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07.14 - Dining Out For Life 2014

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boiMAGazine, Issue 07.14 Chicago's #1 Lifestyles Publication, In Print & Online.

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boiMAG ONLINEboiMAGazineChicago.com

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Editorial: [email protected]: [email protected]

EDITORIALMike Macharello: ProductionRick Karlin: Editor

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PhOTOGRAPhERs Eamonn sextonKen Brown, KAB PhotographyOliver Aguilar

COvEREs Collection, provided by Egoist

EDITORIAL CONTRIBuTORs Gregg shapiro, Ace Magyar, Parker CarrSue Deaunym, Anita Taylor

vIEW boiMAG ONLINE AT:www.boiMagazineChicago.comBOI Magazine, Inc. © 2000−2014All rights reserved

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Club Lucky Dining out spotlight

Described by the owners as a “1940’s supper club and cocktail lounge on the verge of the 1950s,” Club Lucky is a casual Italian neighborhood restaurant opened in 1990 as a latter day equivalent of landmark supper clubs such as Club Lago or Gene & Georgetti’s. A strong supporter of the community, Club Lucky has been a participant in Dining Out for Life since its inception.

At the corner of Honore and Wabansia, "Club Lucky" spelled out in pink neon lights beckons with its promise of "traditional Italian food." Upon first entering, you come upon a cocktail lounge area, complete with upholstered booths, a long dark wood bar and a barrel ceiling. All that’s missing is Frank, Dean and the rest of the Rat Pack sipping a few. It's the perfect spot to sample Club Lucky’s “Killer Martini.” The bar features premium vodka and gin martinis garnished with hand-stuffed blue cheese or anchovy jumbo olives.

If the décor puts you in the mood for classic Italian-American fare, you won’t be disappointed. Handmade pastas highlight the dinner menu, and for dessert there are plenty of options from the in-house bakery and house-made ice-cream. There are three soups and ten sandwiches available at lunch and 22 house specialties and additional specials available at dinner. More than 90 wines are offered, either by the bottle or glass. Desserts range from an assortment of cookies, tiramisu and profiteroles.

If, and when, the weather ever warms up, two outdoor patios are set under a retractable awning and lit with warm and inviting amber lights and amber candles on each table. Usually packed with locals – it’s great for people watching, enjoying a relaxed neighborhood atmosphere, and affords the opportunity to dine outside on a beautiful day or night.

Club Lucky’s Spicy History As far back as 1914, census tracks identify the site of Club Lucky as a saloon. During Prohibition one portion of the building served as the headquarters of the local Democratic Party. The other housed Wassermann’s Drugstore, according to 1928-29 Polk's Directory of Chicago. The drugstore’s proprietor, Alexander Wassermann, and his wife Sylvia ran the drug store, which may have been a front for a speakeasy. At other times it also housed a hardware store, VFW hall and a Polish banquet hall.

Club Lucky1824 W. Wabansia773.227.2300 www.clubluckychicago.com

Publishers Note: This is one of my personal favorite restaurants and a great place to take a date for a romantic dinner. The place has a very casual and neighborhood feel, but don't let the laid back atmosphere fool you, the food and drinks are great! The ribs literally fall off the bone!

Club Lucky circa 1935

By Rick Karlin, additional research by Daniel Layman

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Dining Out For LifeEdgeAllianceIn 1991, Dining Out For Life was created by an ActionAIDS volunteer in Philadelphia. Dining Out For Life is now produced in 60 cities throughout the United States and Canada. In exchange for their financial support, restaurants are listed in a citywide marketing campaign in an effort to increase customer traffic. Nationally, more than 3,000 restaurants donate a portion of their proceeds from this one special day of dining to the licensed AIDS service agency in their city, in Chicago that agency is EdgeAlliance. More than $3 million dollars a year is raised to support the missions of 60 outstanding HIV/AIDS service organizations throughout North America. With the exception of the annual licensing fee of $1,150, all money raised in these cities stays locally. On April 24, more than 60 restaurants and 9,000 loyal diners from across Chicago will participate in Chicago’s Dining Out for Life benefiting EdgeAlliance. In the last 20 years, Dining Out for Life has raised in excess of $1,376,000.00. Although the event is only days away, you still may be able to serve as a volunteer ambassador. Ambassadors act as hosts at each restaurant, explaining Dining Out for Life to patrons and encouraging them to enter the city-wide drawing to benefit EdgeAlliance and, of course, you can also help simply by dining out at a participating restaurant. As of our deadline, the following restaurants had signed up to participate. For the most up to date list, go to www.diningoutforlife.com/chicago/restaurants.

