ Haruki Murakami (Kafka on the Shore)
Keep Moving Forward
“If you can’t fly, then run; if you can’t run, then walk; if you can’t walk, then crawl; but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.”
~ Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (“Keep Moving from This Mountain,” speech at Spelman College, April 10, 1960)
It’s Never Too Late to Be You
“For what it’s worth: It’s never too late or, in my case, too early to be whoever you want to be. There’s no time limit. You can change or stay the same; there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it.… I hope you live a life you’re proud of. If you find that you’re not, I hope you have the courage to start all over again.”
~ Eric Roth (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, film, 2008)
Melinda
Reference:
We’re Starting Off 2026 With A Bang
We have spent 23 years building our finances around living comfortably in retirement and beyond and buying a new house. David retired last April, our house is paid for and we have no debt, just as we planned and saved for.
Yesterday we made an offer on our first house and now David is pulling all the financing together for a mid-February move-in date. I am so in love with the house and have dreamt of living in a one-story without a pool for the longest time.
The seller accepting our offer is just the start. We plan to move into new house, then upgrade our house and sell it. This will be a longer process but I’m screaming inside with excitement.
I’ll give an update if the offer is accepted. We went in with a low offer because it’s been on the market for over a year and no one is living there. The market is down and continuing to go down in our area. Now is the time to buy before the market swings upward.
Melinda :)
Looking For The Light Reflections On 2025
Before we move into the new year, I want to thank you for your kindness. I stopped judging my blog’s success by the numbers, engagement is what’s most important to me. You’ve contributed greatly to the success of Looking for the Light and I thought a glace at the numbers would reflect your contribution.
Looking back
In 2025 to date there have been 35,034 views
686 Post
16.2K Visitors
21.9K Likes
4K Comments
137 countries stopped by to date
39 Referreral Sites
You have brought me enlightenment, support, motivation and inspiration with each of your posts.
Numbers are a form of measurement however that is not how I judge the health of my blog. Engagement in the form of likes and comments are how I judge if my blog is successful.
Each conversation makes me smile, when a new country visits it intrigues me, having long tern followers are special and all of these help me grow.
Here’s to 2026!
Melinda
Daily Writing Prompt
I don’t hope for people to think or say nice things about me, that’s not important. What’s important is what I think about myself and it’s a bonus if people think kindly of me. I’m thrilled everytime a blogger sends me a nice comment or appreciates a post, it’s an instant smile every time. People judge or have a perception of you based on many factors and it’s beyond our control.
Living an authentic life is how I live and people will form their own perception of me. I’m mostly talking about blogging because my close family members are no longer here and it’s hard to make friends when you don’t leave the house.
Living life wishing or worrying about what other’s think of you is a waist of time. My reply is not meant to sound negative, it’s my reality and everyone’s is different. The difference it what makes the world go round.
Melinda
Ask the Doctor: How Safe Is AI for Mental Health Information?
It’s critical to remember AI pulls information from all souces and can’t be relied on as factual information.
AI offers quick information, yet it lacks the human insight required for safe, individualized mental health care.
Artificial intelligence (AI) has quickly become part of our daily lives. Whether it’s a chatbot answering questions online, an app offering mental health “coaching,” or a website summarizing medical information, the presence of AI in healthcare is growing rapidly.
For many, these tools feel like an easy, convenient first step when they’re worried about a symptom or seeking information. And used wisely, AI can indeed be helpful. It is essential, however, to recognize the limitations and pitfalls of AI.
What AI Can Do Well
AI tools are very good at providing general information. If you want to know the common side effects of drug “A,” the difference between two medications, or the meeting times for Alcoholics Anonymous meetings in your community, a quick query can often bring up what you need. A Google search uses AI. These tools can scan large amounts of digital information and summarize it in seconds.
They can remind you of questions to ask your clinician or point you toward community resources you might not have known existed. As an educational tool, AI can help us feel more prepared and informed for a medical visit.
Where AI Falls Short: It Cannot Replace Human Insight
Problems arise when we begin using AI as a replacement for the clinical judgment of an experienced care provider. Clinical skills are developed over years of training and experience in patient care. The expertise acquired involves integrating judgment, logic, and reasoning on a background knowledge of the patient and circumstances. AI lacks this “lived and learned” experience and the insight that emerges only through direct clinical practice.
AI cannot understand the nuances of your personal history, context, values, or medical complexity. It cannot look you in the eye, notice subtle changes in your mood or tone of voice, or sense when you need extra reassurance or immediate intervention. These human qualities are a cherished and vital part of the clinical appointment.
AI Can Make Mistakes — and Miss Warning Signs
Most importantly, AI tools can, and do, make mistakes. They may sound confident and reassuring while giving incomplete, misleading, or even inaccurate health information.
It can be hard to know whether information, even when it sounds plausible, is outdated, incorrect, or completely made up (an AI “hallucination,” a term for when the system invents information that sounds believable but isn’t).
