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Merryl Hammond
Sep 11, 20202 min read
Mental illness is an “underlying condition” that makes us at-risk during the pandemic
One of my main concerns in doing the research for my e-book, COVID-19 in Bipolar Country, was that none of the researchers were making...
Merryl Hammond
Jul 24, 20201 min read
Just published an e-book about bipolar and COVID-19!
In an earlier post, I discussed 4 key tips for coping with COVID-19, and then in my last post, I wrote about COVID-19 and the mental...
Merryl Hammond
May 17, 20202 min read
COVID-19 and the mental health of health care workers
My previous post on March 24, Coping with COVID-19, mentioned four strategies I use to “stay sane in self-isolation.” Apart from my...
Merryl Hammond
Mar 24, 20204 min read
Coping with COVID-19
Have you been feeling way more stressed out than usual, like you’re teetering on the edge of a breakdown with all the uncertainty around...
Merryl Hammond
Dec 12, 20194 min read
How to Implement a Routine for Stability
In a previous post, I talked about WHY daily routines are so crucial to maintain mental stability. To recap quickly, it’s because...
Merryl Hammond
Oct 11, 20193 min read
The Benefits of Smiling: Why you should find one (or 100) reason(s) to smile every day!
Humans are a naturally smiley species. We appear to begin smiling even while we’re still in the womb. There are so many emotional and...
Merryl Hammond
Sep 21, 20194 min read
Use a Routine to Recover from Bipolar
In my previous post, I explain how my type-A personality contributed to the development of my bipolar disorder, and – ironically – to my...
Merryl Hammond
Aug 29, 20193 min read
Did My Personality Type Cause My Bipolar?
One of my several bookcases of binders I used to pride myself on my total type-A personality. Over-achiever, control freak, wannabe...
Merryl Hammond
Jul 10, 20194 min read
“Most productive week of my life”: A Self-Guided, At-Home Writer’s Retreat
A version of this article first appeared on the Nonfiction Authors Association’s blog on May 23 2019. Beyond my budget! Problem: As a...
Merryl Hammond
Jun 30, 20194 min read
Happy Social Media Day!
Today is Social Media Day – a day to mark and celebrate the global impact that social media has had on the lives of all of us. What an...
Merryl Hammond
Jun 9, 20196 min read
6 Tips to Write a Mesmerizing Memoir
This post originally appeared on the Nonfiction Authors Association’s blog on March 4 2019. We all have a story buried somewhere within...
Merryl Hammond
May 22, 20193 min read
Go to the Mental Health Gym Every Day!
The concept of a “mental health gym” I’m a big believer in going to the “brain gym”: taking steps to actively (and proactively) maintain...
Merryl Hammond
May 8, 20192 min read
Let’s celebrate Mental Health Week! But…
It’s Mental Health Week here in Canada! This year’s theme, chosen by the sponsor, the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), is...
Merryl Hammond
May 1, 20192 min read
Do your moods change with the seasons?
Seasonal change is a trigger When I was first diagnosed with bipolar, my psychiatrist warned that sleep deprivation, together with stress...
Merryl Hammond
Apr 17, 20192 min read
The Power of Exercise
We’ve all heard it a thousand times: exercise regularly; exercise is good for both your physical and mental health; exercise every day…...
Merryl Hammond
Apr 1, 20192 min read
World Bipolar Day: Sharing stories; shattering stigmas
At the local World Bipolar Day event, I toasted participants and urged them to take active steps to protect their own mental health....
Merryl Hammond
Mar 30, 20192 min read
Happy World Bipolar Day!
Time to get educated March 30 is World Bipolar Day! Do you know someone struggling with bipolar disorder? Ever wondered what it must feel...
Merryl Hammond
Mar 15, 20192 min read
What does International Women’s Day have to do with our mental health?
Celebrating International Women’s Day with my daughter, Tami Hammond-Collins (to my left), and other women from around Montreal....
Merryl Hammond
Mar 11, 20192 min read
Tips to avoid the “depression demon”
A portrait of me that my daughter, Tami Hammond-Collins, painted during one of my depressive episodes. Ouch! In mid-January, I was out...
Merryl Hammond
Jan 17, 20192 min read
Block Your Bipolar Triggers! (Part 2)
How to analyze your bipolar triggers If you missed Part 1 where I explain what triggers are, you can read it here. I learned the hard...
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