After Bipolar Podcast

Robert Whitaker: Exercise Better Than Meds (2 of 7) Robert Whitaker makes it very clear in this segment of the interview with Dr. Mercola that exercise has proven to be more effective–and to a greater degree–at fighting depression than anti depressants. I'd like to say, right away, that this pertains only to mild to moderate depression. For severe cases, meds are more than likely going to be critically necessary. At least in the short term. And many of you will need a system like mine, in full, before exercise can have a positive effect on your depression or bipolar. Very few were exercising as hard as I was before my mind detonated. I was going downhill like a freight train with no brakes, powered by bipolar, and exercising like a demon at the same time, right before my crash. So, does this mean that I'm talking out both sides of my face? No. Here's why: What I learned, through harsh and brutal personal experience was that there were many variables that needed to be addressed, before exercise could be reasonably added to the program. When I was crashing, exercise was the ONLY good thing I was doing for myself, and it proved to not be up to the task of beating bipolar disorder by itself. Add in proper nutrition, specific nutrients, and meditation... and THEN exercise had a chance to assist! Exercise will always help. But to what degree will depend on whether or not you have the rest of your wellness ducks in a row, not to mention the severity of your illness. Some of you are just a hair off center and some regular exercise will be just the thing you need. The rest of us will need to gird out loins and do battle on a more extensive level than exercise alone. Listen to this clip and see where you might land on that spectrum. Dr. Mercola's Interview with Robert Whitaker on Mental Health (Part 2 of 7) Subscribe To AB Podcast! Sponsors: Family Network Chiropractic in Kingston, NY: The only providers of NSA Chiropractic in the Mid-Hudson Valley Maximum Results Fitness w/ Mike Romano: Online Training with Individually Customized Support Key Points: Robert Whitaker Medical Journalist Nominee for Pulitzer Prize Medical Reporter for Albany Times Union Director of Publications for Harvard Medical School Series about Psychiatry that he wrote for the Boston Globe was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize Author of many books addressing this material Dr. Mercola Interview Content Mid-90s Ross Baldessarini: Are these drugs depressogenic? But in real life, pros everywhere seeing proof that this may be true and they DO want answers Giovanni Fava responds to Klein: Maybe YOU’RE not interested and maybe the pharmacological industry has there teeth into you, but the rest of us are interested and we’re studying it Pros everywhere finding that long term anti depressant use has a negative gain Later 90s, Duke University study: 3 groups: 1. exercise only 2. exercise and drugs 3. drugs only After 6 weeks, drugs only group doing a tiny bit better than other two 10 months later. exercise only group doing FAR better than other two, thing that drugs only harm in the long term Britain has an advisory group to the National Health Service called NICE (National Institute of Clinical Excellence) NICE released 2006 paper: at least for mild to moderate depression, anti depressants should not be the first line of therapy Program based on this allows British General Practitioners to write prescription for exercise Patient meets with exercise counselor who develops program usually for gym Gyms found to be best because they add social component which helps alleviate depression Patients get access for free or at reduced rate for 6 months Some gyms are “green” where outside work is done instead of regular exercises They found people really like this approach and stay in compliance easier than they can with drugs People feel empowered,

Robert Whitaker: Psych Meds Worsen Mental Illness (1 of 7) Robert Whitaker came to me by way of Dr. Mercola and his incredibly helpful website. Back in 2006 or so, I had an epiphany. I was laying out all my pills for that moment's dosing session. There were so many pills! The counter was covered with them. That's when it occurred to me that, "If I had some gravy I'd have a full dinner!" That observation was followed by the realization of, "There is no fucking way all these pills somehow equate to good health!" That moment proved to be a turning point for me and a key reason way I am even still alive, writing to you here and now. I knew psych meds were killing me No benefits. No upside. No improvements. What I did have was a slew of nasty side effects, a growing number of brand new physical health ailments, and an ever increasing addition of new mental health symptoms that seemed to grow in proportion to the size of the pill pile. Fast forward a hair: my last doctor, whom I greatly respected and trusted, told me that, "As a scientist, we have proven that psychiatry cannot help you. You are 100% meds resistant. You have to do something other than psychiatry to save your life. But as a psychiatrist, I have no idea what that might be." He also gave me my death sentence as he told me I'd be "dead by cop" in about 6 months, based on my history of explosive and dangerously unpredictable behavior. Ok. So...bit 'o bad news there. But the cool thing was, he gave me official permission to try anything that I thought might help Jumping ahead to 4 years later, I find this Whitaker & Mercola interview. Now, at this point, I'd been well and stable for a few years. But the stability was relative. In comparison to The Bad Old Days, I was practically cured! But I still dealt whit a certain amount of anxiety based issues and concerns. Some a little scary. Often unpredictable. And