Bliss +

Blues =

Bipolar

Bipolar disorder is a medical condition that adversely inflates a person’s emotional ups and downs. The author was diagnosed with it after attending Harvard, and spent over two decades battling it.

Photo of Jason W. Park, standing, 488x650 pixels

Bliss +

Photo of Jason W. Park, standing, 380x506 pixels

Blues =

Bipolar

Bipolar disorder is a medical condition that adversely inflates a person’s emotional ups and downs. The author was diagnosed with it after attending Harvard, and spent over two decades battling it.

About Me

Jason W. Park

Jason W. Park was born in Lawrence, Kansas, and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He received his BA cum laude in philosophy from Harvard University, and his PhD in strategic management from the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Park has a keen interest in European classical piano, American jazz saxophone, and 1990’s rave music. He dabbles in Pittsburgh professional sports: MLB Pirates, NHL Penguins, and NFL Steelers. He has called Los Angeles his home since 1997.

About Me

Jason W. Park

Jason W. Park was born in Lawrence, Kansas, and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He received his BA cum laude in philosophy from Harvard University, and his PhD in strategic management from the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Park has a keen interest in European classical piano, American jazz saxophone, and 1990’s rave music. He dabbles in Pittsburgh professional sports: MLB Pirates, NHL Penguins, and NFL Steelers. He has called Los Angeles his home since 1997.

The Newsletter

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About Publications

Photo of Jason W. Park, seated, 488x650 pixels

Jason W. Park is the author of two memoirs, a number of short stories and personal essays, a scientific research note, an academic book chapter, PhD dissertation, undergraduate honors thesis, and a dozen Op-Ed’s. His writings typically revolve around the hero’s quest, or more generally speaking, a significance-laden journey. In it, Jason finds himself under constant adversity, weakness and danger, but still can summon the will for self-sacrifice (hence, heroism), for the sake of all humanity.

His more recent projects have redirected from purely literary to public policy. For example, one topic is how “dual diagnosis” or “co-occurring disorder” – mental illness and drug addiction combined – leads to homelessness and incarceration. Jason also weighs in on how the state of California’s mental health system can be improved upon – an issue touching close to home for him.

Finally, a recently emergent theme for Jason is what roles untreated mental illness, easy access to guns and absent law enforcement have in mass shootings. In that vein, Jason attempts to understand the “gun rights vs. gun control” debate less as hopelessly acrimonious and more as positively conciliatory, which could ally conservatives, liberals and moderates around effective gun policy.

Dr. Park is a member of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. His latest participation in that organization is with the Crisis Intervention Team/Sharing Your Story with Law Enforcement. In these presentations to law enforcement officers, Dr. Park reflects on his initial contact with them more than twenty-five years ago, at the beginning of his decades-long recovery, when the men and women in uniform saved his life. He finds it personally self-fulfilling to reach out to audience members who are sworn to “protect and serve.”

Photo of Jason W. Park, seated, 380x506 pixels

About Publications

Jason W. Park is the author of two memoirs, a number of short stories and personal essays, a scientific research note, an academic book chapter, PhD dissertation, undergraduate honors thesis, and a dozen Op-Ed’s. His writings typically revolve around the hero’s quest, or more generally speaking, a significance-laden journey. In it, Jason finds himself under constant adversity, weakness and danger, but still can summon the will for self-sacrifice (hence, heroism), for the sake of all humanity.

His more recent projects have redirected from purely literary to public policy. For example, one topic is how “dual diagnosis” or “co-occurring disorder” – mental illness and drug addiction combined – leads to homelessness and incarceration. Jason also weighs in on how the state of California’s mental health system can be improved upon – an issue touching close to home for him.

Finally, a recently emergent theme for Jason is what roles untreated mental illness, easy access to guns and absent law enforcement have in mass shootings. In that vein, Jason attempts to understand the “gun rights vs. gun control” debate less as hopelessly acrimonious and more as positively conciliatory, which could ally conservatives, liberals and moderates around effective gun policy.

Dr. Park is a member of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. His latest participation in that organization is with the Crisis Intervention Team/Sharing Your Story with Law Enforcement. In these presentations to law enforcement officers, Dr. Park reflects on his initial contact with them more than twenty-five years ago, at the beginning of his decades-long recovery, when the men and women in uniform saved his life. He finds it personally self-fulfilling to reach out to audience members who are sworn to “protect and serve.”

Book Collection

Other Publications

Kindle Edition

5.0
1/5

When two colorful characters in a cigar bar start arguing about the capital of Australia, there’s sure to be fireworks.

Kindle Edition

4.7
1/5

When the author hears a dull thudding late at night from outside his LA apartment, he knows no good can come of it.

Kindle Edition

4.9
1/5

How could an inanimate object such as a musical instrument bring more to a relationship than a human being?

Kindle Edition

5.0
1/5

On a night of a full moon, a friendly match of chess in a cigar store between an Old World Romanian and a New World American.

Blogs

Articles and Blogs

Explore the world of mental health with a Harvard-educated PhD who has been fighting the good fight for his own mental health and regularly writes about his struggles, successes, and past in an entertaining and engaging way.

Prevent school shootings: How Republicans, Democrats and independents can agree

Prevent school shootings: How Republicans, Democrats and…

After college, I was saddled with a mental illness so severe that it became time to call in the cavalry. My family, friends, physicians and professors supported my Ph.D. training,…

Lessons from Apalachee High School — gun rights, gun control, gun violence

Lessons from Apalachee High School — gun…

On Sept. 4, 14-year-old Colt Gray armed himself with an AR-platform gun and shot and killed four individuals and wounded another nine at Apalachee High School near Winder, Ga. Is…

Keeping guns from falling in the wrong hands — lessons from Charlotte

Keeping guns from falling in the wrong…

On April 30, four police officers were killed in a shooting while attempting to serve a warrant at a home in Charlotte, N.C. Four other law enforcement officers were wounded…

February 26, 2021

Bliss + Blues = Bipolar

A Memoir of My Ups and Downs Living with Bipolar Disorder

February 26, 2021

Bliss + Blues = Bipolar

A Memoir of My Ups and Downs Living with Bipolar Disorder

Testimonial

Sweet Words From Readers

I really enjoyed reading this short story. I was actually hoping that it was longer because I enjoyed it so much. I love the way the author develops his characters and makes the audience buy it!

Sundoc

Reader

Quirky characters. The betting process builds up with a few shades exchanged among the challengers and finally with the winner collecting the winnings. Cigars around, brain analogy, and finally getting to the right university. Cool beans, Jason.

Gyrovagi

Reader

I got a kick out of Jason Park’s story. He drew me into the setting, a cigar shop, where I got a strong sense of his eclectic characters. The tension builds as the story continues. And when the initial conflict is resolved, he moves on to a deeper meaning. Well done!

Robin Kay Quinn

Reader

I liked how Jason explained all the different trials and tribulations in his journey to recovery. It was an honest, relatable, and sometimes funny memoir that I would recommend to someone who has a mood disorder or anyone who wants to see what it is like to live life with one. It is inspiring to see how success is still achievable despite carrying and fighting with a cruel illness.

Kelly

Reader

Testimonial

Sweet Words From Readers

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