Daily Archives: August 27, 2015

Many things affect the growth of bacteria. Many things affect what kind of bacteria grow. Some of these things are pH, temperature, the type of nutrients. The immune system can also determine which bacteria survive in our bodies, if the immune system attacks and kills a certain type of bacteria, then it cannot survive (unless we are very weakened). If the immune system does not react against a type of bacteria, then that type can grow. Same goes for fungi and viruses as well. All the friendly bacteria in our gut, like Lactobacillus or Enterobacter (which synthesizes Vitamin K for us) are not attacked by our immune system and live in symbiosis (mutual benefit) in our gut.

Illness can change what bacteria live in our bodies by changing the above things I mentioned. How is it that the type of bacteria living in the throats of people who have schizophrenia is different from controls (those who do not have schizophrenia)? Is is related to the onset or continuity of the illness or is it simply incidental? Even if it is incidental, at the very least, it may be useful in the diagnosis of this illness, which is very complex and very difficult to treat.

Could it be that the different microbiome in people with schizophrenia can affect the gut neuronal tissue and alter the types or amounts of neurotransmitters produced and this then affects the brain neuronal tissue and then is involved in generation of disease? The immune system is also in intimate contact with the gut, in fact a part of the immune system is called Gut Associated Lymphoid Tissue or GALT. The gut associated neurons aka the gut brain or gut nervous system line the cells of the gut. The immune system, and neuronal tissue come into intimate contact in the gut, exactly where there are trillions of bacteria living, in the gut. So much is happening in the gut. The importance of GALT, the gut nervous system, the microbiome, and the gut itself cannot be overlooked. It’s a puzzle, but a puzzle whose pieces are slowly coming together to form a picture. Let’s see what the picture will show us.

Oh my god! Could it be that simple? Fix the microbiomes of patients and they’ll be cured of schizophrenia? No, I doubt it, but still this is a phenomenal discovery! That the throat microbiomes of schizophrenia patients and people who don’t have schizophrenia (controls) are significantly different. The microbiome is the collection of bacteria, viruses, and fungi that live in our bodies with us. Once again this brings the immune system into the picture, and as I posted in my very last post, it also brings the gut nervous system (aka gut brain) and gut immune system into play. Why are different bacteria, fungi, viruses growing in the throats of people who have schizophrenia? Is their immune system different? If so, why is their immune system different? How is it different? Are the bacteria in the gut also different since the throat all the way to the anus is about 9 feet of the alimentary canal. If the microbiome is different, what affect is it having on the gut nervous system and also ultimately on the brain, also known as the central nervous system? Phenomenal discovery! Also shows how interconnected everything is! Studying the brain or the gut or the immune system in isolation is all well and good, but we have to study relationships within these systems and how they affect one another and us. Also a very important question for me: Is this also the case for people who have bipolar d/o? Do we also have microbiomes that are different from control individuals? And again, all the questions I asked above apply in this case too.

http://www.neuroscientistnews.com/research-news/researchers-identify-signature-microbiomes-associated-schizophrenia

“Recent studies have shown that microbiomes—the communities of microbes living within our bodies—can affect the immune system and may be connected to mental health.

Research linking immune disorders and schizophrenia has also been published, and this study furthers the possibility that shifts in oral communities are associated with schizophrenia.

Mr. Castro-Nallar’s research sought to identify microbes associated with schizophrenia, as well as components that may be associated with or contribute to changes in the immune state of the person. In this study, the group found a significant difference in the microbiomes of healthy and schizophrenic patients.

“Our results suggesting a link between microbiome diversity and schizophrenia require replication and expansion to a broader number of individuals for further validation,” said Keith Crandall, director of the CBI and contributing author of the study. “But the results are quite intriguing and suggest potential applications of biomarkers for diagnosis of schizophrenia and important metabolic pathways associated with the disease.”

The study helps to identify possible contributing factors to schizophrenia. With additional studies, researchers may be able to determine if microbiome changes are a contributing factor to schizophrenia, are a result of schizophrenia or do not have a connection to the disorder.