often weird as shit. But lessening. However, I still needed at that point, to hear something supportive of the path I'd chosen to maybe beat bipolar disorder forever, as I figured that was going to be eventually proved true. This interview gave me the history involved in how I got to where I did with psychiatry and it gave me even more hope that I'd chosen my new path well. If you're hurting from some mental illness and maybe an addiction or 3, (they're practically the same problem) then do yourself a huge favor and listen to this interview! Dr. Mercola's Interview with Robert Whitaker on Mental Health (Part 1 of 7) Subscribe To AB Podcast! Sponsors: Family Network Chiropractic in Kingston, NY: The only providers of NSA Chiropractic in the Mid-Hudson Valley Maximum Results Fitness w/ Mike Romano: Online Training with Individually Customized Support Key Points: Robert Whitaker Medical Journalist Nominee for Pulitzer Prize Medical Reporter for Albany Times Union Director of Publications for Harvard Medical School Series about Psychiatry that he wrote for the Boston Globe was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize Author of many books addressing this material Dr. Mercola Interview Content Mercola.com focuses on natural adjustments to your lifestyle, primarily physical things. But Dr. Mercola’s 30+ years of experience as a medical doctor has convinced him that some of the most important contributions to healthcare are the emotional and energetic components No matter how well you live, if you have emotional problems, you still can have major issues Depression can become a terminal illness, due to suicide Traditional medicine uses drugs primarily to treat mental illness This interview seeks to supply listeners with natural alternatives to regaining mental wellness In many cases, drugs perform no better than placebos, yet come with unwanted side effects as well In short term use, drugs don’t perform any better than placebos.

PTSD: My Other Playmate PTSD. I'd like to say I didn't see that one coming, but that'd be a lie. Similar to bipolar disorder, I think I've had some nugget of this following me since my youth. But the shit I endured during my stay in the Marines helped it come to dark fruition. PTSD can happen to anyone who's survived something they weren't always sure they would Now, I'm not going to dig into a deep look at PTSD. I can't. I only know a certain amount and I only know what my experience of it has been like. The rest I learn from movies, documentaries and hearing the stories from others who've popped out the other side of some hell. The key thing I wanted to shed some light on, was that the vets who might be hesitant to pursue attainment of their rightful compensation should go about doing it ASAP. If you got fucked up somehow while serving, you probably have some money owed you. The way I look at it, the government will have absolutely no problem finding some way to spend the money that you felt wasn't worth securing, should you ignore or downplay the importance of going after it. Go get what's yours. If you find you have a problem accepting it, then gift your proceeds to some vet or donate them to any other righteous cause you feel is worthy. But don't let the government spend it for you. You already know how much of that can play out. I'd rather spend it my way. The episode above isn't just about PTSD though I sort of bled into a description of how my head works, in relation to PTSD, and how I feel it can still bring me bullshit, the fault being all mine. I have a way of being that tends to still bring people into my world who get a wrong impression of what I'm about, or what I can do for them. They seem to expect miracles from me. Or they simply want me close at all times. Friends to the end. Something I do with just about no one. This isn't their fault. It's an energy I put out and often feed into when I can't contain my own excitement. I can give the impression that we're gonna be something big together, without first doing my due diligence when vetting a new partner or opportunity. This creates painful partings and sometimes bad feelings, when I want nothing but the opposite to be true When you're an Outsider, you must carefully make your case for whatever it is that you're pursuing and how that process looks, so people can clearly see their standing within the plan. That's only being fair to them. However, when two Outsiders meet, which happens to me constantly, I feel we both can be blinded to certain facts, because we each want the plan to succeed so badly. But I prefer to focus on only my part in these mishaps, making sure I get better at not recreating them, saving all involved a lot of pain. I find, even after all this time, that's it's not always easy to achieve. And I wish I could improve faster. Can you relate? Subscribe To AB Podcast! Sponsors: Family Network Chiropractic in Kingston, NY: The only providers of NSA Chiropractic in the Mid-Hudson Valley Maximum Results Fitness w/ Mike Romano: Online Training with Individually Customized Support Key Points: I'm a Marine Gulf War Vet (1991) Veterans Disability is not the same as Social Security Disability The powers that be say you can't have both benefits at the same time. Bullshit. You can totally have both simultaneously. I tried once to get VA Benefits using the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) but got turned down I had to bet a lawyer to win my Social Security Disability. I would not have won my case without him If you DO get a disability lawyer, make sure they only get paid if you win, as was the case with my lawyer It seems I have some level of PTSD, which I manage right alongside my bipolar-prone potentiality My version of PTSD seems to be one focused on keeping the world at a distance

