Lady Gaga: Oscar Winner and Mental Health Champion
Tonight at the Academy Awards, Lady Gaga won Best Song for “Shallow” from the movie “A Star Is Born.” But it was at the Grammys earlier this month that she shined a spotlight on mental illness.
Conor Bezane is a music-meister who has written for MTV News, AOL, and VICE. He is a recovering bipolar addict who can be found digging through the crates at a local record store when he’s not attacking his keyboard, writing nonfiction. His first book, The Bipolar Addict, is available now on Amazon.
Are You a Perfectionist? Bipolar and Perfectionism May Go Hand in Hand
A perfectionist strives for that which is flawless. Impeccable. Immaculate. My name is Conor, and I’m a perfectionist. I also have bipolar disorder.
Will You Be My Bipolar Valentine?
We who are bipolar may think our disorder is a strike against us in the relationship department, that no one would ever want to date someone who can have erratic moods. I’m here to tell you that stability is possible and, if you are on the right meds and receiving proper therapy, romantic love is achievable.
Lucky Seven: Seven Years’ Sobriety and I’m Still a Work-in-Progress
Up until my sobriety, I neglected my body and soul. I was an antisocial, inoperative sub-humanoid with stale-beer-odored dragon breath. My life was a cesspool, a puke-riddled pigsty and a hellhole of flotsam and jetsam. But all that, my dear readers, is in the past.
Dieting, Quitting Smoking, and a New and Improved You
As I’ve mentioned before, I have a beer gut, which is ironic since I quit drinking beer and all alcohol nearly seven years ago. But a bump in my belly is clearly pronounced. And my New Year’s resolution to get skinny again is off to a start.
Movie Review: “Ben Is Back” — A Lukewarm Film About Addiction Rescued By Julia Roberts
The winter of 2018 featured a flurry of upstanding films exploring addiction — from Beautiful Boy to A Star Is Born and now Ben Is Back, starring Julia Roberts and Lucas Hedges. A glimpse into the world of addiction, Ben Is Back reinforces the idea that addiction is a family disease. The movie is also a testimony to how the opioid addiction can affect any community.
Why Do People Self-Injure? Cutting Is More Common Than You Think
Note: This article contains information about self-injury, which can be a trigger for some readers. Trigger Warning. Nearly one in five teens have self-injured.
Hope for a Happier New Year in 2019 – The Bipolar Addict Reflects
Times were tough in 2018. The economy is on the brink of another recession. A scourge of mass shootings occurred. But there were some glimmers of hope.
Zen Cooking: Creating Culinary Delights Can Be Therapeutic
Grating two-and-a-half cups of Gruyere cheese takes forever, but when you are either cooking or baking, there’s something about prepping a recipe that is soothing. You see colors come alive, you hear the sound of sizzling olive oil, you smell tantalizing scents like melted butter, you munch on ingredients as you go, seasoning your tastebuds.
The Masks We Wear: Being Honest About Our Feelings
I feel a lot of pressure. Pressure to take my meds and stay on them. Pressure to be a good son, brother, and uncle. Pressure to be a man. Pressure to conform and lead a healthy, happy life. It’s tough, but I’ve learned to maintain composure and grace among the people in my life, i.e. the normies, people who are not bipolar or mentally ill.
