Meet Doug from the PatientsLikeMe Team of Advisors

We’d like to introduce you to Doug, another member of your 2015-2016 Team of Advisors. Doug is an actor, teacher and writer living with major depressive disorder (MDD). He’s been tracking his health on PatientsLikeMe since 2008. Doug feels there is a lot of stigma surrounding the term “mental illness,” and shares that one of… Continue reading Meet Doug from the PatientsLikeMe Team of Advisors

Touched with fire: A meaning behind the suffering

We’ve been talking with new PatientsLikeMe member Paul, whose debut feature-film, Touched with Fire – inspired by his experiences living with bipolar – opened last week in select theaters.  For Paul, the road to diagnosis was more like being on a rollercoaster. Years of using marijuana seemed to stimulate his creativity at film school, but… Continue reading Touched with fire: A meaning behind the suffering

Food for thought: healthy eating in 2016

A lot of people talk about smartening up their diets at the start of a new year. Over the past month, many PatientsLikeMe members have shared eating habits they’re going to keep and the new ones they’d like to start in 2016 — everything from cutting down on salt to going vegan. Take a look… Continue reading Food for thought: healthy eating in 2016

Mental Illness Awareness Week: #IAmStigmaFree

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) spends the first full week of October fighting stigma, offering support, educating the public and advocating for equal care for those living with a mental health condition. While these are a year round focus for them, this week highlights mental illness awareness and 2015 marks its 25th anniversary.… Continue reading Mental Illness Awareness Week: #IAmStigmaFree

Recapping with our Team of Advisors!

Many of you will remember meeting our inaugural Team of Advisors from when we first shared about this exciting team last year! This group of 14 were selected from over 500 applicants in the community and have been incredible in their dedication and desire to bring the patient voice directly to PatientsLikeMe. As the team… Continue reading Recapping with our Team of Advisors!

Raising awareness on Veteran’s Day

Right now, there are almost 22 million American veterans living in the United States, and every one of them has a story to tell. So today, we’re honoring their service by raising awareness for life after the military. Like many others who are living with chronic conditions, the injuries our military men and women sustain… Continue reading Raising awareness on Veteran’s Day

Depression Awareness Month- What does it feel like?

Here at PatientsLikeMe, there are thousands of people sharing their experiences with more than a dozen mental health conditions, including 15,000 patients who report major depressive disorder and 1,700 patients who report postpartum depression. What do they have to say? This word cloud has some of the most commonly used phrases on our mental health forum. It gives you a feel of the many… Continue reading Depression Awareness Month- What does it feel like?

It’s time to recognize mental illness in October

Think about this for a second; according to the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) 1 in 4 people, or 25% of American adults, will be diagnosed with a mental illness this year. On top of that, 20 percent of American children (1 in 5) will also be diagnosed. And so for 7 days, October… Continue reading It’s time to recognize mental illness in October

“Mind your health” – Recognizing mental health in May

This May marks the 65th anniversary of Mental Health Month, which has been observed by Mental Health America (MHA) since 1949. The MHA’s 2014 monthly theme is “Mind your health,” and it’s all about building public awareness for mental health and wellness while learning about the complex connections between the mind and the body. According… Continue reading “Mind your health” – Recognizing mental health in May

National Depression Screening Day and National Bipolar Awareness Day

As part of Mental Illness Awareness Week, today is both National Depression Screening Day and National Bipolar Awareness Day. It’s all part of a larger effort to raise awareness about the mental conditions that affect the lives of millions of people around the world. So what are the stats on depression?[1] Depression affects as many… Continue reading National Depression Screening Day and National Bipolar Awareness Day