Burning Down The House...AgainThe only way to become the phoenix is to start a fire. I learned a long time ago that if I was to survive–just survive–I'd have to burn down the Old Kenny to let the new version appear. The old me was not up to the task of providing what only the new me could. And burning down the Old Me scared the shit out of me Yet, the process was already taking place whether I liked it or not. I only understood this in retrospect. Bipolar, and all the wrong decisions surrounding it, were the mental and physical manifestations of my old life crumbling all around me. I was so wrapped up in being that unhealthy version of me that it took massive chaos and pain to get rid of that guy...allowing my life to finally improve! That whole story is chronicled throughout this site. What I find interesting now is that I seem to be entering another cycle, similar to the last. I'm struggling to meet certain goals. I have the tools and resources to pull it all off. I have the body of work to give it all direction and references. I can see the way forward, in many areas. But I'm starting to understand that this current iteration of myself is not up to the task The cool thing is, enough of me knows how to rebuild the rest of me! So I'm going to have to start burning down again. But this time, the flames won't have to reach so high, or be so all consuming, to get the job done. I've learned some things to keep the conflagration to a minimal: short lived, and only attacking very specific areas of my life. Nothing like begrudgingly accepted personal evolution to keep a day poppin', is there? Subscribe To AB Podcast! Sponsors: Family Network Chiropractic in Kingston, NY: The only providers of NSA Chiropractic in the Mid-Hudson Valley Maximum Results Fitness w/ Mike Romano: Online Training with Individually Customized Support Key Points: Bipolar Disorder was merely a symptom of an even larger problem. Before I created my system, my goal was only to survive the illness. I barely survived both the illness and the transition to wellness. I am entering another era requiring the burning down of at least portions of myself to get where I need to go. Knowing when to give up on a plan or hang in one more minute, will be one of the hardest questions for you to answer as you move forward on anything that matters most to you, yet isn't showing much improvement. I'm "bipolar prone" not actively bipolar. I have parameters established, lines in the sand that I cannot and do not cross, that allow me to remain sane and well. But I often have to press up against those lines. I'll sacrifice pretty much whatever it takes to maintain my life the way it needs to be kept to keep bipolar out of the picture. I've reached a point where I have to carefully step over a few of those lines, in order to grow. Figuring this all out is what will allow me to be of the greatest service to you who follow along. Learn to cultivate your Inner Witness. There's no "right and wrong". There's only "is what I'm doing getting me closer to my goal or further from it?". Burning down included my very life; I've been dead multiple times on two occasions. Two comas too! One for a few hours, one for two weeks. We're all operating on a set of rules we learned as young children to feel safe in a world of adults. These rules become unconscious and harmful as we age. Learn how to let go of those parts of you that are holding back the better part of you. In order to evolve, you're going to have to open your mind a bit, probably a bit more that you'll find comfortable. You have to find what works best for you right now. Soak, evaluate, take another run at the next level. Links: The Road: The burning down and the rebuilding of my entire life Human Design: Who you really are based on the placement of the celestial bodies the day you were born

The energy of the past can come pounding to the surface of my mind, heart, and body whenever I retell my bipolar story. It recently came roaring to the fore in a most unexpected fashion just yesterday. I met a counselor, in passing, who I'd been hoping to bump into at some point. I wanted her inner circle opinion on how to make a real world move with the material in my head, beyond what I do on this site. Because the dream build is taking more cash than I have to complete it. So I need a certain amount of actual employment, a tricky situation for me for more than one reason. And I've wanted a unique position, something that differentiated me from the work of a peer specialist, the only title I could come up with that's even close to what it is that I do. And I was struggling to find the type and location of facilities that would allow me to work just as I was, without pigeon-holing me into their definition of the job. To get this entire point across, I had to share some of my old story. And I got a bit hyped up as I did. The energy of the past was hitting this poor lady right in the face! In my defense: I'd begun my day with some tedious, complicated and highly important technical work on my website. In the process, I'd forgotten all about my NSA chiropractic appointment. When the receptionist called to see where I was, it put me into a higher level of stress than what I already was experiencing. On top of that, I'd over-caffeinated, thinking I had two more hours to bleed it all out on the work that needed to be completed, before entering the calm realm of my NSA entrainment. Now all my tasks got compressed, and the energy began to build I get to the shop late, so a window was available to work on some of the technical issues within the office. (I am not only my doctor's web guy but also his I.T. guy.) This led me down a never ending, ever constant rabbit hole of troubles that the office setup seems to