“In my humble experience, mental illness is as real as a broken bone, and must be treated as such. Although slowly evolving, psychiatry is seemingly STILL archaic. Psychiatric bandages in pill form are only the tip of the iceberg for a person who is struggling. Simply tranquilizing or quieting the often-frustrating erratic behavior inherent in mentally-ill minds with psycho-meds… is NOT the solution.                 A psychiatrist should NOT be a revolving door that hands out scripts like candy. A psychiatrist should BE all-encompassing compassion, and treat the whole individual. 

As a survivor, it is my mission to create awareness, understanding and hope through my writing, and through my H.O.L.D F.A.S.T Method.” – A. Grieme

Diagnosed at the age of twenty with rapid-cycling Bipolar Disorder with schizoaffective episodic delusions, it was not until her mental tumble from the living one February, a decade later… that she was not-so-gently shown her path. Today, Grieme lives to share how she stayed afloat in this ever-cycling existence, and to help others understand they can, too.

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It was while she was curled into herself, cradled uncomfortably into the corner of her parent’s couch following a psychotic episode… incapacitated, over-medicated and unable to keep her coveted job as a high school English teacher that she found her way out of her own hell with a pen and paper. It was all she could do… the first step in a separation from an insidious diagnosis that did not allow itself to be ignored.

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Grieme’s harrowing look at bipolar disorder (loosely based on her own experience), allows her the opportunity to help, not hide from the so often stigmatized mental illness. Her brutal honesty in the depiction of bipolar disorder and its many faces and manifestations, although sometimes gut-wrenching and difficult to read or discuss, is a testament to the importance of transparency to create awareness and understanding.

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A. Grieme is the author of seven books: H.O.L.D F.A.S.T:  Ride Out Parenting with Bipolar Disorder (1st edition 2019),  H.O.L.D.F.A.S.T:  Ride out Life with bipolar disorder (1st Edition 2020), H.O.L.D.F.A.S.T:  Ride out Life with bipolar disorder (2nd edition 2022 - AVAILABLE IN HARDCOVER), Paging Dr. Freedman (1st Edition 2020), Paging Dr. Freedman 2nd edition (2022 - AVAILABLE IN HARDCOVER),Motherhood Made ME Get Over MYSELF: A Metamorphosis (2014), a self-help anecdote based on a blog written during pregnancy, and “Dear Prudence” (2009), the inspiration behind Paging Dr. Freedman.   In addition she offers readers an interactive course entitled "Loving Yourself and Others with Mental Illness" and a day-planner for non-linear minds.

Grieme chooses writing, mental health advocacy and radio as her creative, cathartic mediums to help others. Her life experience with mental illness, medication and almost two decades as a High School and Middle School educator lends A. Grieme’ readers, students, listeners invaluable, empowering, often quirky life advice, braided in a message of hope.