• Diamond level participants •• platinum level participants •

• Gold Level Participants •

ChiCago

AndersonvilleAcre

AnteprimaBig Jones

Francesca’s Bryn MawrHamburger Mary’s

lady gregory’sombra

Bucktown

Club lucky*Silver Cloud

Downtown

Atwood Cafésable Kitchen and Bar

southwater Kitchen312 Chicagogiordano's

Vivere

EdgewaterBroadway CellarsNookies Edgewater

PasteurUncommon Ground

gold CoastBistronomic

table Fifty-twothe signature Room at the 95th

lakeview

Ann SatherAvenue tavern

Bar PastoralBountiful Eatery

The Chicago DinerGiordano’s

Halsted’s Bar & GrillHB Home Bistro

Jack’s on HalstedLas MananitasMia FrancescaSpritz BurgerTaverna 750

the Bagel Restaurant & DeliWilde Bar & Restaurant

Wood

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LinCoLn ParkSwirlz Cupcakes

Logan SquareBistro Campagne

The Chicago DinerLongman & Eagle

North CenterBrowntrout

Sola

RavenswoodAnna Maria Pasteria

ukranian Village

uptown

Crew Bar & grillspacca napoli

West loopCarnivaleWishbone

Wicker parkAzzurraEnoTavola

SuburbS

highland parkBluegrass

oak park

CucinaParadisoOld TownSalpicon

EdgeAlliance is a non-profit organization which assists its members in developing and operating quality housing and providing life enriching services to vulnerable individuals and families. Housing stability is the first and most crucial step in treating those with HIV/AIDS. By providing clients with permanent supportive housing they are able to take their medications effectively and shift their focus from basic survival to treating their specific health issues and achieving long-term independence. Veterans represent 25% of the homeless population in the United States, yet less than 10 percent of the U.S. population has served in the military. EdgeAlliance helps service men and women overcome homelessness and transition toward greater independence.

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Motor MouthsnoW MoRE

Last fall Forbes rated the best cars for dealing with snow, and although it’s late in the season (even though in Chicago you never can tell, we can still get some flakes), it’s good to review your best bets if you plan on buying a new vehicle between now and next winter. Choosing a car that can deal with Chicago winters can be a delicate balancing act, literally. Without enough ground clearance, you might find that you are spinning your wheels as you get stuck atop a snow rut or in a drift. The other factor to consider is traction. Front wheel drive (FWD) vehicles place more weight over the drive wheels and “pull” rather than “push” the car, they tend to fare far better in snowy conditions than do rear-drive models. Of course, while all-wheel drive (AWD) gives you better control on icy streets, you’ll trade off in greater gas usage. The best cars for winter driving are listed below. I’ve excluded trucks and minivans from the list, as few of our readers would tend to purchase such a vehicle. It’s no surprise that Subaru has a number of vehicles in the top winter performers, as all models come with AWD, making the brand a good choice, even if they weren’t such strong supporters of our community. The midsize Subaru Outback has superior traction on snowy pavement and a higher-than-average ground clearance (8.7-inch) which will help you get in and out of parking spaces. The compact XV Crosstrek features 8.7-inch ground clearance and its broad styling adds surprising stability for a compact. As with the Outback wagon, with which it shares platforms and components, the Legacy sedan offers either of three slightly different AWD systems and an above-average 5.9 inches of ground clearance. The compact Impreza four-door hatchback combo can handle the worst winter has to offer with 5.7 inch ground clearance.

