I read two kinds of books. Quick, enjoyable, check-the-brain-out, junky fiction, and books that need to be read slowly, thought about, re-read and then considered some more.

Therese Borchard’s new book, “Beyond Blue”, is in the second category.

Personal accounts of mental illness have formed their own genre in recent years, and for many people there isn’t much room left on the bookshelf. But “Beyond Blue” is different.

Therese has sewn helpful and factual information seamlessly through the book, without being narrow or preaching. Her chatty, humorous, self-deprecating writing style makes this heavy topic easier to read and, in my own words, more digestible.

In the first part of the book Therese recounts her story thus far. It is intense. Perhaps for this reason she inserts “Sanity Breaks” in every second chapter. An excerpt from a poem, a collection of tips (“9 Ways to Stop Obsessing”) or a different angle on a topic (“30 Ways Motherhood Is Like a Mental Illness”).

A sanity break for her or us? I’m not sure.

Something that really sticks out is the succession of psychiatrists she saw in a brief period, who failed to treat her adequately. Number 6, “Pharma King”, tried 14 different medications in 3 months! Thankfully number 7 helped get her out of the psych ward and on the road to recovery.

In the second section of the book Therese takes us for a tour inside her brain.

“I introduce you to some of the demons that live there rent free. I share some techniques I’ve used to evict the cheap guys, and how I go about erecting all those damn boundaries in my life…so I can continue down Recovery Lane.”

The section also contains plenty of factual info, sound advice and of course Therese’s trademark wit in good measure.

If I was disappointed by anything, I was left wondering how the kids are faring now. I also wanted a chapter from husband Eric at the end. But they are small complaints!

Therese is never slow to point out her faults, making her easy to relate to and far from aloof. Her recount of tragedy and great sense of humor somehow fit hand in hand. The book’s subtitle is “Surviving Depression & Anxiety & Making the Most of Bad Genes”. As a reflection of the content and writing style it couldn’t be more apt.

I would definitely recommend “Beyond Blue”, especially if you are interested in mental health, don’t mind a bit of intensity, and enjoy a dry, witty sense of humor.

That’s my only resolution.

Do you think someone can “resolve” to be well? More so, someone with a chronic mental illness that is alive and kicking? If 2009 is my benchmark then my chances look slim.

I have good reasons to be motivated.

• Other people are better off when I’m well. My wife and kids are much happier, and very relieved. I can communicate calmly with my business partners. I get on better with my parents and friends.
• Being depressed is miserable. Hypomania is great for a while – I get a lot of mowing done – but it ends in misery too. For everyone, not just myself.
• When I’m well I’m physically healthier. I’m more sociable and people like me more.
• Being well costs less.

I receive a lot of great feedback from people using Optimism. It has genuinely helped them to achieve better health. There is a simple reason – they are being more proactive. There is nothing magical about the software. It is just a helpful tool. The secret is the attitude of the person using it. They are determined to make progress. Many people use Excel spreadsheets and journals in the same way to the same effect.

That’s my message to myself this year – be proactive. Exercise. Go to bed before midnight. Manage stress better. Drink less coffee. Drink more water. Go outside. Manage my medicines better. And the list continues on.

I’ve been tracking my moods for a long time now. I almost always know what has caused an episode of illness, and what I could have done to avoid it. Having that knowledge makes mood swings much more predictable.

There’s no guarantee that I’ll be well for a year, just because I resolve to be. But it’s not a bad resolution.

Anyone else?

I’m guessing that you’re reading this post in a feed reader, and this is one of many blogs that you subscribe to. I’m always looking for new, helpful, funny or interesting blogs to try, and I’m sure you are too. Here is a list of my favorites. Please add yours in the comments!

My Medicated Cartoon Life.
This has been my favorite blog for over 2 years, but sadly it’s slowing to a crawl. Perhaps the Bitter Animator has less to be bitter about. I hope so. I also hope he continues to share his life in new (and old) ways. In the meantime I might snap up another t-shirt!

My favorite in waiting is Dilbert. I’ve spent a good chunk of my life in a cubicle. Dilbert is a daily reminder of what I now miss.

Mental Health – Beyond Blue.
Therese Borchard is a prolific writer. I can’t keep up with the pace but I read regularly, and the posts are always fresh, original and helpful. Something to make you laugh, cry, or nod your head and say “Yes!”

