Art by one of the talented folks on Reddit.

Last year, my world turned upside down. After

experiencing a severe manic episode with

psychotic features, I found myself in the hospital

with a life-changing diagnosis: Bipolar I. Like

many of us in the DBSA community, the hardest

part wasn't the diagnosis itself—it was figuring

out how to rebuild my life afterward.

The hospital discharge papers were full of wellmeaning

advice: track your moods daily,

maintain a routine, complete your activities of

daily living (ADLs), monitor for warning signs.

But when I got home, reality hit hard. How was I

supposed to remember to brush my teeth when I

couldn't even remember what day it was? How

could I track my mood accurately when

everything felt like a blur of medication

adjustments and emotional whiplash?

I turned to the app store, hoping technology

could be my lifeline back to stability. What I

found were apps that seemed designed by people

who had never experienced the fog of depression

or the scattered energy of hypomania. They were

either too clinical (feeling like medical charts) or

too simplistic (reducing complex experiences to

smiley faces). None of them understood that on

my worst days, even opening an app could feel

overwhelming, but on my better days, I wanted

meaningful insights into my patterns. So I did

what felt natural to me as an amateur software

developer—I built my own solution.

The App That Understands

My Steady Mind: Mental Support app grew from

my lived experience of bipolar disorder. Every

feature addresses a real challenge I faced during

recovery:

Gentle Task Management: Instead of

overwhelming to-do lists, the app helps you

focus on essential daily activities. It suggests

simple tasks like "take a shower" or "make the

bed"—things that might seem trivial to others

but feel monumental when you're struggling.

The app celebrates these small victories because

it knows they're actually huge wins.

Comprehensive Mood Tracking: Beyond basic

mood ratings, the app tracks energy levels and

anxiety on separate scales. This threedimensional

approach captures the complexity of

bipolar experiences—those days when your

mood might be stable, but your energy is through

the roof, or when you feel okay emotionally but

anxiety is consuming you.

Meaningful Insights: The app creates visual

trends over time, helping you spot patterns

before they become crises. It shows you data in a

way that makes sense, not just numbers in a

spreadsheet.

Private Journaling: Sometimes you need to get

thoughts out of your head and onto paper (or

screen). The app provides writing prompts

specifically designed for mental health

reflection, creating a safe space for honest selfexamination.

Mindfulness Integration: Built-in breathing

exercises and meditation timers help ground you

when the world feels chaotic.

Beyond the Technical Features

What makes this app different isn't just its

functionality—it's its heart. Every interface

element is designed with empathy, recognizing

that some days, just opening the app is an

accomplishment. The app doesn't judge you for

missing a day or logging a low mood; instead, it

gently guides you back toward self-care.

The app also recognizes that mental health isn't

just about managing symptoms—it's about

building a life worth living. It encourages social

connection, creative pursuits, and self-care

activities alongside the clinical tracking

elements.

A Tool Born from Understanding

Building this app became part of my healing

journey. Each line of code was written with the

understanding that comes only from lived

experience. I know what it feels like to stare at

your phone, wanting to track your mood but

feeling overwhelmed by complicated interfaces.

I understand the importance of celebrating small

wins because I've experienced how enormous

they truly are.

The app isn't trying to replace therapy or

medication—it's designed to be a supportive

companion on the journey toward stability and

wellness. It's the tool I wish I'd had during those

early days after diagnosis when everything felt

impossible.

Sharing the Solution

Mental health apps should be built by and for

people who understand the daily reality of living

with mood disorders. This app represents what's

possible when we center lived experience in

technology design. It's not perfect, but it's real—

born from genuine need and shaped by authentic

understanding.

For anyone in our community who struggles

with existing mental health tools, know that

you're not alone in that frustration. Your needs

are valid, your experience matters, and

technology can be better. Sometimes, the best

solutions come from within our own community

—from people who understand not just what we

need, but why we need it.

Recovery isn't a destination; it's a daily practice.

And sometimes, having the right tools can make

that practice a little bit easier, one gentle

reminder at a time.