There are a 100 billion neurons, on average, in the human brain, the one in our skulls. There are an additional 100 million neurons in out guts, this is called the enteric nervous system. The butterflies in our stomach? Yes, generated here. Gut feelings? Yes generated in the enteric nervous system! Why do we have 100 million neurons embedded in the walls of our gut? Well one function, perhaps the primary function is digestion and excretion of food. However, there is more, these neurons also produce Serotonin, in fact they produce the majority of Serotonin in the body. They also produce 30 neurotransmitters, just like the brain in our heads. So, as neurotransmitters are the communication molecules between neurons, also between neurons and other cells, there is communication going on between the enteric brain and the main brain. A large part of our emotions are most likely influenced by this enteric brain! Most of the nerve impulses generated in the vagus nerve are headed towards the brain in our heads, that means there is a lot of information going from the gut to our brain! The enteric brain also exists to deal with the trillions of gut bacteria that reside in the gut! The gut has been implicated in Autism, osteoporosis, perhaps depression and mood disorders as well, as the large production of Serotonin points to. There is already a field called psychoneuroimmunology, which looks at the relationship of neurons, immune systems, and our psychological state. Now we can add gastroenterology to that!

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/gut-second-brain/ Full text below:

The emerging and surprising view of how the enteric nervous system in our bellies goes far beyond just processing the food we eat

As Olympians go for the gold in Vancouver, even the steeliest are likely to experience that familiar feeling of “butterflies” in the stomach. Underlying this sensation is an often-overlooked network of neurons lining our guts that is so extensive some scientists have nicknamed it our “second brain”.

A deeper understanding of this mass of neural tissue, filled with important neurotransmitters, is revealing that it does much more than merely handle digestion or inflict the occasional nervous pang. The little brain in our innards, in connection with the big one in our skulls, partly determines our mental state and plays key roles in certain diseases throughout the body.

Although its influence is far-reaching, the second brain is not the seat of any conscious thoughts or decision-making.

“The second brain doesn’t help with the great thought processes…religion, philosophy and poetry is left to the brain in the head,” says Michael Gershon, chairman of the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology at New York–Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center, an expert in the nascent field of neurogastroenterology and author of the 1998 book The Second Brain(HarperCollins).

Technically known as the enteric nervous system, the second brain consists of sheaths of neurons embedded in the walls of the long tube of our gut, or alimentary canal, which measures about nine meters end to end from the esophagus to the anus. The second brain contains some 100 million neurons, more than in either the spinal cord or the peripheral nervous system, Gershon says.

This multitude of neurons in the enteric nervous system enables us to “feel” the inner world of our gut and its contents. Much of this neural firepower comes to bear in the elaborate daily grind of digestion. Breaking down food, absorbing nutrients, and expelling of waste requires chemical processing, mechanical mixing and rhythmic muscle contractions that move everything on down the line.

Thus equipped with its own reflexes and senses, the second brain can control gut behavior independently of the brain, Gershon says. We likely evolved this intricate web of nerves to perform digestion and excretion “on site,” rather than remotely from our brains through the middleman of the spinal cord. “The brain in the head doesn’t need to get its hands dirty with the messy business of digestion, which is delegated to the brain in the gut,” Gershon says. He and other researchers explain, however, that the second brain’s complexity likely cannot be interpreted through this process alone.

“The system is way too complicated to have evolved only to make sure things move out of your colon,” says Emeran Mayer, professor of physiology, psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles (U.C.L.A.). For example, scientists were shocked to learn that about 90 percent of the fibers in the primary visceral nerve, the vagus, carry information from the gut to the brain and not the other way around. “Some of that info is decidedly unpleasant,” Gershon says.

The second brain informs our state of mind in other more obscure ways, as well. “A big part of our emotions are probably influenced by the nerves in our gut,” Mayer says. Butterflies in the stomach—signaling in the gut as part of our physiological stress response, Gershon says—is but one example. Although gastrointestinal (GI) turmoil can sour one’s moods, everyday emotional well-being may rely on messages from the brain below to the brain above. For example, electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve—a useful treatment for depression—may mimic these signals, Gershon says.

Given the two brains’ commonalities, other depression treatments that target the mind can unintentionally impact the gut. The enteric nervous system uses more than 30 neurotransmitters, just like the brain, and in fact 95 percent of the body’s serotonin is found in the bowels. Because antidepressant medications called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) increase serotonin levels, it’s little wonder that meds meant to cause chemical changes in the mind often provoke GI issues as a side effect. Irritable bowel syndrome—which afflicts more than two million Americans—also arises in part from too much serotonin in our entrails, and could perhaps be regarded as a “mental illness” of the second brain.

