Written by Hannah Blum, author of The Truth About Broken: The Unfixed Version of Self-Love Many of the questions I receive are about my job as a mental health blogger. It excites me to have people reaching out for advice. I hope to see many more advocates blogging in the future. Here are 12 questions answered about … Continue reading 12 Questions Answered About Mental Health Blogging
One of my favorite writers, April Green, wrote a short poem that really spoke to me.
And the moon looked down at her and said: ‘you are too full of everything that makes you whole to ever be loved in halves.’
I sent it to my friend, Sarah Snow, who is known for creating visually inspiring videos, each one with a resonating message. She was just as inspired, and we connected with April. Sarah, alongside artist Donna Adi, created a video with a profound message about what it’s like when the person you love doesn’t love you back. Continue reading “Life with Mental Illness: Why Do We Accept Being Loved in Halves?”
As someone who lives with bipolar disorder, trust me I understand what it is like to feel too much and fall too hard in both love and life. Also, I know how it feels to be rejected, taken advantage of or punished for this way of communicating with others. Whether you have a mental illness or not, many of us can relate to the self-doubt, constant questioning and shame that comes with acting on our emotions. To the women who feel too much and fall too hard, here are five reasons you should not feel ashamed. Continue reading “To the Women Who Feel Too Much and Fall Too Hard: 5 Reasons You Shouldn’t Feel Ashamed”
I jumped from the couch spilling cereal all over my shirt reaching for my computer both excited and in disbelief when I saw my moms text message, “Must check out this restaurant-Van Gogh is Bipolar!” A small restaurant located in the Philippines named after Vincent van Gogh and designed to capture features of a bipolar mind.
These are the stories of people living with bipolar disorder that get left out of the mainstream media. These are the stories that could one day create a much larger platform for individuals living with mental illness to feel empowered by what makes them different. I have spent the last couple days gathering information about this restaurant, but to start for those of you who are curious about Van Gogh’s connection to bipolar disorder let me explain. Continue reading “‘Van Gogh Is Bipolar’ Cafe: How a Restaurant Explores and Empowers People with Bipolar”
Written by Hannah Blum You want to start a mental health Instagram account but do not know where to start? Don’t worry, you are not alone! When I published my blog and created an Instagram account (@hannahdblum), I was in the exact same boat. Instagram is an excellent platform for advocates and mental health influencers to … Continue reading Want to Start a Mental Health Instagram Account? Heres How to Do It
Written by Hannah Blum, author of The Truth About Broken: The Unfixed Version of Self-Love Mental health is a topic that many people in society think they know so much about when in reality they know too little. Ignorance is the most devastating illness that plagues our society. The only cure is knowledge, so let me save … Continue reading 6 Truths About People with a Mental Illness
Written by Hannah Blum, author of The Truth About Broken: The Unfixed Version of Self-Love How to become a mental health advocate? You do not need a degree, a diagnosis or work as a licensed therapist to become a mental health advocate. The general idea behind advocacy is supporting mental health by spreading awareness, reducing stigma and … Continue reading 6 Ways to Become a Mental Health Advocate
One of the best parts of being a mental health advocate is the connections you make to others with a similar passion for life and mental health. I was thrilled when Julie Kraft, author of the incredible book, The Other Side of Me: Memoir Of a Bipolar Mind, agreed to share part of her story with me. She is both beautiful on the outside and on the inside. In this interview, Julie shares her journey with bipolar disorder and opens up about motherhood, love, stigma and how a move from her home in Canada to Germany gave her clarity in a world that made her feel so clouded. Thank you, Julie, for speaking your truth. Continue reading “Beautiful with a Bipolar Mind: An Interview with Author Julie Kraft”
This past May, I was fortunate enough to go to a Mental Health Influencer Summitt in sunny San Diego, California. It gave me the opportunity to meet advocates from all over the US. This is where I met Katie Dale, author of the blog, Bipolar Brave: Power, Love & Sound Mind. Katie is beautiful, and her genuine spirit and open mind make you feel so comfortable around her. Katie is diagnosed with bipolar 1 disorder and started her blog to raise awareness about mental health. Katie’s story is very unique, being that she is open about bipolar disorder and her strong faith in God. This is something you do not see often. I reached out to her for an interview and luckily she was gracious enough to answer some of my questions. Continue reading “Keeping Faith and Living with Bipolar: An Interview with ‘Bipolar Brave’ Author Katie Dale”
It was six years ago that I had my first major episode with bipolar disorder while in College. I was living with a group of girls who this story is about. In the last month before I withdrew from school, I kept my struggle hidden from others, especially myself. Two days before I left, my parents were called by two of my friends. They told them that I was falling apart. Day by day I was getting worse. They realized they couldn’t help me, and decided not to tell the other girls. I do not like to talk about the pain of the past. However, a few days ago I learned that sometimes it is necessary to walk down memory lane, no matter how dark the road is…
Continue reading “Then & Now: A Story About Friendship and Mental Illness”
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