Tag Archives: Mental Health Community

10.30.12
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Blog for Mental Health 2013 Badge Voting

The new year of 2013 is coming upon us, and quickly.  Last year, I started Blog for Mental Health 2012.  For those that are unaware of what Blog for Mental Health 2012 was, I’ll fill you in quickly:
Many people who suffer from mental health disorders do so in silence.  And prior to many of our own blogs, we may have done just the same.  By taking the pledge to Blog for Mental Health in the year of 2012, we celebrate our own voices that speak up in our own unique ways.  We pledge that not only do we blog about mental health topics for ourselves, but for the inspiration of others to raise their voices and tell their own stories of their own personal experiences with mental health disorders.

For more information about Blog for Mental Health 2012, visit the page.

I fully intend on continuing this pledge and tradition into the new year of 2013.  Therefore, I’ve gotten started early on the design for the Blog for Mental Health 2013 badge.  Last year, it was created solely on my own.  But this year, I’d like others to participate in selecting the official badge to represent the pledge.

The nominees are:

#1

#2

#3

#3

#4

#5

If you have any suggestions for combining badges, they are quite welcome.  Let the voting begin!

PS:  Please visit the comments section for additional badges that were created after the first run.

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09.13.12
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More Love Than Your Blog Has Room For

This morning, per the rules, I nominated five blogs for the “I Love Your Blog” award.  I was a little antsy about only nominating five.  And after some thought (and a few words from a special someone), I have determined that five is simply not going to do.  It is not enough to spread the massive amount of love that I have around to my fellow bloggers.

I Love Your Blog award:

The Rules:

  1. Thank the person who nominated you:
  2. Tell your followers why you started a blog and why you keep doing it:
  3. Describe a usual day in your life:
  4. What was your best collaboration?
  5. What was your worst collaboration?

And the nominees are:

  1. Melancholy Manic Mouse:  PAZ, it’s been an honor and my pleasure to blog with you.  You are much deserving of this award.  Believe me, just because I’m not commenting sometimes doesn’t mean I’m not reading.  I am blessed to have such open ears and hearts.
  2. Manic Monday:  Monday, my lovely!  You have become very near and dear to me.  Your blog is so very important to the blogging community, and especially to me.  You have become important to me on a personal level, and I’m so glad that we could become friends.  Thank you for all of your guidance, understanding, patience, and affection you have shown me throughout the last year.
  3. Hello Sailor: HS, you are so raw and real on your blog.  Your writing is great, and it really comes from the heart.  I’m glad to be reading and keeping up with you.  I’m even more glad to be a part of the mental health blogging community with you.
  4. Disorderly Chickadee:  Dr. Chickadee, or more commonly known as DeeDee, you are absolutely inspiring to me.  You have gone the full mile, and you have an amazing life.  You have a wonderful mister, a PhD (I mean, WOW!), and a beautiful mind.  You are talented, intelligent, and obviously well educated, but also well educated in mental health.  I appreciate that the most.  Your comments are always welcome and well thought out.  Thank you for giving me something to strive for.
  5. Alice at Wonderland: I know we are more recently acquainted, but I wanted to express how much I thoroughly enjoy your blog and your interactions.  I am thrilled with your participation in Canvas, and want to give you a thank you for coming on board in my absence.
  6. Laments and Lullabies: Sara, awesome, amazing Sara.  You always have something interesting, fun, irrelevant, and/or distracting to say.  No, seriously, you are a fun gal.  You help to remind me that there is fun in dysfunction.  And I appreciate that so much.
  7. Take a Ride on My Mood Swing:  Morgue, we have exchanged so much over the past year.  I do regret my extended absence, as I know you had an extended one too.  I have always been grateful for your raw and soulful rants, brutal honesty, and gratuitous swearing.  Sometimes, you gave me the courage to let things come out of my head that would have otherwise rotted.  Thank you.
  8. A Clown on Fire: To whom it may concern… just joking!  To The Ringmaster, whichever entity, Eric or Le Clown I am speaking with, I am so happy we have had an exchange.  You are an incredible husband to a lovely woman with bipolar disorder, and you have helped me see on the other side of the fence immensely.  I am proud to have helped review “The Rage”.  And I am also proud to be an author on a featured blog.  Thank you for your shameless promotions of Canvas, and thank you for generally existing.
  9. Finding Finn: Finn, I actually hate your blog, but I didn’t want to leave you out, lest you kill yourself.  No, I’m really just kidding!  You have been a good and loyal friend to me for years.  Your mind is amusing, but it’s also thoughtful.  I do hope that you take the time to share with the world some more.  You really have something going, and I have a lot of faith in your blog to be giving you this award, you know.
  10. Just a Thought:  Truthfully, I don’t always know what to say.  There are no comments.  There was this one time where I seriously was looking for the Facebook like button.  I mean, I know there’s a like button, but I was looking for the Facebook one.  I don’t know why.  That’s what I like about it.  It is inspirational in a different way.  It gets my other senses going, besides the brain gnawing.  It’s lovely, and deserving of this award.
09.11.12
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Blog for Mental Health 2012 : Official Blogroll Summons

Hey mental health bloggers!