AI also lacks the ability to recognize emergencies. Someone searching phrases like “I can’t go on,” “I feel hopeless,” or “how to hurt myself” may receive generic wellness advice rather than the urgent, clear direction to reach crisis services. For individuals in distress, delays or misdirection carry serious risks.
Human emotions and suffering are enormously complex, and it must be recognized that a significant number of individuals who die by suicide have seen a care provider in the weeks prior. Suicide is notoriously difficult to predict.
Chronic and pervasive thoughts of wanting to pass from this world are common among those living with mental health conditions. What are the signs of imminent action? Many who spend time with a provider in the weeks before death by suicide do not reveal a plan. If they had, the provider would be expected to put in place the process for immediate help.
What they wouldn’t have done is what AI did in the past year, namely, helping write an explanatory letter about their upcoming suicide.
Privacy Risks Are Real
There is also the major concern of privacy. Most AI systems collect data, more than we users realize. What you type into a chatbot is likely stored, used in some way, and may be shared with other systems. It’s important to be thoughtful and cautious about sharing personal details.
Using AI Safely: A Helpful Tool, Not a Decision-Maker
So what is the safest way to use AI in mental health? Think of these tools simply as what they are: tools. Use them to gather background information, learn about treatment options, or locate community resources. AI can help you understand the vocabulary of mental health care, remind you of questions to ask your clinician, and empower you to participate more fully in your treatment.
But when it comes to making diagnostic decisions, adjusting medications, interpreting symptoms, or determining whether a treatment is right for you personally, AI should never replace the guidance of a trained clinician.
Mental health care involves listening, observing, collaborating, and understanding people within the context of their lives. Follow-up questions for clarification are the hallmark of an experienced clinician. No matter how sophisticated the technology becomes, these human dimensions cannot be automated.
A Helpful Companion, With Careful Limits
AI is a useful tool, and I use it daily, as do many of my patients. But like any tool, it must be used carefully and wisely. Stay curious, stay informed, and above all, stay connected to the professionals who can provide the clinical judgment and personalized care that AI cannot.
Remember AI is a tool for basic information but is not factual.
Melinda
Reference:
Agoraphobia: Symptoms, Causes and Treatment Options
Agoraphobia is a common but often misunderstood anxiety disorder that can make everyday situations feel overwhelming or even impossible; understanding the signs and seeking the right support can help you reclaim your freedom,
Many mental health conditions are simply extreme degrees of minor challenges that most people face regularly. It’s perfectly natural to feel some nervousness when you’re going somewhere you’ve never been before or going to a crowded place where there are a lot of people you don’t know; But, agoraphobia is different.
If that slight tinge of nervousness becomes intense anxiety that prevents you from doing things you normally would, it might be a condition called agoraphobia.
What Is Agoraphobia?
Agoraphobia is an intense fear of situations where there may not be an easy way to escape or where you may feel trapped or helpless.
At its core, it’s a phobia of being in a situation where you’re panicking and there’s not an easy way out. This typically translates into a fear of familiar places, crowds, public transportation and very open areas like large parking lots and open water.
In any given year, about 2% of people experience agoraphobia. That is about 6.8 million people in the US. It’s more commonly diagnosed in women than in men.
Agoraphobia can have a profound impact on your daily life. It can range in severity from avoiding certain activities you might otherwise enjoy, like parties, concerts or other large social events, to being unable to leave your home.
Some people become homebound for years or are unable to maintain a career and care for themselves because of it.
The Relationship Between Agoraphobia and Anxiety and Panic Disorders
Agoraphobia, like any other phobia, is a type of anxiety disorder. But it also has a unique relationship to panic disorders.
Agoraphobia often develops after a panic attack in a public place where escape feels impossible. Even if you were able to get out of the situation the first time, you have a fear that next time you won’t be able to.
Symptoms of Agoraphobia
The symptoms of agoraphobia include an extreme fear of:
- Unfamiliar places
- Public spaces, especially crowded places
- Waiting in line
- Leaving home by yourself
- Using public transportation
- Enclosed spaces outside your home, like elevators or movie theaters
- Large open spaces like parking lots or open water
Agoraphobia is specific to these types of circumstances, where you might not have a clear path to safety. Extreme anxiety in situations other than these might indicate other anxiety disorders.
Where’s the Line Between Worry and Agoraphobia?
One of the tricky aspects of phobias is understanding the difference between a “normal” amount of anxiety about a particular situation and a phobia. While only a mental health professional can diagnose agoraphobia, you could have this condition if:
- Your level of anxiety in the situation is out of proportion with the actual danger
- Your fear prevents you from doing things you would otherwise enjoy, like certain social outings
- You stop doing certain things or going places unless you have a trusted companion with you
- You’re experiencing these symptoms for six months or longer
When you’re in a situation that triggers your agoraphobia, the symptoms can manifest in physical, emotional or psychological and behavioral ways.