Luxury cars offer a number of options, all imports. The Volvo XC70 T6 is a popular car with soccer moms, but its 8.3-inch ground clearance and smooth ride make it a good contender for anyone who needs to haul things occasionally. The Audi Allroad is basically the Audi A4 Avant station wagon. Its SUV styling comes with higher 7.1-inch ground clearance. BMW added the compact GranTurismo xDrive Hatchback Gran Turismo to the T3 Series lineup in 2014. It comes with the xDrive AWD system standard, a choice of 240 or 300-horsepower -six-cylinder engines and 6.5-inch ground clearance. Acura’s sporty sedan boasts the automaker’s Super Handling All-Wheel-Drive (SH-AWD) system with a 3.7-liter 305-horsepower V6 engine and 5.7 inches of ground clearance. Another midsize sports luxury sedan, the Lexus GS 350 offers an optional AWD system that can vary the front-to-rear torque split from 50/50 to as much as 30/70 to maintain traction and offers 5.7-inch ground clearance. The Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedan or wagon, with 4Matic transmission, both offer a choice of V6 or V8 engines. The sedan also offers a fuel-efficient turbo-diesel option. Ground clearance here ranges from 5.5 to 5.8 inches depending on the power-train. Likewise the BMW 5 Series Gran TurismoxDrive, if equipped with the xDrive AWD system, offers superior added traction and 5.7-inch ground clearance. If you’re looking for something small, unusual for a gay man, the Mini Countryman ALL4S comes with a 181-horsepower four-cylinder engine and AWD for added traction and a surprising 5.9-inch ground clearance. While the ice may have melted and the drifts drifted away, it’s never too early to start thinking about next year. Purchasing the right vehicle now can make Chicago’s winters (slightly) more bearable.

By Parker Carr

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Chicago’s own Frankie Knuckles, a Grammy-winning disc jockey considered a key figure in the evolution of the house music genre, dating back three decades, died at age 59 on March 31.

Knuckles was born Francis Nicholls on January 18, 1955, in the Bronx. He worked as a DJ in the early 1970s in New York before moving to Chicago in the late 1970s. In Chicago he was resident DJ at The Warehouse club until it closed in 1983. Knuckle’s music had such a distinct style, that people started asking for ‘house music, shortening of the name of the club.

It was there that he defined House music’s distinct style and took on the role of DJ as tastemaker, said Phil White, co-author of “On the Record: The Scratch DJ Academy Guide.” "Knuckles defined really what House music was in terms of style. Knuckles even would cut and tape together pieces of reel-to-reel recordings to make extended tracks.”

Knuckles went on to have a high-profile a recording career, putting out his own albums on Virgin Records and working as a producer and remixer with many famous musicians including Michael Jackson and Diana Ross, He had a hit with his first album’s debut single, “The Whistle Song.” He won a “Remixer of the Year “Grammy in 1997. He also was a governor and trustee for the New York City chapter of The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.

Known as the “Godfather of House Music” he is remembered fondly by many local DJs and club promoters.

DJ Freddie Bain said, “I knew Frankie since the days of the Power Plant and he never changed throughout all of those years. Never a diva attitude, always down to earth. Every time I would see Frankie he was always so

kind, and so approachable. He has been such a great influence in my life. I will miss him and his music so much. It's still a shock and it's so hard to think that we will never see that big friendly smile, never hear a new remix, and never get to hear him in person again. It’s such a sad time in the music industry.”

Publisher of boiMAGazine Mike Macharello had this to say; "The first time I heard the term “house” was when people were referring to the music that Frankie Knuckles played at the Warehouse, where he was the resident DJ. I have fond memories when I visited Frankie at the Warehouse, it was truly a underground club of its time and I would usually be the only white spot in the whole place. I'll nevr forget the very first time I went to the Warehouse, a gang of black guys on the street asked me "Where ya goin' white boy?" I said "to the Warehouse to visit Frankie," they said "Ok," and then escorted me to the club!"

Knuckles said, in a quote provided in a release from his company, Def Mix Productions. “When you’re as fortunate as most of us working DJs to be able to share our creative blessings with the rest of the world, no matter how great or small, wouldn’t you agree that it’s best to give the world the best of who you are?”

