Bipolar

[HappyGilmore]

Bipolar Disorder has just been horrible. Been kicking my butt lately. Mostly why I haven't been in as much. Gonna try popping in more. Miss it here.

[zombie no.one]

damn, sorry to hear

a very close friend has had bipolar for years, and has to take lithium.

not sure how it manifests in different people, but he has had several 'episodes' over the years where he just loses it completely. at any other time he's the nicest most calm guy you could hope to meet

[Rev. Powell]

Best wishes, I dated a girl with bipolar and it can be managed with the right tools.

[Trevor]

Bipolar Disorder has just been horrible. Been kicking my butt lately. Mostly why I haven't been in as much. Gonna try popping in more. Miss it here.

Sending hugs. 🙏🐢

[HappyGilmore]

damn, sorry to hear

a very close friend has had bipolar for years, and has to take lithium.

not sure how it manifests in different people, but he has had several 'episodes' over the years where he just loses it completely. at any other time he's the nicest most calm guy you could hope to meet

Yeah, it's dependent on a few factors. There's bipolar 1 & 2. I'm bipolar 2, which is more on the "depressive" side of it, with some mania, but my mania is not as severe... But the depression lasts longer than #1.

In mine, I've A few comorbid issues with it: insomnia, anxiety and PTSD, with addictive personality. I go days at a time with zero sleep, and spend several days drinking at a time. So we're trying to settle it. They're worried about the amount...

[HappyGilmore]

I came close to offing myself quite a bit. They didn't work. Thankfully I would say. It's quite a moment when you're at that point and you know you messed up.

[Dalmatian Bobby Samaritan]

But it is definitely not a lost cause. Create a companion for yourself. And you can make it through the day. Just not drugs! Yeah and if a Doctor gives you meds take them. But if they don't work then TELL Them! I am not going to go on a conspiracy rant or something you heard Laura Ingraham saying that meds are designed to make the problem worse. Because I think that some of them actually do work.
The problem too is, you hear about all of these great people (supposedly) like Dr laura schlessinger or whoever. But it is like, where are any of these people whenever you are having like some kind of extreme episode. Probably out on their ski resort in colorado.

Its like yesh. Self advocating then. And that is no fun. Actually reading Dr. Seuss books helps me a lot. I don't know why.
And if you ever meet a doctor who acts like they are really helping you and they tell you to come back regularly and to not "Ghost them," seriously punch them in the face. That is probably the worst term that I have ever heard in my life. If you are so called ghosting someone, you are obviously not doing it on purpose. It means that you are really struggling. And need better professional help. And treat yourself. Eat a Cheese, Apple, Walnut Salad from time to time. Or given that you have the teeth capable of biting through a walnut. I have bipolar too.

[zombie no.one]

I go days at a time with zero sleep, and spend several days drinking at a time. So we're trying to settle it. They're worried about the amount...

obviously no two cases are identical but I feel like I've been somewhere near to that situation in the past.

gave up drinking and smoking on the same day, over 15 years ago. was strangely one of the easiest and one of the hardest things I've done. but I really felt that if I didn't stop drinking altogether I'd be dead... it took me to get to that point.

wasn't the magic solution to everything that I hoped it would be,  but did it help

[Dalmatian Bobby Samaritan]

Zombie if you were able to quit smoking and drinking and all on the same day I would like you to publish or write something about that! I would be willing to pay money.
You know sometimes I wonder if Dogs get bipolar. Or I wonder if Bipolar is linked somehow to sleeping. Seems like You and HappyGilmore are kind of inferring that it is. That is crazy because you have to sleep. Yeah you gotta write something about that quitting smoking thing. Every doctor that I have ever been to has said that. That I should quit smoking and that that would help immensely with my mental health. I'm like sure dude. You are the same Doctors who helped Matthew Perry! Nah, I am going to live how I want. Of course they are right but who listens to doctors.
Like Sean Connery says in The Rock, "The Blueprint's in my head." Yeah I will continue to do what I want. I have it figured out.

The Blueprint is in my head!
Of course.