In these situations, physical symptoms can include:
- Tightness in your chest
- Rapid heartbeat
- Shortness of breath or hyperventilating (breathing too fast)
- Dizziness or disorientation
- Shaking or trembling
- Sweating even though you’re not warm
- Upset stomach
Meanwhile, the emotional or psychological symptoms can include:
- Dread
- Fixating on what could go wrong
- Feeling a loss of control
- Fear that you’re dying
During agoraphobia triggering situations, you may also have these behavioral symptoms:
- Avoiding certain situations, like crowded places
- Only going to certain places if you have someone with you
- Only going to certain places or events after planning out escape routes or what to do if you need to get out
Causes and Risk Factors of Agoraphobia
How do you know if you’re at risk for developing agoraphobia? It usually develops in the teenage or early adult years and does seem to have a genetic link. People who have a close relative with agoraphobia are more likely to develop it. Some studies indicate that the heritability is as high as 48-61%.
Genetics isn’t the only factor, though. There are often traumas and life experiences that contribute to agoraphobia, especially trauma that occurs in childhood. This can include abuse, being attacked or the loss of someone with whom you felt safe, such as a parent.
It’s also important to note that many people with agoraphobia have other mental health conditions too, like panic disorder, depression or PTSD. In particular, a large number of people with agoraphobia already had a panic disorder.Their agoraphobia may have been triggered after having a panic attack in a place where they felt unsafe or helpless.
While a panic attack in a public place might trigger agoraphobia, often these people already had some level of anxiety in these situations. So it may be a combination of panic disorder and existing agoraphobic tendencies.
How Agoraphobia Affects Daily Life
One of the hallmarks of a phobia or other anxiety disorders is its impact on your daily life and the limitations that it creates for you. It can affect your work, romantic relationships, family relationships and social life in numerous ways.
You may decline social events and invitations due to anxiety about the situation, or struggle to complete work assignments if they involve situations that make you anxious. You could be limited in the types of jobs you can accept.
Maybe you can only able to perform jobs where you can work from home or jobs that don’t involve situations in public or crowded places. Finally, your relationships may suffer because you aren’t able to join loved ones for the things they enjoy doing.
Agoraphobia can even prevent you from taking care of yourself and living independently, especially when it is severe. It could prevent you from doing essential tasks like going to the grocery store or running other errands, such as going to the doctor.
Finally, agoraphobia can have a substantial impact on your mental health, especially if you have co occurring conditions already. It can worsen conditions like depression, because you feel trapped at home or aren’t able to do activities that could boost your serotonin. In some cases, it can make substance use disorder worse, too.
Agoraphobia changed my life over five years ago. I don’t drive, walk outside of house, only leave the house for doctors appointments or to see my hairdresser. It’ also affected the activities I did in the past with my husband. I’ve read some great information on how to slowly gain confidence on being by myself. I have a plan to start as soon as my shoulder heals from surgery.
If Agoraphobia is impacting you quality of life, I hear you, and wish you all the best at venturing out when the time is right for you.
I am in no way supporting the site or it’s service offers, it is just the great information.
Melinda
To read the entire article click HERE.
Reference:
Book Review For Degloved: Every Scar Has A Story
I want to say a special thank you to Laura Sebright, Marketing & Ecommerce Executive at Trigger Publishing for sending this very interesting book for review.
About the Author
On October 18th 2014, Adelaide was in a bike crash that would change her life. She went through the driver’s side window of a car that pulled in front of her, suffering injuries that almost killed her – and emotional trauma that would continue for years to come. In addition to facing the physical injuries and PTSD, Adelaide worried about how the crash would affect her ability to cope with her bipolar II. After an arduous recovery, she returned to riding, eventually qualifying to become a professional triathlete. She is an advocate for cyclists’ safety and strives to help others who have suffered life-threatening crashes. Adelaide lives with her husband Kennett and their dog Maybellene.
Blurb
When the red Fiat pulled out in front of Adelaide, she squeezed her bike’s brakes so hard that she left 50 feet of skid marks along the highway. The last thing she remembers is being lifted into the ambulance and someone saying, “Her face is peeled off.”
She spent five days in a medically-induced coma, during which surgeons picked glass from her face, reconstructed bones and inserted a stomach tube. She spent another six days unable to talk, at times gasping for air, enduring leech treatments to keep her necrotizing lip alive, and fearing a crippling bipolar episode. Without knowing what neurological damage or permanent disfigurement she’d be left with, her boyfriend Kennett proposed to Adelaide daily in the hospital, until she became conscious. But her recovery would extend far beyond the hospital and the visible physical injuries.
DEGLOVED is about perseverance as well as failure, written to give hope to those living with mental illness, and anyone who has had a traumatic event thrust upon them, which threatened to destroy their lives.
My Thoughts
Where do you go after an accident almost cost took your life? For Adelaide, it’s moving forward slowly with an eye on recovery and sharing her story to help others. Not only was she in a coma, but also had reconstructive surgery, leech treatments, and fears that her Bipolar Disorder will pop its ugly head.
