Comments for BIPOLAR REALITIES

Comment on I’m Thinking About: Faith by Paula

Paula — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 18:31:56 +0000

This is an important conversation and the love of God is so very important for so many of us! Many of us have found the compassion and love of God, but still find great ignorance and misunderstanding in faith communities, especially among the leadership. I remember my mom meeting one on one with her pastor and he completely ignored her mental illness while trying to counsel her about her faith in Jesus – he lectured her about what he believed to be her misunderstanding of the soul and spent time drawing a diagram on a piece of paper – three circles: one for the body, one for the spirit, and one for the soul, which he had her take home with her. He didn’t listen or understand, but he did leave me with a passion to reach out to faith communities and try to provide educational resources on mental illness, so there was some good that came from the meeting. I can’t tell you how many, many, times I have heard pastors make very uninformed or hurtful statements while standing in the front of the congregation such as, “If you love God you have no reason to be sad, ever,” and that sort of thing. Or, “if you believe you will be completely healed, instantaneously, this moment, and if you are not healed it’s because you lack faith or you have doubts”; this is truly awful and even more guilt producing (just what someone with bipolar needs, more guilt!) and while sitting there I know my family isn’t the only one struggling. Or worse still, “mental illness is a generational curse from God that must be broken.” I hope that those of us with strong faith and intimate knowledge of living with mental illness will be able to open the hearts and minds of those we worship with, as well as those we work with and go to school with. Keep Writing, Shalom!

Comment on About the Blog by Sister to a Bipolar

Sister to a Bipolar — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 04:05:21 +0000

Bravo for your courageous effort! People like you who reach out to others and try to explain what you’re going through help the rest understand and/or accept the difficulties of mental illness.

I have a family member who has struggled with bipolar disorder for over 20 years. Usually that person is very reluctant to talk about past experiences or share perspective. That leaves the rest of us at a loss for words or deeds in our attempts to help.

More people need to be aware that mental illness is just another illness. There shouldn’t be stigma associated with needing medication to help regulate brain chemistry. We don’t hesitate to medicate people for other imbalances in their blood, hormones, organ function, etc.

Any chronic medical condition poses challenges for daily living. We shouldn’t add to the burden by attaching a stigma or negative response to mental illness compared to diabetes, arthritis, or even asthma.

Hang in there! I applaud your bravery and hope that your words bring inspiration to others. A sincere desire to help others is one of the best way to stay connected and maintain balance.

Thank you for sharing.

Comment on About the Blog by Crazy Mermaid

Crazy Mermaid — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 23:11:30 +0000

I love your part about serial killers. Here in Washington State, there was a lot of negative publicity last week when Eastern State Mental Hospital (housing criminally insane on the east side of the mountains) patients were brought on a field trip to a fair and one violent offender escaped. He had been on trial for the horrible murder of an old woman (I can’t remember the details or how long ago the trial was) and had been declared innocent due to insanity. He broke away from his group and went on the run, finally being picked up about 200 miles from the fairgrounds. Because of his escape, they’re talking about changing that defense to “guilty by reason of insanity” and instead of lodging the killer in a mental hospital putting him in the regular prison system. Anyway, I like your last sentence.

Comment on Another Tragedy, More Tears by Maggie

Maggie — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 01:08:05 +0000

Thanks, I visited a relative at Walter Reed Army Hospital two years ago. Seeing maimed soldiers without arms, legs, and more, otherwise handsome, fit and healthy was a shock and a heart ache.

Comment on Tears for a Stranger by Another Tragedy, More Tears « BIPOLAR REALITIES

Another Tragedy, More Tears « BIPOLAR REALITIES — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 02:20:18 +0000

[...] For my thoughts on Thursday’s suicide click here. [...]

Comment on Tears for a Stranger by Lizzie

Lizzie — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 14:17:31 +0000

I remember when i found this out by a friend of mine. I was a student from Bell Multicultural High School from 10th to 11th grade but last month i moved down to georgia to complete my senior year. well one of my friends called me about it i was shocked and i was going crazy thinking who it was and i was afraid that it might be one of my male best friends. but when i called one of my galfriend she told me that it was one of my classmate from my 10th grade chemistry class brother. but one of my friends told me that it was a rumor and non of the student know who it really is only the administrators and the officers in my formal school. but i am in complete shock and still speechless about it. and i pray for his family that he left behind.

Comment on Tears for a Stranger by Cause Endures

Cause Endures — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 15:19:50 +0000

Thanks for the article and thank you for posting it in the comments section of the WaPo story.

I have lived with Major Depression and Bi-Polar disorder II for nearly half of my life. I wasn’t diagnosed until after I had graduated from college. The late diagnosis was due to denial on my part and during my adolescence I suffered tremendously. I attempted suicide multiple times between the ages of 13 years of age and 24. Despite the resources I knew to be available I still didn’t feel very comfortable talking about waht I was going through for fear of being considered “crazy”.

I still have active suicidal ideation, but intensive psychotherapy and much more candor (on my part) to my friends and loved ones about my illness has helped me to cope more effectively. When I have those thoughts I immediately call someone I can trust not to judge me to express them. I am very fortunate… I know too many others who don’t have the kind of supports that I do.

Thanks again for the posting.

Comment on Things I Have to Do Today by bipolarrealities

bipolarrealities — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 17:08:50 +0000

My doctor and I had reduced my dosage about 3 months ago and I asked him about doing it again because my base level is pretty hypomanic and I thought that the antidepressant might not exactly be helping things. I asked if I could go from 300 mgs of Wellbutrin to 150 and he said that I should go to 150 for this month, 150 every other day next month and then off it completely. I would never advocate for someone doing this without the assistance and approval of their doctor, in case it came across otherwise. I’m still getting used to not having that antidepressant lift, but we both felt this might be better long term to keep my moves more stable and away from the edge of mania.

Comment on Things I Have to Do Today by Alex

Alex — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 12:51:02 +0000

when in doubt, just remember this really excellent advice that some wise soul gave you circa september 2007 about making time for yourself. it was pretty profound.

just sayin’.
love,
sheep

Comment on Check out my featured post on ServiceNation’s Change/Wire by Crazy Mermaid

Crazy Mermaid — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 06:02:07 +0000

Very nice. You come off very professional and together in this article. Bravo! Brave that you ‘came out of the close’ with your identity. I’m not brave enough yet. I’m still figuring out the name my book will be published under.