Comments on: Taboo: My Mental Illness http://thelesbianlifestyle.com/2008/12/11/taboo-my-mental-illness/ Mon, 21 May 2012 19:48:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Chelsea http://thelesbianlifestyle.com/2008/12/11/taboo-my-mental-illness/comment-page-1/#comment-4008 Chelsea Thu, 18 Dec 2008 20:06:40 +0000 http://thelesbianlifestyle.com/?p=2036#comment-4008 I suffer from bipolar disorder...however, I don't tend to think of what others call my "disorder" as "disorder". Instead, I think of it as a "creative difference" which is nice because it gives me leave to act like Salvador Dali in a Rolls Royce filled with cauliflowers if I want to. Your post has inspired me to write about it some more. :) <abbr><em>Chelsea´s last blog post..<a href="http://textphish.com/2008/12/16/reflections-on-violence/" rel="nofollow">Reflections on Violence</a></em></abbr><div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('4008','Chelsea'); return false;">Reply</a> - <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('4008','Chelsea','I suffer from bipolar disorder...however, I don\'t tend to think of what others call my \"disorder\" as \"disorder\". Instead, I think of it as a \"creative difference\" which is nice because it gives me leave to act like Salvador Dali in a Rolls Royce filled with cauliflowers if I want to. \r\n\r\nYour post has inspired me to write about it some more. :)\n\n<abbr><em>Chelsea´s last blog post..<a href=\"http:\/\/textphish.com\/2008\/12\/16\/reflections-on-violence\/\" rel=\"nofollow\">Reflections on Violence<\/a><\/em><\/abbr>'); return false;">Quote</a></div> I suffer from bipolar disorder…however, I don’t tend to think of what others call my “disorder” as “disorder”. Instead, I think of it as a “creative difference” which is nice because it gives me leave to act like Salvador Dali in a Rolls Royce filled with cauliflowers if I want to.

Your post has inspired me to write about it some more. :)

Chelsea´s last blog post..Reflections on Violence

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]]> By: goldstardyke http://thelesbianlifestyle.com/2008/12/11/taboo-my-mental-illness/comment-page-1/#comment-3962 goldstardyke Mon, 15 Dec 2008 16:22:18 +0000 http://thelesbianlifestyle.com/?p=2036#comment-3962 I'm not good at negating. I am a slave to my thoughts at the moment. I'm working on it though. Sometimes it makes me wish I had some sort of illegal or forbidden vice just to take my mind off things.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('3962','goldstardyke'); return false;">Reply</a> - <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('3962','goldstardyke','I\'m not good at negating. I am a slave to my thoughts at the moment. I\'m working on it though. Sometimes it makes me wish I had some sort of illegal or forbidden vice just to take my mind off things.'); return false;">Quote</a></div> I’m not good at negating. I am a slave to my thoughts at the moment. I’m working on it though. Sometimes it makes me wish I had some sort of illegal or forbidden vice just to take my mind off things.
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]]> By: sugar_baby http://thelesbianlifestyle.com/2008/12/11/taboo-my-mental-illness/comment-page-1/#comment-3960 sugar_baby Mon, 15 Dec 2008 12:34:47 +0000 http://thelesbianlifestyle.com/?p=2036#comment-3960 I know quite a bit about mental illness. I suffered from severe suicidal depression/anxiety attacks for the majority of my teenage years, and went through some stages of anxiety issues into my early twenties. I was diagnosed after my youngest was born with postpartum depression, yet another mental illness that is seriously taboo. This was the only time I have taken medication, and after a few months, it was determined unnecessary by the doctor, which led me on a down-spin into possibly one of the worst psychotic times of my life. There aren't words to describe the isolation you feel when no one seems to understand what you are going through. In the last 5 years, I have seen four therapists, (none of which I see anymore), who have diagnosed me with all sorts of mental illnesses, leaving me feeling like a hypochondriac in a way. I have gone into stages of self-reflection and done obsessive research on the computer to see if I fit the symptoms of some of these diagnoses. While I don't generally feel as though I have a mental illness, I know that I certainly have some serious mental <i>issues</i> that can, and do, contribute to mental illness. And it runs in my family, so I get concerned quite easily about the possibility of it passing through me into my children. All I can say for me is that I try my best to live my life day to day, and limit the amount of forethought I do. I also limit the amount of hindsight I do as well, concentrating on the tasks at hand, or generally just getting myself busy as possible to negate my mind from wandering.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('3960','sugar_baby'); return false;">Reply</a> - <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('3960','sugar_baby','I know quite a bit about mental illness. I suffered from severe suicidal depression\/anxiety attacks for the majority of my teenage years, and went through some stages of anxiety issues into my early twenties. I was diagnosed after my youngest was born with postpartum depression, yet another mental illness that is seriously taboo. This was the only time I have taken medication, and after a few months, it was determined unnecessary by the doctor, which led me on a down-spin into possibly one of the worst psychotic times of my life. \r\n\r\nThere aren\'t words to describe the isolation you feel when no one seems to understand what you are going through. In the last 5 years, I have seen four therapists, (none of which I see anymore), who have diagnosed me with all sorts of mental illnesses, leaving me feeling like a hypochondriac in a way. I have gone into stages of self-reflection and done obsessive research on the computer to see if I fit the symptoms of some of these diagnoses. \r\n\r\nWhile I don\'t generally feel as though I have a mental illness, I know that I certainly have some serious mental <i>issues<\/i> that can, and do, contribute to mental illness. And it runs in my family, so I get concerned quite easily about the possibility of it passing through me into my children. \r\n\r\nAll I can say for me is that I try my best to live my life day to day, and limit the amount of forethought I do. I also limit the amount of hindsight I do as well, concentrating on the tasks at hand, or generally just getting myself busy as possible to negate my mind from wandering.'); return false;">Quote</a></div> I know quite a bit about mental illness. I suffered from severe suicidal depression/anxiety attacks for the majority of my teenage years, and went through some stages of anxiety issues into my early twenties. I was diagnosed after my youngest was born with postpartum depression, yet another mental illness that is seriously taboo. This was the only time I have taken medication, and after a few months, it was determined unnecessary by the doctor, which led me on a down-spin into possibly one of the worst psychotic times of my life.