When you suffer from a traumatic injury it can cause PTSD and slow the recovery process. It can be more complicated if you have a mental illness, like Bipolar Disorder. For me, stress is a huge trigger for my Bipolar Disorder and it’s something I have to keep an eye on. It can throw me into depression very quickly.
Degloved is a book of tragedy and triumph with great lessons to learn about life after unsurmountable odds. Adelaide is a strong person and her perseverance against the odds gave her life back. She’s also a walking example of what our body can do when it comes back from hell.
Adelaide pushes herself thru unimaginable odds to go on to not only compete again but is now a professional Triathlete.
This book is for anyone who has been involved in a traumatic event or knows someone that has. The book is great for caregivers.
I recommend the book hands down. It’s a great read and a very inspiring story.
Trigger Publishing
TriggerHub.org is the first mental health organization of its kind. We are bringing mental health recovery and balance to millions of people worldwide through the power of our books. We have built a first-class resource of curated books produced and published in-house to create a unique collection of mental health recovery titles unrivaled in quality and selection. We work with experts, psychologists, doctors, and coaches to produce our books, but we also work with real people looking to share their stories to reach out to others and provide hope, understanding, and compassion. These brave authors also aim to raise awareness of mental health’s “human” face and its impact on everyday lives. Melinda
Repost
Daily Writing Prompt
After the shock wore off, I would cry for the photos of my Grandparents lost and any cherished items they handed down to me. Then I would have to get a grip the best way possible and be thankful for a roof over my head, food to eat and that my family is alive.
Things are nice to have, pretty decorations, art work, books, and list goes on, yet we don’t need those to survive. All we have to do is look around our own country and many other countries where so many people live in poverty and we can see how a simple act of kindness puts a heartfelt smile on their face. A simple gesture like repairing a leaky pipe for an elderly couple brings joy, tears and most important they don’t feel forgotten. I got a bit of course there.
I’m blessed in life, in poverty and in riches, I’ve found joy and a will to keep moving forward.
Melinda
Friday Quote
Thank you for joining me for this week’s Friday Quote.
Melinda
How to Handle Disrespect Without Taking It Personally
Bipolar can make disrespect feel overwhelming. Reframing others’ behavior keeps the focus on their actions — not your worth.
Did you know that no one can disrespect you?
That’s right! No one can disrespect us. When we feel disrespected, we’re taking someone’s words or actions personally, and we choose to feel disrespected. We assign to our response feelings like invalidation or disrespect. In actuality, they are not disrespecting us. Here’s why.
You’ve probably heard it before, but it’s absolutely true: People’s actions are a reflection of the person they are. They are projecting their behavior onto us.
Don’t Take Disrespect Personally
Learning not to take things personally is so important to our mental well-being and happiness. When we think people are being disrespectful, invalidating, or rejecting, that’s when we’re taking their behaviors personally and making their behaviors about us.
Another person’s behavior is not about us. It may feel like people are acting a certain way because of us, but the way people act is always about them.
When we feel disrespected, this is our cue to start reframing the situation for clarity and perspective. Instead of taking things personally and feeling bad about ourselves, we need to change our thinking to find perspective, objectivity, and clarity.
Reframe Negative Thoughts for a Healthier Perspective
I used to feel disrespected all the time, like I didn’t matter, and people put me last or trampled my boundaries. We can feel very low and cultivate a lot of negative thinking about ourselves when we have this perspective. This is not good for promoting a solid sense of self, healthy self-esteem, or positive self-image.
We need to protect ourselves from emotional hurt and invalidation. I’ve found that when I can reframe hurtful actions as experiences rather than taking them personally, it helps me cope with people who may be unaware or hurtful.
Not having the situation be about me makes it easier to maintain perspective, distance, and detachment.
How do you do this? Instead of claiming disrespect, detach from that idea and reframe the situation in terms of how the disrespectful person was behaving. Your thought process is no longer, They were disrespectful to me, which hurt my feelings! Instead, it becomes:
- They were being rude
- They were acting like a jerk
- They were being insensitive
- They were being disrespectful
And here’s the important part, … but that is a poor reflection of them and not hurtful to me.Again, the key here is, that’s not hurtful to me.
Why Strong Boundaries Protect Your Mental Health
The most important dynamic in human behavior and healthy relationships is creating and maintaining boundaries, in my opinion. Boundaries allow clarity, perspective, and detachment because they keep us in a safe space and separated from what crosses our boundaries and creates anger or hurt.arated from what crosses our boundaries and creates hurt or anger.
Melinda
Reference:
Top Bipolar Disorder Support Organizations and Resources
Professional support groups and networks play a vital role in addressing challenges faced by those living with bipolar disorder and their families.
Finding the right support can make a world of difference when living with bipolar disorder. National and international organizations offer resources, education, and community — helping individuals and families feel informed, empowered, and less alone.
