Calling all neurotics

[thymeoperator]

i'll come out and say: i've got tourette syndrome, ocd, adhd, high-functioning autism and bipolar disorder. i've seen a few people mention adhd and bipolar on here before, so i just wondered who all on here has any of these conditions - and wanted to open up discussion on it, if anyone's interested

[Bryan James]

Sounds like you'd be a blast at a party!

You could plan it, send out hand-written invitations, cater it, host it, flit about introducing people, and then clean up afterwards. With clean hands.

Currently, I drink too much wine. I smoke a few cigs every day. I was labeled "clinically depressed" two years ago. I realized my meds weren't doing anything and decided I was not depressed...I was just distressed. So I dropped the meds and de-stressed. And I started writing again. It was an effective tradeoff.

I recommend a book called "Plato Not Prozac" by Lou Marinoff, PH.D..

And write. Even if it's just a personal journal that you hide under your mattress. Writing purges the built up junk in your head. It's better than "Going Postal."

Best Wishes,
Bryan

[LadyPain]

*waves hand*

I'm a high-functioning bipolar. I spend most of my time manic as hell, and my moods change so quickly throughout the day, so I am classified as an ultra-rapid cycler. Not too many long lows, so most of the time...

*bounce bounce bounce* I can't sit still. I always must keep moving to try to burn off the energy. I like to do everything, be everything and do it all while dancing my heart out all day long in some cases.

They love me at work because I really get a lot done.

I've probably got a couple of other things going on... perhaps some mild OCD, but nothing is really diagnosed.

I had to learn to handle it without the meds because I am allergic to lithium and the valproates. Not about to even go near the carbamazapine (sp?) compounds. Side effect list is too ugly IMHO. I'd rather exercise, play with my dog, dance, play with my dog, dance some more...

[Charms7]

Excellent advice, Bryan. Writing may not cure a chemical imbalance, but it sure helps to set the record straight on paper. Or computer. Include details as much as possible also. Who, what, where, when and how.

[aneaglesangel]

Good advice Bryan. It seems like everyone wants to find happiness in a magic pill nowadays. I don't think there is such a pill, unfortunately. But many times we keep going and never take a moment to breathe. We just keep letting stress pile up until it becomes a problem. I really think a journal is a helpful thing. I began one back in the day because of my paranormal problem, but I've found that it is a good thing sometimes just to write in it, go over things in your life, and de-stress-ify. Sometimes reading back over what you've written gives you insights you never would have had.

I have a family that mental illness seems to run in. My mother had bi-polar disorder, and now both of my sons have it along with ADHD. Luckily, I tested negative, for in my 20's I went and got tested, just in case. My mother was never treated for her illness, and I was afraid that if I did have anything that I would end up following her behavior. I didn't want to do that, and chose to take a pro-active approach. It was a load off my chest to find out I was negative, just a regular person, as I looked at it back then. When my sons were diagnosed, I had to take a deep breath and make another pro-active choice for them. To me, treatment and helping them is a better approach then ignoring the problem and hoping it will go away. Or just not admitting that there is a problem. My mother did some terrible things in her life, not being treated for a severe illness didn't help her behaviors. But on her death bed, she felt as if she had things to atone for, she apologized to all her daughters for the things she had done. When I think about the approach I've taken with my sons, I see a better future than that. On their deathbeds, I hope that instead of apologies to the people they hurt over their lifetimes, they speak of the love and the good times they shared. For me, I wish that my mother never carried that burden. Of course she did do the things she did, but was she at fault? Her whole family denied her illness and did nothing for her, she went untreated, and out of control.

I don't think anyone should be ashamed of their mental illness. At least not in this day and age. I think that if we all learn how to help and be supportive that maybe we can change more things that we never thought possible.

So I raise my hat to ya thyme, and as the mother of children who suffer mental illness, my heart also goes out to you! I think facing our own conditions and learning how to help ourselves (especially for my children) is one of the most important things we can ever learn! Hugs!

[thymeoperator]

Sounds like you'd be a blast at a party!

You could plan it, send out hand-written invitations, cater it, host it, flit about introducing people, and then clean up afterwards. With clean hands.

yeah and then spend the whole time at the party being scared to talk to people, then afterwards dwell on the whole affair and feel like 'why even bother?' - yay! no, i'm just kidding (somewhat).

i have to say, i'm strongly anti-medication for these things. for a start, it doesn't even work - i don't know how it's still prescribed because so many scientists have proven that these drugs work like narcotics, get you stuck in 'negative feedback loops' where it works for a short time, then your brain adjusts and you need to raise the dosage, etc. until eventually you need to take the meds just to be as bad as you were before taking them, and it gives you awful side effects - they made me properly schizophrenic for about a year or so back when i used to take them.

there is no cure, no way to fix them. but you know, there are good things too - it's also proven they give you high artistic abilities, high intelligent, things like that. so they can be absolutely horrible...but there's more to them than people often portray. there's no need to be ashamed of it.

[thymeoperator]

I'm a high-functioning bipolar. I spend most of my time manic as hell, and my moods change so quickly throughout the day, so I am classified as an ultra-rapid cycler. Not too many long lows, so most of the time...

*bounce bounce bounce* I can't sit still. I always must keep moving to try to burn off the energy. I like to do everything, be everything and do it all while dancing my heart out all day long in some cases.

They love me at work because I really get a lot done.

sounds JUST like me

also, aneaglesangel - what is this 'paranormal problem' you mentioned?

[cwinter4]

I cycle in and out of ocd it seems to be activated by stress one extreme to the next, depression pretty much here to stay. The worst for me is social anxiety it has caused problems with work and friendships. No alcohol anymore but I'm still into the chain smoking. One doctor has recommended that I quit smoking, not only for the obvious helath reasons, but that quitting would actually Level out my nerves. I can obsess for days about one thing a person said in conversation searching for hidden meanings.

[Ophelia]

*waves hand*

Depression. Chronic depression. It started when I was 8.

I do not medicate myself because (1) the drugs seem to make me a zombie, (2) I can't afford them, (3) I would really rather avoid putting any more chemicals into my body, and (4) I don't think pills really fix all the problems. Sometimes facing the problem head-on and dealing with it helps me better.

Plus, I do some of my best creative work while depressed.

[Ubasti]

Depression and mild OCD. I took meds for a few months for the depression and it helped for a while but sometimes I feel like it's getting bad again. Coping on my own lately so some days are better than others ... kind of just like when I was on meds.