Jane Mountain, MD - Articles

 

Jane Mountain, MD, is an author and speaker, who brings practical knowledge about living with bipolar disorder. She is the author of Bipolar Disorder: Insights for Recovery and Beyond Bipolar: 7 Steps to Wellness. She publishes a website at www.BeyondBipolar.com.

Bipolar Disorder, Type Ii: How is it Like Rodney Dangerfield?

Talk about bipolar disorder and the average person is thinking about mania. Mania gets all the media play—it’s what the average person on the street thinks of when bipolar disorder is mentioned. Celebrities with Type I get all the attention and become spokespeople for bipolar disorder. The drama of Type I overwhelms its seductive, depressive fellow actor, Type II. But those of us who experience Type II, know how its tendrils can snake into the very cockles of our hearts. So what is the power of bipolar disorder, Type II? How is it different from Type I? Why is it a challenging diagnosis? Read

By: Jane Mountain, MD | 14/10/2007 | Wellness

The Four Moods of Bipolar Disorder

The goal of this article will be to answer these questions: What is mood? What is normal mood? What is depression? What are hypomania and mania? How can I meet the challenges of bipolar disorder? The core challenge in bipolar disorder is the brain’s inability to regulate mood. Understanding this is crucial in learning to manage your illness. When your brain is not keeping your mood within a normal range, you are challenged to seek treatment. Medications and psychotherapy, sometimes called talk therapy, can help you. It is important to realize that the goal of treatment is not to take away your personality and creativity. It is to help regulate your moods so that your personality and creativity shine through in a healthy, productive life. Because treatment works you will feel better and be able to accomplish your life goals. Read

By: Jane Mountain, MD | 10/07/2007 | Diseases & Conditions