Our Volunteers

Jenn has been an active member of the About.com Forums for Bipolar Disorder since October 2004. Because of her many years of dedicated membership, we asked her to consider being a host in March 2009. She shares, “I am 41 and I have bipolar I disorder. I was diagnosed in December of 2000 after a long manic episode. Since then I think I have been on every med there is out there.”

Rabbit has been an active member of the About.com Forums for Bipolar Disorder since 2000. In March 2009, Rabbit agreed to serve as a Forum Host. Rabbit has had symptoms of bipolar II disorder since about 1971, has been on medication since 1988, and was in therapy for a total of 15 years.

Skiinglab26 has been an active member of the About.com Forums for Bipolar Disorder since February 2003. She joined our community at age eighteen shortly after she was diagnosed. In March 2009, we asked Ski if she would consider taking on the role of Forum Host. Ski has made it a goal to help those in need with self-injury (SI), post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and other bipolar disorder related issues.

Dianne has been an active member of the About.com Forums for Bipolar Disorder since 2001. In November 2003, she eagerly accepted the role of Forum Host volunteering her free time to help provide support, encouragement and a safe nurturing environment for this community. During her nearly six years of volunteer work, she has been promoted to Senior Forum Host, a role now called Forum Moderator. Read through even a handful of posts and you will find Dianne's warm touch and sound advice.

Erica (EricaHOST) serves as the Volunteer Coordinator for this community. When Erica isn't chatting, she's working in the technology department of an investment bank drawing, pretending to write fiction, or shopping.

Whatever Brian does, he does with intensity. While attaining his degree in Pharmacology, he has gone from Forum Community Leader at About Bipolar Disorder to Forum Medications Host. All this and manic-depressive, too!

Cassel has been a chat assistant and is now a chat host and trainer. She tells about her experience with a husband who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and two children also diagnosed BP. After finding support and companionship in the About Bipolar Disorder chat rooms, she has volunteered to give back to the community.

Amy introduces herself and details her experience both with bipolar disorder and with issues regarding working and Social Security Disability. A veteran forum member, Amy has the background and the motivation to help others with questions on these issues.

Forum Host Ebeth talks about her background and experiences with bipolar disorder from childhood depression through adult manic depression. She also discusses how the forum has been helpful to her and her feelings for the members of the About Bipolar Disorder community.

Dan, diagnosed at age 13, is a teenager actively involved in this online community. He is also a contributing author to the content of this site writing articles to help other teenagers who have bipolar disorder.

Jean is a dedicated volunteer. She serves as a Community Leader for the "Borderline" folder on the BP Complications Forum. Jean has four years of training in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) and has developed skills to help prevent episodes of mania, depression, and psychosis. She writes, "I find using these skills minimizes my symptoms. My goal is to teach DBT skills to those interested."

Lily was smart enough to get medical help immediately when major depressive symptoms appeared. Now she is a regular contributor to About Bipolar Disorder.

Dan has been chatting with us since we opened the chat rooms back in 1999. He is now serving as a chat host moderating several sessions a week. Meet Dan in his own words and learn about his hosted chats' rewarding topics.

Chat Host Janus describes her background and experience and shares why hosting in the About Bipolar Disorder chat rooms is important to her.

Joy says, "I am 25 years old and enjoying my second year of teaching special ed resource in the inner city. I have been diagnosed bipolar for 5 years now, and love to share with others what I have learned along the way."

Oak Giraffes writes, "I'm Annie - The Tall Giraffe Among the Mighty Oaks. I'm a middle-aged gal with two wonderful teenage sons. My life in the bipolar world started out pretty dark and dreary. I struggled for years with major depressive episodes before getting my correct diagnosis. From that time forward, life made a bit more sense."

Peg is a chat and forum host for this community. She shares, “Bipolar Disorder runs in my family, so I was not too surprised when my doctor told me I had it. I was familiar with bipolar and children but needed more information for me, which is when I found the bipolar.about.com site. I have been a regular ever since.”

SnowyHOST - also known as Snowflake - introduces herself to the About Bipolar Disorder community of chatters.

Summer has been an active member of this community since 2001 and serves as a host in our chat rooms. Summer brings a broad perspective to our community having personal experience with eating disorders, borderline personality disorder, anxiety, PTSD, and self-injury as well as bipolar disorder.

Tazzie hosts two weekly chats - Peer to Peer Support and BP and Parenting. Here she introduces herself to the community.

Sonya / Weezer shares, “I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder when I was 22. It took quite awhile to come to the correct diagnosis, and boy was I shocked.”

Wildstraw is hosts support chats for this community, She writes, "The internet gave me the chance to make some new friends and to expand my life's boundaries again, slowly but surely."

We have an incredible group of people who volunteer their time and knowledge to provide support and encouragement for members. They work in the forums and the chat rooms and some contribute articles. Found here is the full list of these volunteers including those who have yet to write a biosketch.

Lord Butterfly (lb8i8HOST) volunteers on this site as a roving chat host. Of himself he writes, "I'm a 6'4", 225 lb. BP with diabetes who hates the label BPD (yes, I'm that, too). I self-medicated and fought with not knowing what it was about me that was different most of my life.

Nemileah Cha Cha is a Community Leader in our Forums for the Under 30 crowd. About herself, she shares, “I'm BP1 (rapid cycling, with psychotic features and schizoaffective functions--a mouthful, no?), and in the past 4+ years I've gained insight through repeated hospitalizations, feeling all my feelings, and searching for all the information I could find in the quest to get to know myself.”

Stormy is Community Leader for Creative Expressions and Signatures, and also on our Complications forum where she has experience with a number of disorders often diagnosed along with Bipolar Disorder. She writes, “Don't ever hesitate to call on me if I can help you with something or you just want to talk. I'm a good listener, and I'll never...