magically create ad nauseam. It presents me with a type of frustration that almost has a taste to it. I sometimes want to choke on the seeming futility of it all. But I digress. So now I'm good and wound. But actually in a great frame of mind. Off the back of that, I head upstairs to the Little Marine's Room to empty my bladder (because you needed to see that in print) and I see that the nice counselor is finally in her office at the same time I'm around. So we meet. And as best as I can tell, based on her facial expression and body language, I low level fried the ends of her nerves with my overexuberance. I felt a little stupid I know I have this potential for mania-like behavior still. I am aware of it and I can stop it. But it always gets loose a bit longer than I'd have liked before I catch hold of it. Yet, social awkwardness aside, what was most remarkable to me was the awareness of how visceral my feelings became as I spoke about my bipolar-afflicted past. I'm taken right back to the sensations and the negative emotions, like they never left. Nothing comes of this, which is a key takeaway for those of you still in the Head Wars. But they just sort of astound me with the power they still hold when I bring them into the light. And I believe the nice counselor knew, to some degree, what was happening and cut me some slack. Or maybe the whole damn thing was only my perception of it and she was just fine. That's a thing too, with me. ;-) Subscribe To AB Podcast! Sponsors: Family Network Chiropractic in Kingston, NY: The only providers of NSA Chiropractic in the Mid-Hudson Valley Maximum Results Fitness w/ Mike Romano: Online Training with Individually Customized Support Key Points: I still have some manic tendencies that sometimes spring forth. But they're rare, short-lived, and damage free (beyond a minor amount of embarrassment on my part). As opposed to the many dozens of symptoms I once experienced,...

I view myself as being "bipolar prone", rather than thinking of my bipolar as being cured The difference between these two perspectives is a crucial one to understand. And the reason for why my definition is more appropriate is hidden in a way not easily accepted by, or readily visible to most. But before we even dive down these various rabbit holes, let's get one major point clear: It's not MY bipolar If you take ownership of the illness by thinking of it in terms of being "mine", it will continue to hold power over you. It's not "yours", thereby making it somehow an inherent defect in your makeup. No, you're just "you". And the you that you are has these bipolar prone traits. This is actually good news Because there IS something to this illness that is a part of you.But bipolar disorder is just one potential expression of it. That means you have a say in whether or not it makes an appearance! Yes, you're more apt to become bipolar than someone not quite like you. But you're not necessarily guaranteed to one day become sick with bipolar. This is why I consider myself to be "bipolar prone" There most definitely are parts to my personality and physical makeup which, if left alone, or conversely, irritated can become what's called bipolar disorder. I just found ways to treat those parts so that they never morph into a negative. So "cured" would be a bit of a misnomer Bipolar hasn't been removed from my life, per se. But the irritants, masking agents, and lack of maintenance issues have. There are things you take in that can irritate the parts of you that have bipolar potential. Remove these irritants and you have a shot at living the sane life. There are masking agents, usually in the form of psychotropic medications or your own types of self medicating, that mask the real problems causing bipolar disorder to be in your life. As part of a larger, comprehensive treatment plan, removing these masks allows you to address the actual issues causing you harm. There are many who take their good health for granted and never have to directly take steps to maintain it. Then there is the rest of us. We have no choice but to actively pursue self care and self development activities just to remain at "zero" like the others. But it's that last bit that makes being bipolar prone actually worth it! Those of us forced to find ways to grow out of and beyond the limitations of our current selves and our current realities, just to get or stay sane, usually end up becoming more than we ever would have, had we been sane in the first place! Bipolar Disorder being in our lives can ultimately end up being a gift. Sit with that thought. Uncover and review all you can of my site. Apply what you find to seeing bipolar as that gift. Watch what blooms from there. You may end up grateful for all that's come before. If there's a greater win to be had for people like us, I don't what it would be. Subscribe To AB Podcast! Sponsors: Family Network Chiropractic in Kingston, NY: The only providers of NSA Chiropractic in the Mid-Hudson Valley Maximum Results Fitness w/ Mike Romano: Online Training with Individually Customized Support Key Points: I didn't do a good job of matching what's in the podcast episode with what's on this page, which I wrote much later. But it's close. And it's all good. And I'm working on getting better with this part of things, for clarity's sake. Thanks for your patience! If you're fighting bipolar, you have more power to win than you might be aware Don't think of it as "yours". Think of it as something you have. Then you can focus on getting rid of it. Can you ultimately get rid of it? Maybe. I'm just saying that the potential to do so is greater than you may have been led to believe. You are someone who has a set of potentials in your life, that. like fertilized ground, bipolar can easily take root in.

