Theravive Home

Prescription medications are commonly employed to treat a variety of mental health illnesses. Diseases treated with prescription medication include: schizophrenia, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, and attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Ideally, these medications are used with talking therapy, at least until they are shown to be working well (Mental Health Medications, 2014). [More]

Quick: what do bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, depression, autism, and attention-deficient hyper-activity disorder all have in common? A portion of each of them can be attributed to the same genetic mutations (Cross-Disorder Group of the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium, 2014). It is not at all surprising that psychiatric disorders can be inherited. What is eye-opening is that the same genetic mutation is implicated in more than one mental illness. [More]

Adults with ADHD often have a dual diagnosis of ADHD and one of these or other disorders. As many as 50% of adults with ADHD report also having depression, and the same number report problems with anxiety. [More]

I still occasionally have trouble communicating my ideas in unprepared speeches —and yes, even in some prepared speeches. But I’m OK with that. I wouldn’t trade for a second my flying ideas for walking ones. They are more than a symptom to me. They are a gift. [More]

It would be great if hope could be bottled and distributed. Unfortunately, it can’t. However, hope can be shared. It’s infectious. Recovery is possible. There’s proof of this every day, all around us. Don’t feed into the stigma and negative messages. Stay positive. Keep hope alive. [More]

Some people find the city overwhelming, but the intense pace keeps me going. I need the bright blinking lights of Broadway to keep me alert. I do my best writing at loud coffee shops. The medley of honking cabs and the earth-shattering subway sounds is my favorite soundtrack. [More]

Many people with bipolar disorder get frustrated because of the fact that they typically get only 15- to 20-minute sessions to talk with their doctor at their scheduled appointment. Does this happen to you? This can lead to feeling rushed when you get to the appointment, as well as feeling worried that you and your doctor can’t make the most of the visits. This post will cover a few of the obstacles you may face when you’re sick and need to get as much as possible from your limited appointment. The more communication and organizational skills you can learn, the more you can get from your appointments. And the more you get from your appointments, the more skills you will have to help you manage the illness between office visits. [More]

This winter I found I was ready to fully accept my illness. It was no great epiphany. It was a process. Why it took me ten months after sitting under the tree, I’ll never know. But I was also able to understand that some dreams and plans are now beyond my reach. I’ll never be an executive again. I may never be a college professor. My husband and I may never be financially stable. I may never work as a full-time artist. [More]

I will never forget the day I learned I likely had the illness. I went to the doctor on another issue and ended up having a loud, sloppy-wet meltdown, including talking about suicide and tossing things about the room (okay, just gloves). Funny, I don’t recall what set me off. The doctor gently asked if I ever considered that maybe I have bipolar disorder? I melted even more and called my parents, screaming into the phone about how I truly was for-real crazy! Told ya! For years I had been struggling (surviving, at times just barely), not knowing what was wrong. I was sent to a psychiatrist and got the bp II diagnosis. [More]