Scientists are learning that the serotonin made by the enteric nervous system might also play a role in more surprising diseases: In a new Nature Medicine study published online February 7, a drug that inhibited the release of serotonin from the gut counteracted the bone-deteriorating disease osteoporosis in postmenopausal rodents. (Scientific American is part of Nature Publishing Group.) “It was totally unexpected that the gut would regulate bone mass to the extent that one could use this regulation to cure—at least in rodents—osteoporosis,” says Gerard Karsenty, lead author of the study and chair of the Department of Genetics and Development at Columbia University Medical Center.

Serotonin seeping from the second brain might even play some part in autism, the developmental disorder often first noticed in early childhood. Gershon has discovered that the same genes involved in synapse formation between neurons in the brain are involved in the alimentary synapse formation. “If these genes are affected in autism,” he says, “it could explain why so many kids with autism have GI motor abnormalities” in addition to elevated levels of gut-produced serotonin in their blood.

Down the road, the blossoming field of neurogastroenterology will likely offer some new insight into the workings of the second brain—and its impact on the body and mind. “We have never systematically looked at [the enteric nervous system] in relating lesions in it to diseases like they have for the” central nervous system, Gershon says. One day, perhaps there will be well-known connections between diseases and lesions in the gut’s nervous system as some in the brain and spinal cord today indicate multiple sclerosis.

Cutting-edge research is currently investigating how the second brain mediates the body’s immune response; after all, at least 70 percent of our immune system is aimed at the gut to expel and kill foreign invaders.

U.C.L.A.’s Mayer is doing work on how the trillions of bacteria in the gut “communicate” with enteric nervous system cells (which they greatly outnumber). His work with the gut’s nervous system has led him to think that in coming years psychiatry will need to expand to treat the second brain in addition to the one atop the shoulders.

So for those physically skilled and mentally strong enough to compete in the Olympic Games—as well as those watching at home—it may well behoove us all to pay more heed to our so-called “gut feelings” in the future.

30 Things About My Invisible Illness You May Not Know

1. The illness I live with is: Bipolar Disorder
2. I was diagnosed with it in the year: 1987
3. But I had symptoms since: 1983
4. The biggest adjustment I’ve had to make is: I started to struggle with depression at the age of 13 and had my first manic episode when I was 17.  At the time, I was embarrassed and humiliated and honestly thought I was crazy and weak.  I have had to readjust my thinking to I am a strong person living with an illness that affects my life every day.  I have tried to think that this is something I should be proud of not ashamed of.
5. Most people assume: Unfortunately, with the stigma of mental illness, many people think that I am violent.   I really think that those who are uneducated think I am crazy.  It is frustrating because some people think I am weak and others think I am faking it or that mental illness does not even exist.  Many think they should steer away from being my friend or from being associated with me.
6. The hardest part about mornings are: When I am depressed, it is hard to even get up out of bed and get motivated.  Sometimes I wish that I could just go back to sleep and not deal with anything.  When I am manic, since I have a lot of energy, I am ready to go and there really isn’t anything hard.  However, there is the challenge of not doing things I will regret, remembering to eat, and to relax.
7. My favorite medical TV show is: ER
8. A gadget I couldn’t live without is: My laptop
9. The hardest part about nights are: When I am depressed, it is when I am trying to get to sleep I think very negatively and it is hard to keep my mind off of them.  I often replay all the horrible things I have done when I was manic.  If I am getting manic, I can’t sleep and toss and turn and worry that I am getting manic. If I am manic, I oftentimes don’t sleep.
10. Each day I take __ pills & vitamins:   I currently take 2 meds regularly and 2 vitamins, but have 3 that I can use if needed. Over the years, there have been times I have taken 16 meds at a time.
11. Regarding alternative treatments I: I believe that people holistic approaches are important.  I think in most cases, with mental illnesses, it is hard to control without some medications.  Unfortunately, many psychiatrists push medications with the encouragement of the pharmaceutical companies.  It has been hard to find a doctor who is willing to work with me with an alternative approach.
12. If I had to choose between an invisible illness or visible I would choose: I think having a serious mental illness is awful. It is not only invisible, but many people don’t understand it and judge  you.  I would not wish my illness on anyone.  The cliche “the grass is greener on the other side” applies here though. I think my illness is awful, but until I were to live with another illness, I could not really say.  I have had dystonia (I could not lift my head up-my chin was attached to my chest).  If I were to compare bipolar disorder to that, I would have to say that even though the dystonia was awful, I would rather have that than bipolar disorder.