Seven21 Media Center InterviewSeven21 Media Center in Kingston, NY. Home of Ellenbogen Creative Media and my friends: Jeremy, Henry and Alice Ellenbogen. (May you all be so fortunate as to have friends as these one day.) This is where a big piece of my new life as a sane man began I just wanted to reformat a DVD. It was from one of my very first interviews, a talk with a local cable television show host. I didn't have the software to use what they gave me for marketing purposes. Somebody suggested I see the Ellenbogens over at Seven21. An entirely unique and fascinating world was opened up to me right from the first visit I met Henry Ellenbogen, who immediately took great interest in me. I also met the main mad demigod who was negotiating a rental space with Henry. He too, saw something in me that he wanted to help me pursue and we fell into deep conversation on the spot. The rest, as they say, is history. I took part in more cool projects, was exposed to more behind the scenes universes that existed right here in town, and met more movers and shakers than I ever had in my life. I was given the keys to the kingdom, in a way. It was here that I was handed the chance to explore my own mind in ways no other opportunity ever could I learned a great deal about the disabled people's support system from the admin side. I learned of freelance consulting system that serviced this population. I helped install art exhibits. I fed the homeless. I counseled ex-felons. I got free stuff from all over the place when I was struggling to pay my bills. I made the cover of our local paper for helping to build our city's first rooftop garden. I was an event facilitator for multiple corporate and non-profit groups in our local area. I met famous artists, bands, and performers of all types. I acted in a commercial for a local hardware store (I'm hefting the power drill and later, walked it down the aisle) and helped film another. I got my wife a gig in another commercial. (She's at the very beginning drinking coffee!) I even volunteered to gopher for the cash register you see in the beginning of my commercial. (Anything to help!) I learned a ton about video, audio, and live event production. Tools, equipment, material, personnel, and space were granted to me freely to try my hand at anything that popped into my mind. And more stuff than I can possibly remember! I even held my own movie festival in the big recording studio, with help from a local movie producer! John Bongiorno and I screened the delightfully dark, tongue in cheek "Night of the Living Jews" and "The Catskill Chainsaw Redemption", both films he produced, as well as the strange Zach Galifianakis private viewing only "Visoneers". Since it was Halloween, we even had a guy dressed as Leatherface burst through the doors of the studio with a real chainsaw swinging wildly above his head! But as far as business building went, nothing resulted from all of this to pay my bills. Yet far as creating friendships, doing good by helping others and being exposed to worlds I never knew existed or never thought I'd get access to, this era was a total success! May you eccentric, Davinci types following along, one day be so fortunate as to find your own Seven21 run by your town's Ellenbogens! If you get that chance, you'll find a home for that mind of yours that can do what other's cannot. Subscribe To AB Podcast! Sponsors: Family Network Chiropractic in Kingston, NY: The only providers of NSA Chiropractic in the Mid-Hudson Valley Maximum Results Fitness w/ Mike Romano: Online Training with Individually Customized Support Key Points (This Episode Had Many!): Marine Corps training helped me devise the system to overcome bipolar the way I did I no longer walk people had in hand through the use of my system It Takes Guts To Live Well (ITGTLW) is an option of last resort for many,

This is the best version of my entire bipolar story. It's concisely delivered without a lot of fluff. Yet it's crammed with every pertinent fact about how I became bipolar, how I found out, what it did to me, how I got out and a bit of what came next. It sums up nicely the bipolar hell I survived I presented the story calmly, while relaying even the worst parts of it in a positive fashion. I shared my pain and anger from that time without getting emotionally involved, which isn't always easy for me. The interview took place about 9 years ago, maybe a hair less I hadn't listened to this since it was produced. Karen Gupton was a sweetheart of an interviewer and directed me well by asking the right questions at the right time. I was stunned at how well it conveyed the most important facts and ideas I wanted to make public This episode should go far in helping supporters see what bipolar looks like from the victim's side And sufferers should easily be able to see I am family, and that there is hope Now be sure to access my free wellness system to start shortening your own arc. Because you've suffered long enough. Subscribe To AB Podcast! Sponsors: Family Network Chiropractic in Kingston, NY: The only providers of NSA Chiropractic in the Mid-Hudson Valley Maximum Results Fitness w/ Mike Romano: Online Training with Individually Customized Support Key Points: (The Whole Arc!) In the beginning: the size of something that could piss me off was getting smaller by the day My reaction to these things (rage) was getting bigger by the day Life seemed made entirely of stress every day, and it was growing I knew my stress was too intense, not normal My physical health was still great, so I got referred to a psychiatrist who declared me to be "classic bipolar" inside of 20 minutes of our first meeting Depakote was first ever psychotropic med and made me instantly suicidal, something I'd never felt Next 6 years was just constant attempt to get the right cocktail mix of psych meds Entire time I was on meds, bipolar only got stronger Very last doc gave me an official Death Sentence: 6 months to live before I was "dead by cop" He also gave me permission to try anything that I thought might help, while confirming that Psychiatry was not my answer My inner Marine spoke to me that day (in a whisper) and told me to fight back A Discover Magazine article led me to Truehope Supplements, which became the first positive gain Next, I somehow found my way to Bill Harris whose story mirrored mine, minus the bipolar, and Step Two of my system came to life First marriage ended in divorce due to bipolar My son was born and I became a stepfather as well, neither of which was manageable for me at the time OD'ed on Lithium while drunk: Declared dead on ER gurney, but came back to life, then 2-week coma Second marriage ended in separation due to bipolar Greatest testament to effectiveness of my system: second wife returned to me Key lesson: assuming psych meds are only way out is a mistake Key lesson: half and half my system with meds is OK! Bipolar sufferers forced to take better care of selves in the ways we all tend to unwisely ignore A good listener is a key component to eating or managing this illness Part of bipolar may be that you're eccentric, a DaVinci maybe, harmless, but it's getting blown out of proportion within the illness itself BIGGEST LESSON: Learn to have faith in your ability to heal. You have power beyond measure! Take responsibility for everything in your life, then act accordingly Don't look or count on someone else to save you. You are your own savior! Key Lesson: a huge part of bipolar is based in living a way that doesn't pursue your true purpose Links: It Takes Guts To Live Well: My free wellness system Ronda Del Boccio: My original writing coach for my book and one of the finest people currently walking the Earth

Dr. Larry Smith is a chiropractor in Canada who had his own devastating run down the Addiction Mountainside. Pun intended. He's also a triathlete! We met while simultaneously writing our books with the help of the same marketing company. And meeting Dr. Larry was one of the bonuses becoming an author granted me! He's got a vibe that is all heart; all caring. And he's got a sense of humor about the pain he's endured, same as I. It simply makes speaking with him a frigging positive experience! So I interviewed him It was 9 years ago or more when we first crossed paths. The folks in charge of helping us figured we should connect and help promote one another. I'd already heard Larry on the group coaching calls. I knew he'd be a pleasant person to interview. I also knew he had survived as much earth shattering badness as I had. Not in the exact same ways or for the same extent of time. But the same kind of shit storm with the same kind of built-in hopelessness He found a way out, or I should say "through" that he passionately wanted to share with the world. His book "Embracing the Journey of Recovery: From Tragedy to Triumph" came true, same as mine, and I am so glad to have returned this interview to the public spotlight where it belongs. Guys like Larry and I each found our own ways of slaying our dragons. And it's good to see more than one perspective with anything, but especially when you're struggling to build your own recovery program. Addicts are in a delicate spot Myopic tunnel vision can be more harmful at this time than at any other. So I'm really glad to share a system other than mine, which I can also wholeheartedly endorse. Enjoy meeting my friend. And good luck, if you're in this horrible fight that Dr. Larry and I once were. Subscribe To AB Podcast! Sponsors: Family Network Chiropractic in Kingston, NY: The only providers of NSA Chiropractic in the Mid-Hudson Valley Maximum Results Fitness w/ Mike Romano: Online Training with Individually Customized Support Key Points: Larry started drinking when he was 11 He was molested by a priest at 11 He also found chiropractic around 11 Having a dual diagnosis is even worse because it's a case of the snake chasing its tail: which problem is THE problem? Dr. Larry wants his story seen as a message of hope! Find one thing to be grateful for each day Consider your worst day: what good can you see buried in that day? Our bodies are meant to move. To not move courts illness of all sorts (divorce your ass from your couch as much as possible) Find at least 25 minutes of quiet time each day. Just you. No phone. No interruption. No tasks. Just sit quietly. Links: Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College: Dr. Larry's school Alcoholics Anonymous and/or Narcotics Anonymous may be just what some of you need Dr. Larry Smith on Facebook Get my free "You Do You Guide" for those looking to capitalize on their life experiences OJ Pod: EPI-24: Dry As The Desert 13 Years This Month!: My latest celebration of dryness and its related soundness of mind Dr. Larry Smith: Embracing the Journey of Recovery: From Tragedy to Triumph CounselingDisclaimer