Friends and associates at DE Entertainment released the following statement, “Frankie touched the lives of so many people all over the world; he was a true pioneer and originator, a consummate gentleman and an inspiration. The response to the news this week has been truly overwhelming and shows the deeply profound influence that Frankie’s music and personality has had on his friends and family as well as his audience on the dance floors across the world. Frankie’s indomitable spirit and legacy will burn brightly and continue to inspire us. He changed many people lives and the contribution he has made to that industry will be forever recognized.”

Frankie knuckles reMeMbereD

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iMusic GAYer THAN eVer

Sir Elton John wasn’t officially out (neither was he Sir yet) when he released his two-LP milestone recording Goodbye Yellow Brick Road in 1973. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, newly reissued in an expanded 40th anniversary deluxe edition, was the most glam album of his career to that point, a style he would continue to explore on a few more albums. Glam doesn’t necessarily mean gay, but Goodbye Yellow Brick Road was also his gayest album until then. The titular reference aside, EJ heaped on the hints in songs such as the Marilyn Monroe memorial “Candle In The Wind,” as well as “All The Young Girls Love Alice” and the sexual ambiguity of “Bennie and the Jets.” A source for several hit singles in addition to songs that would become instant classics, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road kicked off Elton’s musical reign, which would last throughout the 1970s and 1980s. The deluxe edition includes one remastered disc with all 17 songs from the original release. The second disc features nine songs, “highlights” from the December 1973 Hammersmith Odeon concert. The remaining nine songs on the second disc fall under the "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road Revisited" heading. An odd assortment of artists including Fall Out Boy, Emeli Sande, Miguel and The Band Perry, all try their hands at interpreting Sir Elton. Thankfully, someone thought to include John Grant, an openly gay artist, among the performers. As it turns out, his rendition of “Sweet Painted Lady” is the best of the cover versions.

In 1973, while Elton John was still technically in the closet, Patrick Haggerty of Lavender Country was kicking down the door in glittering cowboy boots. Long before the existence of the queer music scene, Haggerty’s band independently released its self-titled album. The second CD reissue of this landmark recording (the first was in 1999), Lavender Country commemorates the 40th anniversary release in a deluxe edition that includes booklet containing an oral history, along with previously unpublished photos (the

vinyl version includes a download code). Song titles such as “Come Out Singing,” “Back In the Closet Again,” “Cryin’ These Cocksucking Tears” and “Lavender Country” paint a picture of what you can expect. But what is probably the most amazing thing is the combination of queer themes with authentically crafted country music of the time (which sounds vastly different from 21st century country). With attitudes changing at varying paces, and queer artists, such as Brandy Clark coming out of the country closet, Lavender Country’s time may have finally come, forty years later.

What do you do after founding and playing in one of the most influential (and loudest) band’s in the history of college/alternative/modern rock? If you’re Bob Mould, formerly of Husker Du, you release a solo album, Workbook, which ranks with the best work you did with your former band-mates. The expanded, double disc reissue Workbook 25 – yes, it’s really been 25 years (!) – features the remastered original album plus the bonus track “All Those People Know” on the breathtaking first disc, which shows that Mould can unplug with the best of them. Songs such as “See A Little Light,” “Poison Years” and “Whichever Way The Wind Blows,” were instant classics. The second disc, recorded live at Chicago’s Cabaret Metro (now known simply as Metro) in 1989, includes songs from Workbook, as well as a cover of Richard Thompson’s “Shoot Out The Lights,” and Husker Du tunes “Hardly Getting Over It,” “Celebrated Summer” and “Makes No Sense At All.”

George Michael waited a few years before putting out his second solo album. That’s probably because Faith, his multi-platinum first solo disc was such a great source for hit single after hit single. By the time Listen Without Prejudice hit shelves in the summer of 1990, Michael was beginning to withdraw from the limelight. Michael’s new live album Symphonica, recorded with a symphony orchestra, draws on his personal songbook, including “Praying For Time,” “A Different Corner,” “One More Try” and “Cowboys and Angels.” There are also inspired covers of songs by Terence Trent D’Arby (“Let Her Down Easy”), Ewan

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MacColl (“The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face”), Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse (“Feeling Good”) and Elton John (“Idol”). All in all, it’s good to hear Michael’s voice again (especially in a year that also brought us Boy George’s first new solo studio album in 20 years) and perhaps we will hear from him again before long.