13. Regarding working and career: Although I struggled with mania and depression while in college, I was able to graduate. I have worked several jobs including being a teacher for over 9 years.  However, due to being in the hospital 16 times in a year for my mental illness and other serious medical issues, I had to go on disability. When I am up to it, I have worked part-time for a relative, mainly at home where I can set my own hours.  He also understands that sometimes I am just not able to work.
14. People would be surprised to know: Despite having a mental illness, I have never been in jail and never done anything violent. I have accomplished a lot in my life. I was the president of several clubs in high school. I was the grade level chairperson, organized successful  school wide events, and was  even was Teacher of the Year one year.
15. The hardest thing to accept about my new reality has been: People are going to judge me and there is not much I can do about it. I have to ignore those people and know that I am a fighter and am a good person despite my mental illness.  Also, going on disability was a very hard thing to do as I have always been a hard worker.  I hate the question, “what do you do for  a living?”.  Honestly, rarely do I admit that I am on disability.
16. Something I never thought I could do with my illness that I did was: I have always reached for the starts and unless I am depressed, I don’t and won’t let my mental illness stop me from making a difference.   I also didn’t think I would be accepted by people and be loved. However, I have some really good friends and am married to a wonderful, patient man who is very supportive.
17. The commercials about my illness: So many of them are advertising medications, unfortunately.  It saddens me that so many people with mental illnesses are talked into taking really expensive medications that don’t have a generic yet.  Once in awhile, I will see a public service announcement about mental illness that are encouraging. There are people out there making a difference when it comes to educating others and reducing the stigma. 
18. Something I really miss doing since I was diagnosed is: I wish I knew what normal was.  I am not sure if I ever will. It is hard to plan anything in the future because I don’t know how I will be feeling.
19. It was really hard to have to give up: It  was hard to give up working full-time. I have always been a hard worker. Admitting that the stress was too much, was a really difficult thing to face.  
20. A new hobby I have taken up since my diagnosis is: I blog about my bipolar disorder and run several social media sites that deal with mental health advocacy and mental illness. I also started an advocacy group on FB.  
21. If I could have one day of feeling normal again I would: I am not sure if I would know what normal is. However, if I knew I was going to stay that way, I would get a job and plan a vacation not having to worry about if I would be too depressed to enjoy it or manic and risk doing things I would regret.
22. My illness has taught me: My illness has taught me perseverance.  It has taught me to try and leave things I have done in the past and move on.  It is hard to forgive myself especially when I have hurt the people I love.  This often takes time, but is very much needed. If I were to dwell on all the mistakes I made when I was manic, I would stay depressed indefinitely.
23. Want to know a secret? One thing people say that gets under my skin is: It really upsets me that when someone commits a violent crime that the media so quickly wants to talk about how the person had a mental illness. This often happens before it is even confirmed.  I wish the media would not contribute to the stigma and instead educate people that less than 1% of the people with mental illness are violent.  It saddens me that they share all their opinions and yet very rarely use the opportunity to educate people about mental illness, let people know that it is okay to get help, and give resources of where people can go if they need help.
24. But I love it when people:  When someone accepts me for who I am. It is really amazing when they want to know more about my illness and what they can do to help me.
25. My favorite motto, scripture, quote that gets me through tough times is: The “Don’t Quit” poem was given to me by my dad when I was first struggling with my illness. I have included it below. It has gotten me through some very hard times.
26. When someone is diagnosed I’d like to tell them: I would like to tell them I am sorry and how awful my struggles have been. However, I don’t because I don’t want to discourage them. Instead,   I let them know I am here if they ever need anything. I also let them know they still can do anything they set their minds to. I sometimes let them know that it will not be easy, but it depends on the person and situation. I let them know that it is important to have a support system and an action plan if I get the chance to talk to them in great detail.
27. Something that has surprised me about living with an illness is: I have been able to help others through my blogging, FB group and page. I can still make a difference even though I am not getting paid.  It is good to know that there are days that I am hopeful that they will find a cure and that stigma will be erased.  Thinking that gives me great hope.
28. The nicest thing someone did for me when I wasn’t feeling well was:  My mom was always there no matter how badly I had treated her. Just having someone to listen and not judge is invaluable.  She passed away less than a year ago and this has caused a huge void as she was one of the very few people who really tried to understand and would do anything to help me. She loved me unconditionally, was a great listener, often knew exactly the right thing to say and had a way of making me feel special and accepted no matter what I had done.  She also was good about encouraging me and sometimes gave me the “kick in the butt” that I needed.
29. I’m involved with Invisible Illness Awareness Week because: I think it is important that others know about the various illnesses so there is less judging and more understanding. I hope that some day people accept us for who we are.  Until then, weeks like this are necessary. I appreciate you having this important time when people can share their story and educate others.
30. The fact that you read this list makes me feel: I am glad that you took the time to read it and thank you for caring enough to do so. I hope that you take some time to learn more about bipolar disorder and the other mental illnesses and share something you learned with someone else.  It is through education that we can change the way society views mental illness.