So, I figured out how to put a blogroll together, finally.  I’m about to put the Blog for Mental Health 2012 Official Blogroll together, and I need to know who has pledged so far.  I know there are a number of people.  Some of you may not be aware of Blog for Mental Health 2012, because maybe you’re newer.  Click the link, or peep the badge on Pendulum’s site.

Don’t be fooled by this badge:

That one doesn’t belong to us.  In fact, as you can see by the date, this badge came well after our New Years pledge to blog for mental health for the entire year, instead of just one day.

No, our badge is different and shows a commitment to blog for mental health awareness throughout an entire year, faithfully.

This is the badge that belongs to us.  If you want to participate, I’m officially sponsoring you right now.  Click the image to go to the blog page for Blog for Mental Health 2012’s rules and terms of use.  I’m more than happy to spread mental health awareness by lending my support to other bloggers and inspiring others to come forward.

I am proud of all of the bloggers that have already taken the pledge, and am more than happy to invite others to take it as well.  It’s still 2012; you can still join!

So, if you want on the blogroll, leave me a comment below, something to the effect of, “I have the badge” and “I made the post” or “I want in”.  Whatever, just something to know that you’re in on it.

Thanks!

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08.29.12
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Not Your Usual Serving Of Canvas

As some of you might not be well aware, and you’d probably be correct at this point at any point in confusion, I am a co-founder with Ruby Tuesday and a writer for A Canvas of the Minds. The following is a post on Canvas that request every mental health bloggers help for Mental Health Awareness.

via Not Your Usual Serving Of Canvas.

Thank you for your support in advance.  I would guess that everyone who is involved with Blog for Mental Health 2012 would be interested in joining Canvas and participating with us in our time of need of your support!!!

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01.11.12
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Blog for Mental Health 2012

Blog for Mental Health 2012 Project
Clearly, I am a mental health blogger. I have been dedicated to sharing my experiences with bipolar disorder for nearly seven months now. That is my primary focus, though I have a tendency to get a little off topic from time to time.  Not only is this therapeutic for me, but I hope that is can be an inspiration for others who suffer with mental health issues.  This is especially the ones who do so in silence.  Every voice is important, as it collects and makes our community’s voice stronger.

This is the premise for Pendulum, as written in the About This Blog page:

Many people suffering from Bipolar Disorder do so in silence. Prior to this blog, I could have included myself. This blog is meant for others to experience living with this disorder the way I, and many others, do. It is also for others to find their voice here and to know that they are not alone in their struggle. Lastly, it is to encourage dialogue and community between bipolar bloggers.

Sometimes it’s interesting. Sometimes it’s sad and at other times it sounds crazy. Grab the pendulum, and hold on for dear life. Otherwise, you just might end up in the pit.

This morning, I found myself interested in an official blogging project to raise awareness for mental health education. I sifted through Google for awhile, unable to find anything like it. And I thought, “Why don’t I start one?” It would be easy! All I would need to do is produce a graphic and some instructions.

The badge above is featured on Pendulum’s homepage, because I am dedicated to continue blogging throughout 2012 for mental health. So, here are the rules.

1.) Take the pledge by copy and pasting the following into a post featuring “Blog for Mental Health 2012″.

I pledge my commitment to the Blog for Mental Health 2012 Project. I will blog about mental health topics not only for myself, but for others. By displaying this badge, I show my pride, dedication, and acceptance for mental health. I use this to promote mental health education in the struggle to erase stigma.

2.) Link back to the person who pledged you.

3.) Write a short biography of your mental health, and what this means to you.

I have been symptomatic of Bipolar Disorder and Anxiety for most of my life. I was incorrectly diagnosed with MDD in my teens, and suffered in silence. After my son was born in 2008, I went on to experience a severe relapse in symptoms considered to be postpartum psychosis. Several months later, I sought treatment and was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder II.

That was almost three years ago now. Today, I am experiencing the longest stable state I’ve ever had, going on three months now. I am still hesitant to say that I am in remission.

This pledge is my opportunity to commit to mental health awareness. I can publicly display this badge to instantly tell my audience what this is all about. And, I can encourage others within the mental health community that have a Dx to do the same.

4.) Pledge five others.

I am pledging give of my fellow bloggers who have stood with me, and have proven their medal in my eyes as mental health bloggers.

  1. Ruby – I Was Just Thinking…
  2. FracturedAngel – The Mirth of Despair
  3. Monday – Manic Monday
  4. Vivien – Manic Muses
  5. Sarah – bi[polar] Curious

If you happen upon this without being pledged, I still pledge you. Feel free to take the pledge! Promote awareness!

11.11.11
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A Canvas of the Minds

A Canvas of the Minds was the brain child of a group bloggers, who had an interest in creating a mental health community. This community blog consists of several writers and a broad subscription base that seeks to connect and learn about mental health topics. More than anything, we promote avocation, exploration, and education in a supportive environment.

For more information, visit A Canvas of the Minds About Page. It can provide you with all of the information about the community. Or, you could just poke around. You might see what you like!

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