These care networks — such as peer and professional support groups — create a sense of connection and belonging and provide practical insights for navigating the often complex mental health care system. They also offer valuable tools, such as self-help strategies and lifestyle recommendations, which empower individuals to manage their symptoms more effectively.
In addition to providing support and resources, some national networks are actively involved in research, clinical trials, and the development of innovative therapies.
Here’s a roundup of the best bipolar support organizations contributing to a brighter future for those who live with bipolar disorder or love someone who does:
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
The National Alliance on Mental Illness provides a range of programs designed to educate you and your family about bipolar disorder, including a peer-to-peer program specifically for adults living with mental health conditions.
They also feature a helpline on their website that offers free, confidential support, as well as referrals to local services, and guidance from trained volunteers. With local chapters all over the United States, the national organization can provide you with direct assistance, including access to support groups, educational initiatives, and community outreach programs.
As advocates for improved mental health policies, the National Alliance on Mental Illness actively works to enhance access to care, safeguard your rights, and increase research funding. Plus, they share the latest research findings in bipolar disorder management, helping you stay informed and empowered.
The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA)
As a leading national organization specializing in depression and bipolar disorder, the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance reaches millions of people each year with its extensive selection of resources. A key feature of their support system is the array of both in-person and online support groups, which are led by individuals who’ve had personal experiences with mood disorders. These groups provide a safe and comforting space where you can share your experiences, gain support, and learn coping strategies. And if you’re interested, they also provide training so you, too, can lead support groups and share your experiences with others.
The organization also offers dedicated resources for support partners, families, and friends. They provide an online community where your support network can connect with others in similar situations to exchange advice and gain support.
In addition to these support groups, the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance has plenty of educational materials to help you better understand your diagnosis, learn about treatment options, and find strategies for maintaining your bipolar stability.
Mental Health America (MHA)
A reliable resource to guide you on your journey with bipolar, Mental Health America offers a wealth of helpful information. This includes detailed insights into symptoms, understanding the diagnosis process, exploring various treatment options, and practical strategies for day-to-day coping.
Through their website, they offer various tools, including online screening options, to help you identify potential bipolar symptoms, insightful articles about the mood disorder, and hosting educational webinars and podcasts.
Understanding the value of shared experiences and community in managing bipolar disorder, Mental Health America promotes its peer-support platform, Inspire. They also conduct public awareness campaigns to help reduce stigma and advocate for research to enhance our understanding and management of this diagnosis.
International Bipolar Foundation (IBPF)
A valuable support, the International Bipolar Foundation provides a range of educational tools, including informative webinars and detailed blogs to help you — and your loved ones — understand and manage your condition more effectively. If you’re newly diagnosed, they offer a free book to guide you through this journey.
Recognizing the importance of having people around who understand what you’re going through, the foundation maintains a list of support groups worldwide. One of their main goals is to help you connect with these groups and mental health professionals, ensuring you can always find the help you need.
In collaboration with global organizations and experts, the International Bipolar Foundation is dedicated to advancing research to improve our knowledge and treatment of bipolar disorder. They’re also active in raising awareness and reducing stigma through various campaigns, promoting greater societal understanding and acceptance. For anyone in a crisis, they list international suicide hotlines.
American Psychiatric Association (APA)
Dedicated to promoting mental health through research, education, and advocacy, the American Psychiatric Association offers valuable resources for individuals with bipolar disorder and healthcare professionals. They create guidelines that doctors use to diagnose and treat bipolar, ensuring that you’re getting care based on the most current knowledge and research.
They also educate psychiatrists and health providers about the latest findings and treatment methods for bipolar disorder, which helps keep your health team updated and well-equipped to support you.
The association also conducts research and advocates for policies and funding that improve mental health care. This work can lead to a better understanding and treatments for bipolar disorder in the future. You can find informative articles, webinars, podcasts, and guidelines for diagnosis and treatment, all aimed at increasing understanding, reducing stigma, and improving overall care. If you need to find a psychiatrist in your area, consider trying their Find a Psychiatrist tool.
Mayo Clinic
This top U.S. hospital provides personalized care and support for people living with bipolar disorder, which includes everything from diagnosis to treatment. Mayo Clinic’s team of specialists, including those from their Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, work together to create a treatment plan designed specifically for you. This could include medications, therapy, lifestyle changes, or a mix of these.
Mayo Clinic provides educational resources to help you better understand your condition, manage your symptoms, and make informed decisions about your treatment. Plus, they offer support services like stress management assistance and help with any related school or work challenges.
They also have a comprehensive outpatient evaluation and treatment program at the Mayo Clinic Depression Center, along with the Mood Disorders Unit and the Mayo Mood Clinic.
And as part of their ongoing efforts to improve bipolar management, Mayo Clinic conducts research, which means you’d have access to the latest treatment options and may even be able to participate in clinical trials.
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
The National Institute of Mental Health — part of the world’s largest medical research organization, the National Institutes of Health — plays a significant role in supporting you or your loved ones.