This blog about my invisible illness and other people’s stories can be found here:  Invisible Fight: Invisible Awareness Week 2015

Source for Don’t Quit picture

30 Things About My Invisible Illness You May Not Know

1. The illness I live with is: Bipolar Disorder
2. I was diagnosed with it in the year: 1987
3. But I had symptoms since: 1983
4. The biggest adjustment I’ve had to make is: I started to struggle with depression at the age of 13 and had my first manic episode when I was 17.  At the time, I was embarrassed and humiliated and honestly thought I was crazy and weak.  I have had to readjust my thinking to I am a strong person living with an illness that affects my life every day.  I have tried to think that this is something I should be proud of not ashamed of.
5. Most people assume: Unfortunately, with the stigma of mental illness, many people think that I am violent.   I really think that those who are uneducated think I am crazy.  It is frustrating because some people think I am weak and others think I am faking it or that mental illness does not even exist.  Many think they should steer away from being my friend or from being associated with me.
6. The hardest part about mornings are: When I am depressed, it is hard to even get up out of bed and get motivated.  Sometimes I wish that I could just go back to sleep and not deal with anything.  When I am manic, since I have a lot of energy, I am ready to go and there really isn’t anything hard.  However, there is the challenge of not doing things I will regret, remembering to eat, and to relax.
7. My favorite medical TV show is: ER
8. A gadget I couldn’t live without is: My laptop
9. The hardest part about nights are: When I am depressed, it is when I am trying to get to sleep I think very negatively and it is hard to keep my mind off of them.  I often replay all the horrible things I have done when I was manic.  If I am getting manic, I can’t sleep and toss and turn and worry that I am getting manic. If I am manic, I oftentimes don’t sleep.
10. Each day I take __ pills & vitamins:   I currently take 2 meds regularly and 2 vitamins, but have 3 that I can use if needed. Over the years, there have been times I have taken 16 meds at a time.
11. Regarding alternative treatments I: I believe that people holistic approaches are important.  I think in most cases, with mental illnesses, it is hard to control without some medications.  Unfortunately, many psychiatrists push medications with the encouragement of the pharmaceutical companies.  It has been hard to find a doctor who is willing to work with me with an alternative approach.
12. If I had to choose between an invisible illness or visible I would choose: I think having a serious mental illness is awful. It is not only invisible, but many people don’t understand it and judge  you.  I would not wish my illness on anyone.  The cliche “the grass is greener on the other side” applies here though. I think my illness is awful, but until I were to live with another illness, I could not really say.  I have had dystonia (I could not lift my head up-my chin was attached to my chest).  If I were to compare bipolar disorder to that, I would have to say that even though the dystonia was awful, I would rather have that than bipolar disorder.