WKNY Ken Jensen Interview 2 This was my return interview at WKNY, about 4 months after the original. Right off the bat: the info and helpful perspectives I shared here all remain valid. But man, was I humming a hair along the manic power lines! I was truly bipolar-free but still dealt with lingering aftershocks I remember being nervous about the interview that day. I was off my game a little because of it. It wasn't an entirely natural state of mind, meaning, it wasn't just stage fright. I was dealing with some of the residual anxiety that sometimes came and went, years after beating the majority of the bipolar symptoms set. My breathing was very tight. You'll hear me inhaling sharply throughout In part, it's something that simply happens to me when sitting down to talk as opposed to standing up. I still get that. But nowhere's near as strongly as I had it this day. And it's not a bipolar thing. It was a physical manifestation of the nervous tension I was carrying within my entire body; a body ready for fight or flight 100% of my waking hours. (Side note: NSA chiropractic was the major reliever of this tightness of breath. It used to be that I had to fight on each inhalation, all...day...long, regardless of what was going on.) I was also deep into some interesting projects, as well as my burgeoning bipolar advocate business I needed to be seen a certain way by various groups following my progress, and what they all needed to hear was not the same. This was confusing my thinking and had my tension levels throttled a little high. Back in these early days of spreading my "how to beat bipolar disorder naturally" message, my passions ran high. They fed my over the top delivery of info in the interview, and really would do so whenever I spoke of my work with anyone. To this day, I have to watch out for oversharing, over volumizing, speaking too fast, and getting too worked up when excited about a topic. Does this mean I'm still bipolar? NO! I am bipolar-prone as I see it, but not actively bipolar. I am also a high energy individual when all the planets are aligned and we happen to be speaking about something that excites me. But - and this is key - I get tired at the end of the day, as one normally should No more sustained mania. Ever. Just moments, sometimes, and rarely, when people catch me at just the right point in a conversation of my choosing. It happens. I watch out for it. I pretty much have it under control. Beyond that, people can go get bent if they feel I'm still too much to take. That just means they're not my people. Subscribe To AB Podcast! Sponsors: Family Network Chiropractic in Kingston, NY: The only providers of NSA Chiropractic in the Mid-Hudson Valley Maximum Results Fitness w/ Mike Romano: Online Training with Individually Customized Support Key Points: It was hard for me to resurrect this interview - make it public again - but I wanted to show how my healing was progressing I hope it inspires some of you on a similar path to take a chance and start getting out there with whatever matters most to you, as well Regardless of how I feel about this interview now, or how I felt then, I was LEAGUES away from the hell I once inhabited, which is the point to all I share Links: WKNY Radio Kingston, NY Truehope Supplements: Saved my life as well as helped rebuild my perspectives on mental illness It Takes Guts To Live Well: My free system It Takes Guts To Be Me: My book on Amazon Vitamin Cure: Discover Magazine May 2005: Article about Truehope Supplements for bipolar disorder OJ Pod: EPI-2: Projects: Freelancing, Partnerships, and Mad Demi-Gods: This was the stuff being drawn my way due to my sometimes manic disposition at the same time of this interview (like finds like) CounselingDisclaimer

WKNY Ken Jensen InterviewAbout 9 years ago (!) WKNY in Kingston, NY had me on as a guest, speaking with Jody McTague. Jody was wonderful! The experience of being on the radio was almost surreal but also gratifying. At the time, I thought I was finally "making it" as I tried my damnedest to turn my experiences into a business that helped others get out of the bipolar hell I'd once endured. I didn't "make it" very far but the interview should still be a huge help to many In restarting this portion of my sharing, it became necessary to review these old interviews. I needed to get some facts straight before I began re-presenting them to you. I've had some ups and downs with presenting my material and interacting with those with whom it resonated. This caused a sea change in what my target goals were. I walked away from direct bipolar talk many years ago. I did so because the business I was constructing had some built in flaws that only became apparent with the passage of time. I had more to learn too There is much to share about this part of my journey but it is best shared within my Outsiders Journey Podcast, instead of here. Because this section is where I'm taking another shot at helping people overcome or at least better manage bipolar and addictions, as I have done. If you're struggling with either of those two things, I think you'll find this interview to be an eye opener. It's really a large portion of my origin story. The overall flavor of it should give you a clear indication