A rich source of information about bipolar disorder, they maintain an extensive collection of educational materials on their website, providing in-depth insights into the symptoms, causes, diagnostic process, and treatment methods related to the disorder.
The institute invests in research and clinical trials to improve how we diagnose and treat bipolar disorder, and evaluate new treatment possibilities. They also collaborate with other organizations to raise public awareness about bipolar disorder and reduce its stigma. This helps everyone, from the general public to healthcare professionals, to better understand and respond to the complexities of this mood disorder.
Additional Mental Health Associations and Organizations
The following additional organizations spread awareness and understanding about bipolar disorder, the treatment of clinical depression, and mental health, in general. If you seek additional information about bipolar disease and depression treatment for yourself, a child, or loved one, we encourage you to explore these websites:
United States
- American Academy for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry • aacap.org
- America Foundation for Suicide Prevention • afsp.org
- American Psychiatric Nurses Association • apna.org
- Brain & Behavior Research Foundation • bbrfoundation.org
- Bring Change 2 Mind • bringchange2mind.org
- Families for Depression Awareness • familyaware.org
- The National Federation of Families • ffcmh.org
- Juvenile Bipolar Research Foundation • jbrf.org
- National Council for Mental Wellbeing • thenationalcouncil.org
Canada
- Canadian Mental Health Association • cmha.ca
- Canadian Psychiatric Association • cpa-apc.org
- Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention • suicideprevention.ca
- Mood Disorders Society of Canada (MDSC) • mooddisorderscanada.ca
- Partners for Mental Health • partnersformh.ca
Melinda
Reference:
We Will Never Forget
Melinda
Quote
Melinda
Friday Quote
Thank you for joining me for this week’s Friday Quote.
Melinda
Happy Birthday Daddy 1940-1992
The morning after you killed yourself, we went to secure the house. I knew immediately you suffered slowly. Among the papers, trash, and clothes and I found your lockbox. The divorce paperwork to my mother, every card I gave you as a child. I found the pad you were writing on. Your Bible on the coffee table, dried tears as you were reading Job in the Bible.
The note had 11:30 a.m. written in the corner. I could see you called your best friend and the phone number to a suicide line. There were words and a drawing that made no sense. Granny paralyzed, crying, asking why. The house ransacked, nothing anything made sense to her.
Dirty dishes piled high, nothing in the refrigerator, how did you live like this, how long? You phoned me several times in the months before your death. Delusional and highly paranoid each time. Someone was tapping your phone, they were trying to get you and the rest I could not understand, you were already gone. As much as I hated you, I cried, begged you not to kill yourself, trying to reason with him that Granny would never be the same. I paid your bills for months. You weren’t in touch with reality.
The outcome will not change if determined. I knew you would take your life and told no-one. I’ve wondered what went through your mind in the hours doodling to writing the note, then killing yourself. I received the call at 10:00 p.m., Gramps said your dad has done away with himself. I called right back to see if you were dead or going to the hospital.
The boxes of cassettes next to your bed, taking months to listen to. You were mentally ill, not under the care of a Psychiatrist, no medications. Your temper went 1-10 in seconds, obnoxious, loud, racist, screaming, out of control.
You had hit the bottom and I didn’t know because we were estranged,
I’ve experienced being suicidal more than once, God and my husband saved me. If you are thinking about suiside, call your Psychiatrist right away or go to closet hospital, be open with your doctor and follow all medications instructions, these actions may save your life. I’ve stayed in Psychistratic Hospitals multiple times, I had 21 ECT Treatments, and I feel no shame. My mental heath is critical to living a balanced life.
I think of you one day a year.
Melinda
Reposted
Daily Writing Prompt
I am a huge animal lover who is concerned about climate change, mental health, helping others and enjoying life. How I look doesn’t matter, that’s the last thing I want someone to remember. I’m a whole person and it’s important to show who I am on the inside.
Melinda
Daily Prompt
A new President who focuses on actions that serve the American people and understands international relations.
Melinda
What advice do you wish you’d gotten when you graduated from college? 25 TED speakers answer.
IDEAS.TED.COM
May 22, 2018 / Rebekah Barnett
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Whether you put on your cap and gown last week — or last century — these honest answers can give you some insight and guidance.
“If you don’t know what you want to do with the rest of your life, you’re not a failure. Give yourself time and get yourself experience to figure things out.”
— Angela Duckworth (TED Talk: Grit — the power of passion and persistence)
“Although I think I already knew this back when I graduated from college, I didn’t do it enough: trust your instincts. Deep inside you, you already know what you need to do to pursue your goals. And just as importantly, do not seek permission to pursue your goals. Pursue them. Only by doing so can you show the world what you had in mind and get the support of others.”
