Educate: Racing Thoughts

“Racing thoughts” or “rapid thought patterns” is a common symptom of bipolar mania, hypomania and mixed episodes. Rapid thoughts can be thoughts, music, and/or voices that zoom through one’s mind while jumping from one item to another. It can be overwhelming, tiresome, painful, and just downright annoying. Racing thoughts is a symptom that is most commonly associated with anxiety and bipolar disorders.

Wikipedia describes racing thoughts as follows:

“Generally, racing thoughts are described by an individual who has had an episode where the mind uncontrollably brings up random thoughts and memories and switches between them very quickly. Sometimes they are related, as one thought leads to another; other times they seem completely random. A person suffering from an episode of racing thoughts has no control over his or her train of thought, and it stops them from focusing on one topic or prevents sleeping.”*

How do you explain to someone how it feels to have racing thoughts? One way is to picture a shoebox full of ping pong balls that is being shaken. Another way is to imagine your mind hurtling through an asteroid field with things coming at you from all sides – and you cannot possibly process them all. Sometimes, your mind might get stuck on a particular thought or set of thoughts – it is like a hamster running around it’s wheel. It is almost like your mind is assaulting itself and the feeling can be completely overwhelming. I can also cause irritation, anxiety, fatigue, and in severe cases, delusion.

Methods of treatment for racing thoughts is a hotly debated topic: some suggest meditation and/or medication. However, since rapid thought patterns are just one symptom of larger disorders, it is generally agreed that the most direct way to deal with them is to treat that underlying disorder.

*Racing Thoughts – Wikipedia

25 Things To Know About Taking Medication for Mental Illness

Many people do not understand why people take medications for mental illness, how they work, and the stigma surrounding them. I cannot stress how excellent this article is in heading light on those issues via statements from mental health patients. For instance:

 

 

• “They don’t tell you a medicine might work for a while, maybe a year, then suddenly it can stop, and you’ll have to start all over again and find a new medicine.”
• “What I take doesn’t cure my illness. I am not ‘all better.’”
• “Medication alone won’t work.”
• “They aren’t ‘happy pills’ and a quick fix as some people think….”
• “Medication is nothing to be ashamed of. You don’t tell a person with an ear infection not to take their meds because they are strong enough to overcome the infection.”

This article is fantastic and so eye-opening. I highly encourage all to read.

via The Mighty.

Friday Funny: Herbal Tea

I have much love for “physical illness vs. mental illness” satire comparisons – they are a great way to illustrate common double-standards in a humorous way.

via BuzzFeed.

*Many thanks to Mike D. for the heads upon this article!

Friday Funny: Refreshing

Continue the Conversation About Depression

Each year, more than 40,000 people will take their lives in the United States. That’s an average of 117 individuals per day. Furthermore, it’s estimated that more than 80 percent of people who are suffering from depression are not receiving treatment.

I read the opening paragraph of this article and my heart just broke. 40,000 people per year. 117 per day. And the majority of people who have this illness don’t seek treatment.

Why? Stigma.

Does this insanity make any sense whatsoever? We need to keep pushing to raise awareness about the different types of mental illness. We need to break the negative stereotypes about people with mental illness.

40,000 people are counting on us.

via Huffington Post.