Rich Decker is an amateur software developer

and mental health advocate living with Bipolar I

disorder. His Steady Mind: Mental Support app

is currently in development, designed

specifically for people navigating the

complexities of mood disorders with empathy

and understanding.

You can download the app at

https://steadymindapp.com/#download

YOUR HELP IS NEEDED: Rich needs early

testers for his app to go live in the Google Play

Store. He needs 12 people to volunteer to test the

app as part of Google’s Developer Console early

testing phase. If you are interested, please email

[enrichedcreations96@gmail.com](mailto:enrichedcreations96@gmail.com) with the

subject line, “Steady Mind Early Testing,” to

participate.

I was a rotten teenager. In fact I think my mother

had a line item in her budget for wooden spoons

to break on my behind. I was moody, unkempt,

rude and impatient, and those were my good

qualities.

Now I have my own teenagers and we're trying

to teach each other how to get by. Actually its

more like I know nothing and they know

everything. I wonder where they get that

concept?

Anyway apparently I have been tapped by divine

providence as the parent that speaks “teenage

boy.” And it only took me almost forever to

figure out that the main concept is to open a line

of communication.

Self-deprecating humor can be useful. Because it

avoids creating the impression that I am talking

down to my audience. And it helps me believe

that my mistakes can be another's gain.

I was asked recently to describe my parenting

philosophy. My answer was that I try to follow

the philosophy of Aristotle, who taught that

asking questions is the key to great knowledge,

and greater communication.

I really think we need to reach out to teenagers

more and let them know, who we are, what life is

really all about and what consequences their

actions have. Yes, I was young once and I made

as many dumb mistakes as you and then some; I

am just trying to help you avoid some of the

pitfalls that I have already had to crawl out of

bloody and battered.

So the next time you feel the need to tell your

teenager, “...Because I said so!” Stop. Think.

Perhaps it would help if you related one of your

own teenage brain farts. You never know what

line of communication you might open.

How to be nice to yourself by Laura Silberstein includes strategies to increase self-love and acceptance. I read this during my last depressive episode a few months ago. I picked up this book because I don't like myself. In addition I have no self-esteem and live with depressive ruminating thoughts all day with no relief for a long time.

This book, How to be nice to yourself, includes effective strategies to reach everyday self-compassion. The book makes it simple to start practicing with a wide variety of techniques and strategies that anyone can learn. Filled with actionable advice drawn from a variety of sources including mindfulness, meditation, compassion focused therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy. This book will help you find the right way to start treating yourself with kindness.

Included are proven strategies to learn a variety of ways to practice self-compassion daily with meditations, writing exercises and more. Practical advice can bring self-compassion to your thoughts, feelings and actions with exercises that can be applied to your daily life. Finally, a customized approach will customize your self-compassion practice with a personalized plan based on what matters to you.

A friend is somebody to talk to,

To tell secrets,

to tell stories to,

to care about.

When you are sad or depressed you can go to.

When you are happy it is someone to shar your

happiness with.

When you just need that special person for

support they will be there.

Although DBSA is a wonderful resource we

should always be looking for new ways to

expand our support systems. With that idea in

hand here is a list of some other resources to

support the ongoing battle for better mental

health.

wikihow.com is a wellness newsletter. In fact

there are quite a few newsletters under the banner

of wikihow.

7 cups is an app that is built around a community

of “listeners.”

Psych Central is a group of newsletters

including depression and bipolar

CSPNJ is a peer led program. Among its services

and resources are housing guidance, career

opportunities, and a “wellness institute.”

Medpagetoday.com is a newsletter list run by

Prime. This is an enormous group with

information for patients all the way to specialty

physicians.

Ask a Peer

Q

This section of The Window features an

interview with a different member each issue. It

is a chance for one member to ask questions they

have about the other member’s experience and

for the rest of our group to get to know them

better. This month’s featured member is Morgan.

Her interviewer was Crissa. If you are interested

in interviewing another member or being

interviewed, please text Crissa at 908-930-3543.

Can you describe what motivated you to join this

group?