Humor – Andy Borowitz.
“Obama to Iran: Abanon Nukes or We’ll Defriend You on Facebook”.
The headline alone is worth subscribing for.

Sport – A Cultured Left Foot.
I’m an Arsenal tragic. There are lots of good blogs, but this one brings intelligent insights to a fairly unintelligent game. (If you live in the U.S., Arsenal is a soccer team.)

Productivity – Empty.
There is a space in my feed reader reserved for a good productivity blog. I like MakeUseOf.com but it feels like a placeholder.

Design – Smashing Magazine.
The standard is very high. Most posts are interesting and remind me of how little I know.

Self-monitoring – The Quantified Self.
If you’re into self-monitoring then the enthusiasts are here. People are monitoring all kinds of stuff, using some amazing, inventive methods.

Please add your favorites and why they make your list. Don’t plug your own blog!

It’s widely believed that mentally ill folk make a special contribution to the creative arts. I have to say I subscribe to that view. :)

Unfortunately the number of communities online, in this particular “space”, are few and far between. More importantly there is always more room for us to help one another, break down barriers, and engage with the world.

There is a site called Divinest Sense that has just launched, which looks like it could fill a good chunk of this vacuum.

The following text is a contribution from Meg LeDuc, the founder and co-ordinator of the site. Please take the time to read it and visit the site.

“I’m creating an online journal/blog called Divinest Sense as a forum for people with mental illness to express themselves through poetry, personal essays, fiction, and graphic art. I believe this site will break down barriers, both between people with mental illness, who are often very isolated, and between people with mental illness and the larger world. In such a forum, I believe we can demonstrate the richness of our lives and our community through creativity, a force people with mental illness so often turn to in order to make sense of themselves, their illnesses, and their place in society. Furthermore, I think that, by starting this forum, I will simply have the great opportunity to showcase some beautiful and profound art. 
 
Contributions will be published on the blog associated with Divinest Sense. That will give writers and artists the immediate gratification of being able to share their work with everyone on the web. I am considering taking the best of the blog and publishing a more traditional online anthology that may come out every several months (provided I get enough contributions). My plans for this journal are still in the early phases.
 
For those of you with mental illness who have hesitated when it comes to really stepping out into the larger world, this could be the opportunity for you to be a pioneer. I understand the drive to isolate ourselves that we with mental illnesses often feel, but don’t give in. The world will only be enriched by our dynamic presences, by our unique creative voices. Live confidently. Live largely.

For more information on the project, check out Divinest Sense . A full explanation of the project is posted there. There is also information about me. Most importantly, there is also a link to the blog. Check out the first entry! It is a powerful poem by an advocate for people with mental illness who is in recovery from schizoaffective disorder-bipolar type. 
 
So please, write, paint, draw, take photographs, engage in art, and submit the results to Divinest Sense! If you have questions or would like to submit something, contact me at divinestsense.media@gmail.com
 
- Meg LeDuc”

The things you can figure out by monitoring your health!

I recently discovered that I get really bad night sweats if I drink a lot of milk before bed. By a lot of milk I mean half a liter (about a pint for the rest of you).

I don’t usually drink a pint of milk before bed, so this wasn’t easy to pick. But today I Googled it, and sure enough there is a little bit of anecdotal evidence. It’s not common, but I have company.

And apparently it’s not all milk, just pasteurized milk. So I have some more testing to do.

I’m a great believer in self-tracking, which is why I spend most of my time developing health monitoring software. Which is a nice segue to a brief advertisement. :)

Optimism 3.0 will be out very soon! But updates are free for life so don’t wait. For a short time there is also a 10% discount at the checkout. Tell your friends!

I’ve found other unusual connections. The big one is that certain foods make me depressed. Not immediately depressed, but after a 2 to 3 day delay and lasting for about a week. Preservatives and indulgent amounts of sugar are the biggest culprits. It took about 2 years to discover the link.

Another interesting one is sleep. Normal amounts of sleep will produce normal mood, other things being equal. If I have less than 5 hours a night for a week I’m not pleasant to be around. That’s also pretty normal. But there’s a sweet spot for me – 5 or 6 hours a night – that after a week will leave me fully charged and ready to go. That’s not totally uncommon, but it’s counter-intuitive and took me some time to discover.

Do you have stories to tell? It’s helpful and interesting to hear them so put them in the comments! I’ll be adding a forum to the site soon so that software users and others can also share their flaws.