There aren’t words to describe the isolation you feel when no one seems to understand what you are going through. In the last 5 years, I have seen four therapists, (none of which I see anymore), who have diagnosed me with all sorts of mental illnesses, leaving me feeling like a hypochondriac in a way. I have gone into stages of self-reflection and done obsessive research on the computer to see if I fit the symptoms of some of these diagnoses.

While I don’t generally feel as though I have a mental illness, I know that I certainly have some serious mental issues that can, and do, contribute to mental illness. And it runs in my family, so I get concerned quite easily about the possibility of it passing through me into my children.

All I can say for me is that I try my best to live my life day to day, and limit the amount of forethought I do. I also limit the amount of hindsight I do as well, concentrating on the tasks at hand, or generally just getting myself busy as possible to negate my mind from wandering.

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]]> By: scantron http://thelesbianlifestyle.com/2008/12/11/taboo-my-mental-illness/comment-page-1/#comment-3938 scantron Fri, 12 Dec 2008 04:48:14 +0000 http://thelesbianlifestyle.com/?p=2036#comment-3938 Thank you for sharing your story. I agree with you that people should not feel ashamed to talk about mental illnesses. I have been wanting to start a radical mental health collective in my town for some time, but it is such a hard thing to start. I want to have a safe place where people can come together a few times a month and just talk about how they are feeling and to know that everyone goes through all different kinds of things and that we're not abnormal.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('3938','scantron'); return false;">Reply</a> - <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('3938','scantron','Thank you for sharing your story. I agree with you that people should not feel ashamed to talk about mental illnesses. I have been wanting to start a radical mental health collective in my town for some time, but it is such a hard thing to start. I want to have a safe place where people can come together a few times a month and just talk about how they are feeling and to know that everyone goes through all different kinds of things and that we\'re not abnormal.'); return false;">Quote</a></div> Thank you for sharing your story. I agree with you that people should not feel ashamed to talk about mental illnesses. I have been wanting to start a radical mental health collective in my town for some time, but it is such a hard thing to start. I want to have a safe place where people can come together a few times a month and just talk about how they are feeling and to know that everyone goes through all different kinds of things and that we’re not abnormal.
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]]> By: Chrissy http://thelesbianlifestyle.com/2008/12/11/taboo-my-mental-illness/comment-page-1/#comment-3937 Chrissy Fri, 12 Dec 2008 04:26:20 +0000 http://thelesbianlifestyle.com/?p=2036#comment-3937 I too have issues with anxiety. Just the other day at work it was really stressful with a bunch of lay offs, I was so scared I had an anxiety attack and made myself sick just thinking it could be me. Luckily it wasn't, but I guess I was just so scared for everyone else since Christmas is just around the corner and all. I just kept thinking what if it was me, what would I do? Well one of my new favorite books, Wrestling with the Goddess, by Azeem Kayum, makes me realize I'm not alone. He's a wonderful <a href="http://www.azeemkayum.com/" rel="nofollow">role model</a> for other children and adults with disabilities, Azeem has set a new standard for bravery, wisdom, generosity and optimism, as I've read. Which also makes me want to do the same! I hope you enjoy this book as much as I do :)<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('3937','Chrissy'); return false;">Reply</a> - <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('3937','Chrissy','I too have issues with anxiety. Just the other day at work it was really stressful with a bunch of lay offs, I was so scared I had an anxiety attack and made myself sick just thinking it could be me. Luckily it wasn\'t, but I guess I was just so scared for everyone else since Christmas is just around the corner and all. I just kept thinking what if it was me, what would I do?\r\n\r\nWell one of my new favorite books, Wrestling with the Goddess, by Azeem Kayum, makes me realize I\'m not alone.\r\n\r\nHe\'s a wonderful <a href=\"http:\/\/www.azeemkayum.com\/\" rel=\"nofollow\">role model<\/a> for other children and adults with disabilities, Azeem has set a new standard for bravery, wisdom, generosity and optimism, as I\'ve read. Which also makes me want to do the same!\r\n\r\nI hope you enjoy this book as much as I do :)'); return false;">Quote</a></div> I too have issues with anxiety. Just the other day at work it was really stressful with a bunch of lay offs, I was so scared I had an anxiety attack and made myself sick just thinking it could be me. Luckily it wasn’t, but I guess I was just so scared for everyone else since Christmas is just around the corner and all. I just kept thinking what if it was me, what would I do?

Well one of my new favorite books, Wrestling with the Goddess, by Azeem Kayum, makes me realize I’m not alone.

He’s a wonderful role model for other children and adults with disabilities, Azeem has set a new standard for bravery, wisdom, generosity and optimism, as I’ve read. Which also makes me want to do the same!

I hope you enjoy this book as much as I do :)

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