— Alejandro Sánchez Alvarado (TED Talk: To solve old problems, study new species)
“Don’t take yourself, your decisions, your outcomes or even your mistakes so damn seriously. There’s nowhere special to get to and no special accomplishment to check off the list. The moment is now; the place is here; the person is you. Make choices that make you feel alive. But here’s my advice about my advice — I couldn’t have possibly done this myself when I was a new college graduate because I was Wrapped. Way. Too. Tightly. This would have sounded like loosey-goosey hokum to me, and I’d have rolled my eyes and gone back to alphabetizing my soup shelf. Truly, what I wish I’d done differently during the past 20 years is enjoyed the ride and engaged in less hand-wringing over my decisions. I wish I’d trusted myself more, trusted the universe more, trusted the love and support of family and friends more, and realized this: ‘I’m enough, and it’s all going to be great.’ Because it has been marvelous.”
— Casey Brown (TED Talk: Know your worth, and then ask for it)
“It’s okay to quit your first job — even if it was really hard to get it, it paid well, and everyone seemed to admire you for getting it. If you hate your job, you’ll be wasting your life acquiring skills, contacts and a reputation that you don’t want to use. The sooner you find something you love, the better.”
— Tim Harford (TED Talk: How frustration can make us more creative)
“The world can only thrive when people know what they’re talking about. Find the thing that makes you want to know what you’re talking about. Then talk about it.”
— Ruth Chang (TED Talk: How to make hard choices)
“The advice that I wish I’d gotten when I graduated from college is: Pay attention to the difference between the quick hits of excitement that come from that first kiss of a new relationship or job and those feelings you get when you think about your strong connections with family or friends. Don’t get fooled by shiny things — that shine fades over time, while the gold of strong relationships never tarnishes. Remember the differences between these feelings to help you make decisions as you go forward.”
— Judson Brewer (TED Talk: A simple way to break a bad habit)
“1) Your high heels are not too high, even if you are a scientist. Someday, your unusual shoe choice will be just the right height to carry you into prestigious research labs and important business meetings, and help you peer into a wasp nest and discover a microorganism that will change the beer-brewing world. Your heels are just right for your journey. 2) There can be great beauty and great utility in what at first evokes feelings of fear and disgust, so dare to explore. 3) Remember to stop and sniff the microbes. This will probably help you gain perspective, but it will definitely help you discover future microbial technologies.”
— Anne Madden (TED Talk: Meet the microscopic life in your home and on your face)
“Regarding relationships of all categories (platonic, romantic, professional, etc.): Don’t let someone take up your emotional real estate if they aren’t paying rent.”
— Sarah Kay (TED Talk: If I should have a daughter … )
“Never stop learning. When we graduate college and start our careers, we often understand that we have a lot to learn, so we approach our jobs with a learning orientation. We ask questions; we observe others; we know we may be wrong; and we realize we’re works in progress. But once we gain competence in our jobs, too many of us stop learning and growing. The most successful people — in work and in life — never stop deliberately continuing to learn and improve.”
— Eduardo Briceño (TED Talk: How to get better at the things you care about)
“I felt a lot of urgency to ‘do good’ right out of the gate after college, working in nonprofits and government right away. I wish someone had urged me to build my skills instead, so I would have received mentoring on my professional performance and communication early on. Then, when I transitioned into the social good sector, I’d have had a good set of tools and habits to bring with me.”
— Jessica Ladd (TED Talk: The reporting system that sexual assault survivors want)
“Graduation is a euphoric moment, but soon after, people often experience withdrawal symptoms. One reason is that your immediately accessible social network has been pulled out from under you, and entering ‘the real world’ means that you lose the effortless social interaction from dorm life, organized clubs and regular parties. Rather than feeling down, be intentional about maintaining and building a social world that brings out your richest self. And, when you hit your lowest points, in addition to turning to your strongest and closest relationships for support, have the courage to widen both your thinking and your networks as well.”
— Tanya Menon (TED Talk: The secret to great opportunities? The person you haven’t met yet)
“Look for people’s inner worlds. Imagine their hopes and fears and what it feels like to be them. Seeing into other hearts can make you more effective in achieving personal and professional goals. It may also give you the comfort of remembering how deeply alike we all are.”
— Bill Bernat (TED Talk: How to connect with depressed friends)
“I was the first to attend college in my family, so neither my parents nor my siblings could advise me on my graduate school or career plans. I heeded my inner calling and pursued two master’s degrees in information systems at same time, and it all worked out well. Remember: your best academic counselor and career advisor is your heart.”
— Navi Radjou (TED Talk: Creative problem solving in the case of extreme limits)
“I know the anxiety-provoking notion that you have to specialize or you will never become successful is weighing heavily on you right now. There’s good news! It just isn’t true. You can do and be many things and still thrive professionally. Over the next ten years, you’ll meet amazing people who are doing all kinds of things, such as a programmer/comedian/author and a filmmaker/teacher/carpenter. It’s OK to be a complex, multifaceted person who doesn’t fit neatly in one box. In fact, it’s actually a lot of fun.”
