Comments for Stable Moods - Random Bipolar Scribbles

Comment on Is Bipolar Mania Spiritual Enlightenment? by KB

KB — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 04:49:06 +0000

I’ve had about 6 manic episodes, all requiring hospitalization. They have such a strong spiritual element to them that I am compelled to try to understand them from this perspective. I came across this comment that reflects my own experience. The minute I start thinking I’m someone special, it is DEFINITELY NOT ENLIGHTENMENT. The quote below describes this very well. Sean Walton said it beautifully… it is the collapse of the ego, not the enhancement of it. Enhancement = delusional psychosis, Collapse = enlightenment.

“Jung understood very well that one of the greatest dangers that you encounter during this experience [mania] is to become inflated, thinking that you are someone special. You become identified with the archetype instead of relating to it from the standpoint of a conscious human ego. You’ve literally gotten swallowed up and possessed by the deeper, more powerful transpersonal forces, falling totally into your unconscious.” - Paul Levy

Comment on Diagnosis - A Positive Wake-Up Call by Therapy4help

Therapy4help — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 17:02:55 +0000

Light therapy reveals its effectiveness in numerous cases, and helps to quickly find energy when a lower morale lets us feel the changes in the seasons.

Comment on Dark Winter Days by Therapy4help

Therapy4help — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 17:01:24 +0000

Thanks for writing this blog.

Comment on Spring Has Arrived! by Therapy4help

Therapy4help — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 16:59:55 +0000

At the beginning of the 1980’s in the United States Professor Rosenthal discovered the benefits of light therapy lamps. At first they were used in cases of seasonal depression also called SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder). Light therapy is today practised in a number of hospitals a number of pathologies, but mostly with trouble linked to the upset of the biological clock (circadian rhythm problems) like insomnia and generally trouble sleeping.

Comment on To Tell or Not to Tell by Patches

Patches — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 17:43:53 +0000

To tell or not to tell… I rarely go anywhere but had attempted to participate in friends and family reunions, parties and what not, basically trying to be more social. I realized there was a lot of condescending looks, you know the body language, shoulders back, eyebrows up, literally looking down at you kinda look? Then some people cutting conversations really short, so they can move on really fast…

My cousin was there that night and I was trying to build up the guts to tell her… Took me about 2 hours, and I drank a lot of wine… then finally told her! The body language above came on, and she said: I already know, aunt so and so told me. Just like that. No ”Do you need to talk about it” no ”How are you doing?” nada.

Apparently most of them already knew from speaking to each other. I was very hurt because the private conversations I’d had with this aunt were exactly that - private. She was in fact, sharing my BPD diagnosis with others. It took me a long time to get over that, a lot of crying, mad times, just so hurt, so betrayed.

Then it occured to me to ask someone else that is close enough to know, if they had shared the info. Well, they had. And so on, and so on….

I had to think outside of the box that is BPD, and realize that it is ”normal” which is not to say respectful. I’m proud to say that I am a respectful person, and if you share something private with me, IT WILL NOT BE REVEALED!

I just told everyone I knew that I am BP, through a social network, only yesterday. Funny part is, they probably all know… I say let them get weeded out naturally! You can’t please everyone that’s for damn sure! For those with tunnel vision I can only hope they will get better one day.

Comment on Diagnosis - A Positive Wake-Up Call by Patches

Patches — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 17:15:14 +0000

You have put into words what I could not. You write logically and clear up how I feel. For the most part, I can relate to about 90% of this, and that says a lot. As J P H said above, people are all different and mental health is a complicated animal…

I am curious to know how you organize yourself, your focus to write. Do you have any particular method? How do you avoid disturbances? How do you keep your mind on the task at hand?

Most of all - I thank you from the bottom of my heart. :o)

Comment on Is Bipolar Mania Spiritual Enlightenment? by Illness?

Illness? — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 22:02:18 +0000

I’ve watched these videos before. I don’t agree totally with the reasons behind “why” ( Jungian ego crisis ) some manics get to this point of enlightenment. But I certainly agree with just about all the sensations / experiences that went into my first manic episode 10 years ago, as descibed in the second paragraph.

Maybe the reasons don’t matter anyway: the bottom line is that many people who are labelled as having a manic episode, experience profoundly intense feelings of oneness, pure love etc. And to put those experiences into words that someone else might be able to understand is practically impossible. Not to get too graphic - but try explaining in words what it is like to have an orgasm to someone who has never experienced one…

Thanks for the post

Comment on Is Bipolar Mania Spiritual Enlightenment? by Layla

Layla — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 02:07:16 +0000

Hi,
Your post reminded me of my friend George Denslow’s book, Living Out of Darkness: A personal journey of embracing the bipolar opportunity. Check it out and read his blog on embracing bipolar here: http://www.LivingOutofDarkness.com

p.s. I included his e-mail address instead of mine above, in case you want to get in touch with him about the book.

Comment on Diagnosis - A Positive Wake-Up Call by stixy

stixy — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 14:41:03 +0000

Thank you so much. This was great.

Comment on Spring Has Arrived! by Alice Robinson

Alice Robinson — Fri, 29 May 2009 19:38:16 +0000

Spring makes me happy as well and all the hopes for a new and happy life come with it.