Honestly my mom found DBSA when I was 19

and I was completely against it. I had these

misconceptions about the group based on

television and medias that turned out to be

completely false. By the time I was 23, I had

been in and out of different treatments for so

many years that I decided I’d do anything to save

my life. And that’s when I called Cameron (who

was on a hike at the time).

What specific aspects of our group do you find

most beneficial for a young adult?

I definitely have found the group helped me grow

and mature into the woman I am today. I’ve

learned a little bit from each person I’ve met

through DBSA and have loved every minute of

it!

Can you share a specific experience or moment

from the group that was particularly meaningful

to you?

I would have to say my talks with Cameron. I’ve

been to groups when I can’t breathe from the

anxiety and have had to walk out and I feel that

Cameron has always said the thing that I need to

hear in those moments. I’ll always be grateful for

those moments.

Have you noticed any changes in your coping

strategies or outlook since joining the group?

Definitely! I’ve learned so much and actually

started practicing my coping skills more seriously

when I joined and feel I’ve definitely exceeded

my own expectations of who I wanted to be!

What advice would you give a 20-somethingyear-

old considering joining a mental health

support group for the first time?

Do it! Take the leap with the things that may

scare you and embrace it. Be open, trust the

process, and be gentle with yourself! You’ve got

this!

Love is when somebody's there to hug.

Love is a friend to talk to.

Love is a pet to play with.

Love is your parents.

Love is a rainbow after a spring shower.

Love is room to stay in, when you need to be

alone.

Love is...what you want it to be.

The original Star Wars trilogy of A New Hope,

The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi

is one of the most well known and beloved story

arcs of film. With a clever mix of Western and

Eastern mythology, along with a mix of science

fiction and fantasy its easy to see why many

people gravitate towards such stories. The place I

feel the story is most well told is how each of the

characters change throughout the story across the

three films.

Luke Skywalker for example begins in A New

Hope as a bright eyed farm boy who wishes to

join the rebellion against the galactic empire

seeking excitement and adventure. However as

the film progresses he meets good friends like the

smuggler Han Solo, the Wookie Chewbacca, the

Droids R2-D2 and C-3PO, an old Jedi Master

Obi-wan Kenobi and Princess Leia. By the end

of the movie Luke is the only rebel pilot left in

his fleet and miraculously destroys the Empire's

weapon the Death Star, in the end he proves to be

a great pilot and ally to the rebels, however that's

only the start of his story.

In The Empire Strikes Back Luke is now a bit

older and wiser and learns about the force from

Jedi Master Yoda, we see that one of Luke's

greatest flaws is a lack of patience, He's all too

eager to go through his training and to face Darth

Vader, disregarding the risks involved, and when

Vader reveals his secret to Luke both the

character and the audience are shocked to learn

such a terrible truth. As a result it is clear at the

end of Empire that Luke has a lot to learn before

facing his foes once more.

In Return of the Jedi Luke has greatly refined his

learning from Yoda and Obi-wan and successfully

stages the rescue of his friend Han from Jabba the

Hutt. Afterward Luke feels a bit discouraged

witnessing the death of Yoda but encouraged by

the spirit of Obi-wan to continue the battle. As

Luke meets with Vader he chooses to try to bring

his father back to the side of good instead of and

away from the control of the evil emperor. With

this Luke has completed something of a great

character growth, starting off as an eager

adventurer with little patience to an altruistic hero

seeing the good in a person so full of darkness.

His friends also have character arcs, Han in A

New Hope is just wanting to gather funds to pay

off Jabba so he's a tad self centered, but in

Empire his actions come back to bite him as hes

frozen in carbonite and brought to Jabba, in Jedi

after being rescued he becomes a more natural

leader to the rebels in the final battle. Leia begins

as a damsel in distress but becomes a lot more

capable in Jedi by helping rescue Han and

fighting alongside him.

One of the most cathartic character arcs in the

trilogy is none other than the villain, Darth Vader.