[HappyGilmore]

I go days at a time with zero sleep, and spend several days drinking at a time. So we're trying to settle it. They're worried about the amount...

obviously no two cases are identical but I feel like I've been somewhere near to that situation in the past.

gave up drinking and smoking on the same day, over 15 years ago. was strangely one of the easiest and one of the hardest things I've done. but I really felt that if I didn't stop drinking altogether I'd be dead... it took me to get to that point.

wasn't the magic solution to everything that I hoped it would be,  but did it help

I did get fully sober for about 2 years around 13 years back. No booze or drugs. I did ok, but had an incident that just flipped my world and I went on a 2 week bender, barely came home. I still managed to work, but I was messed up every shift...there's bars and liquor stores here open at 6AM. I was going there til work at 9, then going out after work at 5, then sometimes after hours places. I'm not that bad off now, but I do still drink. I don't currently take medication, but trying to get back on. I lost my insurance after an accident I was in and couldn't work for 2 years, and couldn't afford to pay it anymore, and the medication without insurance quadrupled in price.

Congrats on stopping though. That's huge.

[HappyGilmore]

But it is definitely not a lost cause. Create a companion for yourself. And you can make it through the day. Just not drugs! Yeah and if a Doctor gives you meds take them. But if they don't work then TELL Them! I am not going to go on a conspiracy rant or something you heard Laura Ingraham saying that meds are designed to make the problem worse. Because I think that some of them actually do work.
The problem too is, you hear about all of these great people (supposedly) like Dr laura schlessinger or whoever. But it is like, where are any of these people whenever you are having like some kind of extreme episode. Probably out on their ski resort in colorado.

Its like yesh. Self advocating then. And that is no fun. Actually reading Dr. Seuss books helps me a lot. I don't know why.
And if you ever meet a doctor who acts like they are really helping you and they tell you to come back regularly and to not "Ghost them," seriously punch them in the face. That is probably the worst term that I have ever heard in my life. If you are so called ghosting someone, you are obviously not doing it on purpose. It means that you are really struggling. And need better professional help. And treat yourself. Eat a Cheese, Apple, Walnut Salad from time to time. Or given that you have the teeth capable of biting through a walnut. I have bipolar too.

I did find a med routine that worked. My goal's to get back on them. I'm finally working again so I'm hoping to earn enough money to get my insurance back because right now I just can't afford them without insurance.

That salad sounds good by the way.

[Dalmatian Bobby Samaritan]

I'm finally working again so I'm hoping to earn enough money to get my insurance back because right now I just can't afford them without insurance.

Let us know how that all goes. Because a lot of us are in the same boat. It would be cool if you could make a blog or something and do like a month to month thing. I have a blog but barely anyone looks at it. And I think me being Bipolar has something to do with that. Because you get into some kind of high where you get into a certain mood or feel and start posting and putting up chunks and chunks of material. And then something like a Dead zone happens. And you neglect it for like a year or more. And you look at your activity and it is kind of pumping and doing good for those moments when you are productive. But then when you stop it is like those people are wondering, Ok..What the heck happened to that guy. Nothing.

They are like "I liked what he/she was saying!" Yeah I mean it sucks. I got a bunch of likes and things too, but then when you hit that low and stop posting then you don't get any likes anymore. Of course it is because you aren't posting anything. The actor Joe Pantoliano has Bipolar. He has talked about it. No offense to him or people who like him, but I don't really get any inspiration from him talking about his Bipolar. I mean there are a lot of things that inspire me or get me feeling good and positive — like to get through it. But unfortunately you can't really convey some of those things like in a blog. It is basically just things that you keep to yourself. Actually checking in possibly to like a mental health clinic for a short stay isn't actually a horrible idea. They do things like activities and stuff and sometimes yoga.

[zombie no.one]

I created a blog shortly after I joined this place... designed a banner and other stuff for it, and then made zero posts ever! it stayed up till a couple of years ago but now seems to have been deleted (not by me).

Never occurred to me to write about giving up smoking and drinking... not sure I'd have much new insight to offer... there's a Bill Hicks sketch where he talks about the guy who wrote a book about jogging: "I mean, what exactly do you write about jogging? Left foot, right foot.... go home shower!"... I'd feel a bit like that!

I do remember entire days would go by where all I could think about was either wanting a cigarette, or just thinking about the fact I was giving up.  saw how much it dominated my life.

apparently a bunch of tobacco execs once testified under oath that nicotine was not addictive. so you're battling an entire industry that wants you hooked... or at least DID. smoking now seems socially and culturally taboo here. it's all vapes now (same difference?)