Would there be a Rufus Wainwright without Elton John or George Michael? He certainly would be making music – his family tree, including his late mother Kate McGarrigle and his father Loudon Wainwright III, as well as aunts Anna McGarrigle and Sloan Wainwright, would be a good indication of that. But Rufus, who has long been one of the most open and out artists, surely benefited from the groundwork laid by his queer forebears. The double disc deluxe edition of Vibrate: The Best of Rufus Wainwright consists of 34 tracks, selected by Wainwright himself, covering the period beginning with his 1998 eponymous debut through 2012’s Out of the Game (although it excludes 2010’s All Days Are Nights: Songs For Lulu). There are also two new songs, including

the marvelous “Me and Liza,” as well as a healthy portion of live recordings. Of course, Wainwright’s legendary recording of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” is present, but “Gay Messiah” is absent. If you can’t get enough of Rufus in a live setting, the Live From the Artists Den (album and separate DVD) will satisfy that craving.

The trans community got a boost when the former Tom Gabel of respected Florida punk band Against Me! not only transitioned genders to become Laura Jane Grace, but also released Transgender Dysphoria Blues, the most powerful album on the issue since Namoli Brennet’s Boy In A Dress or the cast recording of Hedwig and the Angry Inch. The album-opening title cut and “True Trans Soul Rebel” both have the making of anthems. In fact, when Grace stays on topic, on brilliant numbers such as “Unconditional Love,” “Drinking With The Jocks,” “Fuck My Life 666,” “Dead Friend,” “Paralytic States,” “Black Me Out” and the breathtaking acoustic track “Two Coffins,” Transgender Dysphoria Blues is a masterpiece, an essential life lesson for all members of society.

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...ON THE GO!in the knowChicago's

late night menu… Speaking of cheap, Mz.. Ruff and Stuff is the hostess on Mondays at hydrate with $2 premium cocktails all night long. The cocktails are cheap, you certainly didn’t think that we meant Mz. Ruff and Stuff is cheap, did you? Tawdry? Yes. Easy? Yes, but never cheap. Also at Hydrate, on Fridays and Saturday through May 17 is another creation from the beautifully twisted mind of Tony Lewis; "Snow White and the Seven Drag Queens." Community CalendarIn case you didn’t notice the cover of boiMAGazine, don’t forget that Dining Out for Life is Thursday Apr. 24… If you get your tickets for opening night of “Motown the Musical” on Thursday, May 1 from AIDS Legal Council of Chicago, you’ll also be invited to a pre-show reception with complimentary cocktails and appetizers at Downtown Bar and lounge… Chicago Gay Men's Chorus celebrates the best of the last decade of Broadway with "Bouncing off the Walls: Broadway Our Way” on Saturday, May 3 at Emmanuel lutheran Church in Rockford. If that’s too far away for you, wait ‘til the next weekend when they appear at north shore Center for the performing Arts in Skokie on Saturday, May 17… Mark Sunday, May 4 on your calendar, for the GLBT Travel Expo at the Center on halsted, from noon until 5. For more information, go to www.glbttravelexpo.com. in the Know, newsThe Supreme Court declined to hear a case brought by a New Mexico wedding photographer who refused to photograph a same-sex couple's wedding due to religious objections. "No court has ever held that businesses have a First Amendment right to discriminate, and it is no surprise that the Supreme Court has denied this attempt to overturn settled law," said Joshua Block, staff attorney with the ACLU Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender Project… The Legacy Project opened a satellite installation of the Legacy Walk at the Equality house across the street from the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas last week.