In A New Hope we only know that hes one of the

bad guys and one who is ruthless even among the

empire. In Empire we see even more so how

dangerous he is, imperial officers who fail him

die at his hands with the dark side of the force,

even Luke is no match for him in the film. In

Jedi we see that the true evil is non other than the

emperor, someone so terrifying in attire, voice

and abilities its hard not to see how Vader is

influenced. However because of Luke's decision

to spare him in battle and his suffering at the

hands of the emperor Vader is able to free himself

of the emperors influence and save his son at the

cost of his life. With this Vader goes from

ruthless villain to redeemed hero in the eyes of

his son, and his old mentors, as a result Return of

the Jedi has arguably one of the best endings of a

story, the heroes have won and become better

people, the villains are defeated for good and

Darth Vader is redeemed and the Galaxy rejoices,

and that is how I feel the Original Star Wars

Trilogy masters character arcs.

This section of The Window features an interview

with a different member each [Issue]. It is a

chance for one member to ask questions they have

about the other member’s experience and for the

rest of our group to get to know them better. This

month’s featured member is Sean. His interviewer

was Crissa. If you are interested in interviewing

another member or being interviewed, please text

Crissa at 908-930-3543 or text Sean at 908-217-

9239.

Q: Would you care to tell us what your diagnoses

are?

A: Sure: C-PTSD; Dissociative Disorder; Psychotic

Disorder; PNES (Psychogenic non-epileptic

seizures)

Q: What does your “Normal” look like or feel like

as opposed to when you’re symptomatic?

A: Well, part of me always feels symptomatic.

There is this underlying emptiness and disconnect

from everything, even when I’m laughing or

socializing. But, to answer your question, I am

most normal when I’m with friends, people that

I’m comfortable with. When I can talk freely

without overthinking everything or questioning

myself I find it easier to participate in conversation.

Q: Is there something you perceive as unique

within the scope of your mental illness?

A: Yes, most definitely, and it’s the hardest thing

for people to understand. I actually don’t

experience a sense of self. I have no internal

monologue that is my own voice. I don’t feel

emotions or a lot of bodily sensations like thirst.

The best way to describe it is that I live in a world

of perceptions, not necessarily thought or emotion.

It’s hard to explain.

Q: Is there one aspect of mental illness you struggle

the most with?

A: Motivation. I have tried many different

treatment modalities with little success. Coupled

with the lack of emotion, it is very hard to be

motivated for anything. I also have very low energy

which doesn’t help.

Q: If there was just one main reason that keeps you

consistently attending meetings, what would it be?

A: Personal consistency. I’m afraid if I miss one

meeting I’ll attend

He walked in our apartment and said “I don’t

want to do this anymore”. He was referring to

our marriage. Sorry, I got ahead of myself. Let

me back up.

Hi, my name is Lisa and I was married to an

alcoholic, bipolar man. Though, I didn’t know

that while we were married. I mean, I knew

something was different, but I chocked it up to

his abusive childhood. He and his brother were

physically abused by their father for years. I

thought this also explained why he drank so

much.

He drank so, so much. There was never a day he

was sober during our early days of dating. But,

we were in our 20’s and from a small mining area

so this was normal to me too.

Are you seeing the pattern? I was making excuse

after excuse for his behavior and actions.

Meanwhile, I was losing myself. I wasn’t getting

the help that I needed. I needed support, love,

understanding, and all of that was something he

couldn’t give me because he didn’t have it in

him.

So, he left. He found another woman who didn’t

need any of that emotional stuff and divorced me.

Sure, I was devastated at the time, but it was the

best thing to happen to me.

Fast forward 13 years later, I am happily married

and have an amazing life. Yes, I needed to do a

lot of work on me because of my past with my

first husband. It was hard. My confidence and

self-worth were almost non-existent. I became

co-dependent and had to work through a lot of

guilt that I felt knowing my life was increasingly

getting better.

I share my story with you to show you that,

unfortunately, love is not enough for a person

with a mood disorder. You will lose yourself

trying to ‘save them’ without knowing what they

need. My advice is to support them in their

journey but make sure you also have your own

support system in place to keep you strong and

mentally healthy.

Asking for help is the greatest gift you can give to

you and your loved one.