13. Regarding working and career: Although I struggled with mania and depression while in college, I was able to graduate. I have worked several jobs including being a teacher for over 9 years.  However, due to being in the hospital 16 times in a year for my mental illness and other serious medical issues, I had to go on disability. When I am up to it, I have worked part-time for a relative, mainly at home where I can set my own hours.  He also understands that sometimes I am just not able to work.
14. People would be surprised to know: Despite having a mental illness, I have never been in jail and never done anything violent. I have accomplished a lot in my life. I was the president of several clubs in high school. I was the grade level chairperson, organized successful  school wide events, and was  even was Teacher of the Year one year.
15. The hardest thing to accept about my new reality has been: People are going to judge me and there is not much I can do about it. I have to ignore those people and know that I am a fighter and am a good person despite my mental illness.  Also, going on disability was a very hard thing to do as I have always been a hard worker.  I hate the question, “what do you do for  a living?”.  Honestly, rarely do I admit that I am on disability.
16. Something I never thought I could do with my illness that I did was: I have always reached for the starts and unless I am depressed, I don’t and won’t let my mental illness stop me from making a difference.   I also didn’t think I would be accepted by people and be loved. However, I have some really good friends and am married to a wonderful, patient man who is very supportive.
17. The commercials about my illness: So many of them are advertising medications, unfortunately.  It saddens me that so many people with mental illnesses are talked into taking really expensive medications that don’t have a generic yet.  Once in awhile, I will see a public service announcement about mental illness that are encouraging. There are people out there making a difference when it comes to educating others and reducing the stigma. 
18. Something I really miss doing since I was diagnosed is: I wish I knew what normal was.  I am not sure if I ever will. It is hard to plan anything in the future because I don’t know how I will be feeling.
19. It was really hard to have to give up: It  was hard to give up working full-time. I have always been a hard worker. Admitting that the stress was too much, was a really difficult thing to face.  
20. A new hobby I have taken up since my diagnosis is: I blog about my bipolar disorder and run several social media sites that deal with mental health advocacy and mental illness. I also started an advocacy group on FB.  
21. If I could have one day of feeling normal again I would: I am not sure if I would know what normal is. However, if I knew I was going to stay that way, I would get a job and plan a vacation not having to worry about if I would be too depressed to enjoy it or manic and risk doing things I would regret.
22. My illness has taught me: My illness has taught me perseverance.  It has taught me to try and leave things I have done in the past and move on.  It is hard to forgive myself especially when I have hurt the people I love.  This often takes time, but is very much needed. If I were to dwell on all the mistakes I made when I was manic, I would stay depressed indefinitely.
23. Want to know a secret? One thing people say that gets under my skin is: It really upsets me that when someone commits a violent crime that the media so quickly wants to talk about how the person had a mental illness. This often happens before it is even confirmed.  I wish the media would not contribute to the stigma and instead educate people that less than 1% of the people with mental illness are violent.  It saddens me that they share all their opinions and yet very rarely use the opportunity to educate people about mental illness, let people know that it is okay to get help, and give resources of where people can go if they need help.
24. But I love it when people:  When someone accepts me for who I am. It is really amazing when they want to know more about my illness and what they can do to help me.
25. My favorite motto, scripture, quote that gets me through tough times is: The “Don’t Quit” poem was given to me by my dad when I was first struggling with my illness. I have included it below. It has gotten me through some very hard times.
26. When someone is diagnosed I’d like to tell them: I would like to tell them I am sorry and how awful my struggles have been. However, I don’t because I don’t want to discourage them. Instead,   I let them know I am here if they ever need anything. I also let them know they still can do anything they set their minds to. I sometimes let them know that it will not be easy, but it depends on the person and situation. I let them know that it is important to have a support system and an action plan if I get the chance to talk to them in great detail.
27. Something that has surprised me about living with an illness is: I have been able to help others through my blogging, FB group and page. I can still make a difference even though I am not getting paid.  It is good to know that there are days that I am hopeful that they will find a cure and that stigma will be erased.  Thinking that gives me great hope.
28. The nicest thing someone did for me when I wasn’t feeling well was:  My mom was always there no matter how badly I had treated her. Just having someone to listen and not judge is invaluable.  She passed away less than a year ago and this has caused a huge void as she was one of the very few people who really tried to understand and would do anything to help me. She loved me unconditionally, was a great listener, often knew exactly the right thing to say and had a way of making me feel special and accepted no matter what I had done.  She also was good about encouraging me and sometimes gave me the “kick in the butt” that I needed.
29. I’m involved with Invisible Illness Awareness Week because: I think it is important that others know about the various illnesses so there is less judging and more understanding. I hope that some day people accept us for who we are.  Until then, weeks like this are necessary. I appreciate you having this important time when people can share their story and educate others.
30. The fact that you read this list makes me feel: I am glad that you took the time to read it and thank you for caring enough to do so. I hope that you take some time to learn more about bipolar disorder and the other mental illnesses and share something you learned with someone else.  It is through education that we can change the way society views mental illness.

This blog about my invisible illness and other people’s stories can be found here:  Invisible Fight: Invisible Awareness Week 2015

Source for Don’t Quit picture