By Sue Deaunym

spring has sprungAnd that means that all those animals are coming out of hibernation. The Bears will be at Bear Den at Big Chicks on Apr. 17, then two days later the critters move over to soFo tap for its Otter party. Then see RuPaul's Drag Race season six star Kelly Mantle perform at Roscoe's Drag Race hosted by Frida Lay (who should be cast on RuPaul’s Drag Race already!) on Mon. Apr. 21. Big BallsIf you like men with big balls, head over to Waveland Bowl on Saturday Apr. 19 for the Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame’s “Celebrity Bowl.” The event is a benefit for the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame. Registration begins at 10 a.m. Go to www.GLHallofFame.org for more information… If you like pretty girls with big balls (tucked away, but still there) you’ve got two options this weekend as the Miss Continental Plus and Miss Continental Elite Pageants run Sun Apr. 20 through Apr. 22 at park West and the Baton. Go to www.thebatonshowlounge.com for more information… If you’re more interested in the back end of men, you’ll enjoy the “Hot Butt” contest at the Ram on Apr. 25. Ace of ClubsOn Apr. 17 touché hosts a round of performances for the “Windy City Gay Idol” competition and then two days later on Saturday, April 19 Bobby love’s hosts an elimination round of the “OUT at Wrigley” national anthem contest… Get all dolled up for Easter at sidetrack on Tuesday, Apr. 29 with its "Build An Easter Bonnet" party (BTW Sidetrack gets all scruffy with Johnny Scruff on Friday, April 25)… Homolatte the music and spoken word performance series at Big Chicks/tweet, hosted by Scott Free, has Maya Marshall and Abby Brown on the slate for Tuesday May 6 and Nic Kay with Desiree Gales two weeks later on May 20. For other upcoming shows go www.homolatte.com ... Facebook isn’t the only place for Throwback Thursdays, spin is playing oldies on that night… If you’ve got the munchies after dancing, head over to taverna 750 for its $5

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by Ace Magyarask ace

Ace Magyar has a BA in communications, a MA in sex therapy and a PhD in zoology. He is a registered couple’s counselor specializing in the GLBT community. Send your questions to ASK ACE at [email protected]

petrified in pilsenI have a friend who is a horrible driver, but he doesn’t realize it. He has totaled two cars this year and been in four fender-benders, but claims it was the other driver’s fault each time. We had planned to take a cross-country road trip this summer and now I’m afraid to go with him. How do I tell him that I don’t want to go because I’m afraid to ride in the car with him?

Dear pip,The only way to deal with this issue is to be up-front and tell your friend that because he has had so many accidents you don’t feel comfortable riding in a car while he’s driving. If you feel you are up to doing all the driving, you could offer to do so and still take the trip, otherwise the only thing you can do is back out.

Freaked out on BroadwayLast week I got into a fist-fight with someone at a bar. I hadn’t been drinking, but the guy made a comment about a friend of mine that really pissed me off. My friend said to let it go, but I just couldn’t, I confronted the man and one thing lead to another and I hit him. I’ve never done anything like that before; in fact most people who know me think I am very mellow. Lately, though I have been having issues like this. There are times when I feel like I’m on top of the world and other times I get angry for no reason. The other day in the middle of a spin class, I went into the bathroom and started sobbing for no reason. My behavior is really frightening me. I’ve had some stressful events happen lately, am I having a nervous breakdown?

Dear FooB,What you’re describing sounds a lot like bi-polar behavior, or as it used to be called, manic-depressive disorder, a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels, and the ability to carry out day-to-day tasks. Symptoms of bipolar disorder are different from the normal ups and downs that everyone goes through from time to time.

Most scientists agree that there is no single cause. Rather, many factors likely act together to produce the illness or increase risk. While bipolar disorder tends to run in families, external environmental and psychological factors are also believed to be involved in the development of bipolar disorder. These external factors are called triggers.

You mention that you’ve had some stressful events in your life lately, and stress is one of the major triggers. Other triggers include substance abuse, changes in medication (including over the counter medications, such as cold medicine and appetite suppressants), seasonal changes (especially after such a brutal winter) and even a lack of sleep—even skipping a few hours of rest can trigger an episode.

If you are exhibiting violent behavior then you must see a doctor. He or she should rule out other factors that may contribute to mood problems, such as a stroke, brain tumor, or thyroid condition. If the problems are not caused by other illnesses, your health care provider should provide a referral to a trained mental health professional. Bipolar disorder can worsen if left undiagnosed and untreated. Episodes may become more frequent or more severe over time without treatment. Please see someone soon.

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