— Emilie Wapnick (TED Talk: Why some of us don’t have one true calling)
“Be less afraid of getting older — way, way less afraid. Our fears are way out of proportion to the reality, and we squander a ridiculous amount of our youth worrying about it.”
— Ashton Applewhite (TED Talk: Let’s end ageism)
“Give yourself more time. So many college graduates immediately start wanting to make all their dreams come true at once — this can go wrong in many ways. The first is the frustration that you’re not ‘there’ yet. It’s going to take time to find (or build) your dream career. The second is burnout. If you find your career early, you can find yourself setting all sorts of unrealistic goals with arbitrary deadlines and chase them until you drop from fatigue. You can have it all — but not all at once.”
— David Burkus (TED Talk: Why you should know how much your coworkers get paid)
“Whenever possible, get as uncomfortable as possible. Challenge yourself to get outside of your comfort zone regularly — spend time with people you deeply disagree with, read books about experiences you will never have, travel to places where you don’t speak the language, and take jobs in industries you’ve never worked in before. And if you feel yourself resisting, try again. Those experiences will help you build deep empathy, and we could all use more of that.”
— Anjali Kumar (TED Talk: My failed mission to find God and what I found instead)
“Surround yourself with people who help you be the best versions of yourself. Avoid those who don’t. And get enough sleep.”
—Lisa Feldman Barrett (TED Talk: You aren’t at the mercy of your emotions)
“When I graduated, I wish I’d known the research showing that future success doesn’t lead to happiness. I sometimes got paralyzed by the fear that happiness existed only if I found the perfect job, degree or position. In truth, the research is clear: happiness exists down almost any life path as long as you are grateful for the present, and develop meaningful relationships. Choose optimism and gratitude now and invest more in others, and happiness will be a lifelong advantage as you pursue your dreams.”
— Shawn Achor (TED Talk: The happy secret to better work)
“You don’t have to pursue what you studied. I followed my heart, and now I’m happier and more satisfied with life than I could have ever envisioned. We kill ourselves looking for jobs in our fields of study, while there are a million other things we are able to do. I also wish somebody had told me money doesn’t equate to happiness. When you get a job and start working, don’t forget to live.”
— Kasiva Mutua (TED Talk: How to use the drum to tell your story)
“You don’t have to do something extraordinary to lead a meaningful life; you don’t have to cure cancer, become an Instagram celebrity, or write the Great American Novel. Freud said that the meaning of life lies in love and work. So: In your relationships, lead with love. Be generous, be vulnerable, give of yourself to others, and don’t do the expedient thing just because it’s more convenient for you. Make the effort to put others first. In your career, find work that makes you proud and adopt a service mindset — remember how what you’re doing helps others, no matter how big or small the impact may be. Touching the life of just a single person is a powerful legacy to leave behind. Finally, make gratitude a part of your daily life; don’t save it for Thanksgiving. Every day, reflect on one or two things that happened to you which you’re grateful for. Not only will it make you happier, but it will also put you in touch with what really matters. Then, when you experience setbacks or hardships, it will also be a good reminder of how blessed you really are.”
— Emily Esfahani Smith (TED Talk: There’s more to life than being happy)
“When you finish college and begin your first job or internship, you’ll be keen to learn all you can and impress your employer so you can start on the path to promotions and raises. But the important thing that you might not see amidst all this excitement is the great idea that could someday become a great business or entrepreneurial venture. I’ve found the most interesting employment that life offers is often something of your own creation that you do full time or in addition to your main job. So, after you graduate from college, take the time to identify a venture that you’d like to do by yourself or with friends, and start building it. One day, you’ll be glad you started early.”
— Washington Wachira (TED Talk: For the love of birds)
“Move toward the light — toward people, activities, ideas that make you see more, that nourish you. Do this for at least five years. At that point, you can take stock and decide if you need to do some utterly practical, careerist, traditionally ‘wise’ thing. But give yourself a chance to follow your heart and your mind first. The best careers are built by people who have had a breadth of experiences on which to draw. Don’t get anxious if for a while your life seems to be made of a lot of fragments; in time, they will seem like facets of a diamond.”
— Sherry Turkle (TED Talk: Connected, but alone?)
“That adage about pursuing things you’re passionate about does eventually pay off. When? No one knows. I suppose that’s why it’s a pursuit.”
— David Sengeh (TED Talk: The sore problem of prosthetic limbs)
“It’s traditional at graduation to offer neat, packaged stories of triumph over difficulties. But life isn’t like that — it’s open-ended, subject to a million contingencies and constant change. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t make plans. But it does mean you should be alert to all the changes in the world and in yourself that could render your plan suddenly obsolete, unattractive or perverse. Be open to change. Be prepared to experiment. Take risks. Keep learning. Make your life your own.”
— Margaret Heffernan (TED Talk: Dare to disagree)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rebekah Barnett is the community speaker coordinator at TED, and knows a good flag when she sees
Melinda
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