of whether or not you'd like to listen to me any further. Of course, I hope you hang around, but only if we fit. Let me know how your listening turned out for you! Subscribe To AB Podcast! Sponsors: Family Network Chiropractic in Kingston, NY: The only providers of NSA Chiropractic in the Mid-Hudson Valley Maximum Results Fitness w/ Mike Romano: Online Training with Individually Customized Support Key Points: I wasn't very nervous but I used to struggle with a type of anxiety based tightness of breath during meetings and interviews. You might hear it in the recording. I only realized after my recent review of this material, that Jody was sort of seeking understanding and maybe a bit of closure to something related to the younger folks in her life I feel (and this is something I've run into many times) that her ideal image of a Marine was somewhat destroyed in meeting me "Handcuffs have been like personal jewelry to me" (A particularly poignant and darkly humorous truthful quote from me in the interview) At my worst, my parents were afraid of me and my mom said I sometimes looked "sinister" If my works helps you at all, you owe a bit of gratitude to my family. They pressed me for years to share what I'd learned and I finally agreed that maybe I should My system: If you hit bottom, as I once did, and think you're all out of options, you're not! My system: you'll find it applicable to more bottoms than just the ones I sank to Links: WKNY Radio Kingston, NY It Takes Guts To Live Well: My free system It Takes Guts To Be Me: My book on Amazon CounselingDisclaimer

Here I go again. I thought I'd left behind the idea of actively sharing anything about my bipolar past. I have always wanted my material to be available to those who need it most. But my first run at doing so turned into a bitterly stressful dead end. In response, I began Outsiders Journey. I wanted to branch out into new areas, while still giving out all I'd learned to beat bipolar. So I designed parts of the site to passively share that info without embroiling myself in the same shit I'd encountered in the past. There were many powerful reasons for how and why this came about, all of them having to do with my incredibly humbling naivete in more areas than I'd care to admit. I had learned so much. A vast amount of information and hard won experience. But the Universe had only begun to shine light on the bigger lessons. Life spanked me on me bum I'd had a rip roaring bipolar help fest of a business underway for awhile. But it ultimately brought so much bullshit into my life that I had leave it all entirely. People were reacting to my news in negative ways I never foresaw. I learned embarrassing amounts of info that made me see I was not as right as I thought I was in a few key areas. I'd unknowingly placed myself at great legal risk. Concurrently, I learned that I would be viewed as a great legal risk to the institutions I wanted to speak at most. And I wasn't helping people anywhere near as well as I thought I would. I got confused, frustrated and incensed. I was also at a complete loss as to what to do with my life. I tried to "hide" inside Outsiders Journey But in the course of developing this site, I began to see how avoiding the bipolar shit was just not gonna work. I had too much to say. Too much of a desire to help others with what I'd learned. And I found myself speaking about it even more in person-to-person meets than I had since first walking away from it all. Yet I still do not want the Bipolar World to come at me the way it once did I mean this in a global/royal sense. I fucking beat bipolar. And one of the ways I stay sane is to not let it become the focal point of my day in any way. So I'm going to let this podcast do its thing. You guys respond as you see fit. We'll see how I react to that. Ultimately, I WILL figure a way to use this info in a way that helps us both. But for now, just take what I have to offer and use it as you will. If it helps you, please tell others. I made it out. Maybe you will too. Subscribe To AB Podcast! Sponsors: Family Network Chiropractic in Kingston, NY: The only providers of NSA Chiropractic in the Mid-Hudson Valley Maximum Results Fitness w/ Mike Romano: Online Training with Individually Customized Support Key Points: I found out what I didn't know that I didn't know in my first attempt to help people beat bipolar disorder the way I had. Regardless of where my heart lied, what my intentions were, there were real world aspects to sharing this info that weren't known to me in the beginning. I learned the hard way that not all bipolar people are the same. (Far from it.) And I'd wrongly attempted to pigeon hole everyone into my mold. About most things I wasn't wrong, per se. I was just handling these things wrong. Outsiders Journey, in part, is my way of righting those wrongs, while being helpful to you in a way that benefits me, instead of hurting me. The larger lesson to be had here is what Outsiders Journey represents: this is something a former bipolar patient has built and is actively growing. What might that mean to other bipolar people who have something important to say? Something they want to grow? Links: It Takes Guts To Live Well: My free system It Takes Guts To Be Me: My book on Amazon Here's the photographer of the image used above: unsplash-logoJoel Filipe CounselingDisclaimer