Browse Author by Ben Ngapo
Ben Ngapo is an adventurer, ecologist, and writer. His natural habitat includes remote volcanic islands and oceanic cities. When not writing about his twin passions, human health and ecosystem appreciation, he can be found on the road less traveled.
Blog

Bush Blog I: Planning, Plodding, Imploding.

The author at his job. Photo credit P Douglas. 

Introducing the blog: a space for me to easily share news, progress, thoughts, and stories. This first entry covers important news regarding a change of speed and direction for KindBipolar in 2019 and 2020.  Continue Reading

How To, Learn, Mania

Manage Manic Episodes: BAIL.

Cover by Jenna Anderson

In this article we learn how to manage manic episodes by BAILing out of mania.

It is far quicker to destroy than to create. Relationships, a home, a career, self-esteem and peace of mind take time and work to build. They can be damaged or destroyed in an instant. This is the danger of Manic Episodes to us living with bipolar. We become Continue Reading

How To, Learn, Mindset

Quiz – Finding your Phase in Bipolar.

Featured image by Himesh Kumar Behera

Take our free 2-minute bipolar specific quiz to practice the skills of self-reflection and pattern-recognition. 

Knowing which of the six phases of bipolar we are in empowers us to stay mentally well.  Successfully locating ourselves in the bipolar cycle requires that we develop sensitivity to our emotions and energy levels. In practice this means reflecting on our day and trying to identify how our energy and emotions are shaping our perspective, choices, and actions. Continue Reading

Contents

KindBipolar Contents Page

Here is an updated suggested reading order for the articles on KindBipolar.
Please enjoy the writing and accompanying photographs.
Articles including techniques are marked.

1. Don’t ever forget how amazing you are. 
In recognition and appreciation of everyone who lives with mental illness.

2. The Myth of Dry Land. 
A personal account of accepting changes to gain control over bipolar disorder.

3. The six episodic states of bipolar disorder.
Euthymia, Major Depressive Disorder, Subsyndromal Symptomatic Depression, Mania, and Hypomania. These five episodic states are described and personal experiences of each are shared.

4. Getting Diagnosed Part 1: a Fork in the Road.
Describes my own fear of diagnosis and my step by step experience of becoming diagnosed, including medication. I discuss how being diagnosed with bipolar suddenly changed my life.

5. Getting Diagnosed Part 2: My Self in Society.
Describing aspects of human rights, confidentiality, and privacy in society and at work. I examine how the diagnosis has changed the way I relate to other people and myself.

6. When your emotional compass is broken, steer by kindness.
Technique. The first KindBipolar article. An important technique for making good decisions, taking safe actions, and communicating during intense bipolar episodes.

7. Five priorities for creating a healthy bipolar life.
Technique. Sleep. Exercise. Empty Time. Real Communication. Self Kindness. These five things enable me to live a healthy, happy, and productive life even without medication.

8. Learning to recognise depression and build a ramp out of it.
Technique. Describes my experience of depression and how to recognise that it is happening. Teaches a simple technique for gradually and safely climbing out of depressive episodes based on easy daily actions.

9. Figuring it out and becoming well over the long term.
This article focuses on the mindset needed to beat bipolar in the long term. Cultivating the will to survive. Setting real expectations. Creating a sustainable life. Building up tools, skills, knowledge, and kindness. Nurturing good relationships. Dealing with failure.

10. Stability One: A Practice Based Cure.
Multiple techniques.
 This is the first must-read article that offers a foundation and strategy for managing bipolar disorder.

11. Manage Manic Episodes: BAIL.
Technique. 
Brakes – Avoid Stimulation – Isolate at Home – Limit Communication. A recipe for quickly and effectively ending a manic episode or hypomania.

12. Quiz – Finding your Phase in Bipolar.
Technique. Utilizes a quiz to help people learn the skills of self-reflection and pattern-recognition.

 

 

 

How To, Learn, Mindset

Becoming mentally-well over the long term with bipolar.

Images by Andreas Fidler

This article is about figuring out how to become mentally-well over the long term with bipolar disorder. My twenties were a battlefield. A decade spent fighting my mental illness. I recall the few beautiful victories, the many crushing setbacks, and the ground eventually gained towards figuring out how to live well with bipolar. I am grateful that I am not still fighting the same battles that I was back then. Continue Reading

Depression, Learn, Mania, Mindset

The Myth of Dry Land.

Images by Ben Ngapo

With bipolar moods become immovable.

Thoughts and emotions will combine to recreate our perception of the world for brighter or darker. A stubbornly grey day may transform into a world of fun and laughter and endless possibilities. A beautiful holiday can be a leaden prison of self-hating apathy. I think it is actually pretty amazing how much our brains colour how we see the world and ourselves.  Amazing or terrible, agonising or blissful, these big moods that shape our bipolar life are definitely disruptive. It is as if Continue Reading