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Post by wrathie83 on Jul 23, 2013 20:11:21 GMT
Hiya *waves, i'm Claire, 29 and from Grimsby, i'm a bpd/depressive/anxiety sufferer and was diagnosed 10yrs ago. The way i'd describe my mental illness would be to compare it to a roller coaster (you never know what's going to happen and WHEN it will happen). I love collecting Winnie the pooh stuff (especially Eeyore as i love donkeys), listening to music (such as Iron Maiden, Def Leppard, Cradle of filth, Madonna...etc...), playing games like World of warcraft and Animal Crossing (big fan). Anyhow nice to meet you guys .
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Jam
Newbie
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Post by Jam on Jul 23, 2013 20:14:31 GMT
Hey Claire I live just down the road from Grimsby! Welcome ^_^
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Post by wrathie83 on Jul 23, 2013 20:21:01 GMT
Thanks ^_^
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Post by Bex on Jul 23, 2013 20:33:42 GMT
Hey Claire, I LOVE Eeyore! Your profile picture has made me very happy Welcome aboard anyway, hope to see you around. Let me know if you have any questions Bex x
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Post by wrathie83 on Jul 23, 2013 20:42:43 GMT
Thanks Bex x
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Jul 25, 2013 19:12:14 GMT
Hi Claire and welcome! I hope you find this group of amazing people very helpful and supporting to you through your journey! I am the ambassador of Post Natal Depression, so you will see me floating around quite alot Pleased to meet you Keeley x
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Jul 25, 2013 19:31:47 GMT
Welcome aboard Claire Awwww, I love Winnie The Pooh..Tigger is my favourite, always has been & I think he always will be I hope you find this community helpful & make some friendships along the way Anna xx
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Bry
Newbie
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Post by Bry on Jul 27, 2013 12:55:03 GMT
I found this on reddit a while ago when a friend asked me to describe being bipolar, It was strange because I couldn't, but I found this said pretty much what I was trying to say.
-- Reddit (http://www.reddit.com/r/bipolar/comments/187cz9/a_spoton_description_of_what_bipolar_disorder/) "The mood swings are like a roller coaster. Like roller coasters, every biploar's ride is different. For some, it is a series of hills of varying heights. For others, the highs and lows are unpredictable as you're whipped around and pass through dark tunnels, all the while hearing the supports creaking. And some are so fast and turn you upside down so many times that it's completely disorienting and you are shaking by the time you've completed a lap. Sometimes, you feel no support under your feet, which reinforces the ever-present fear that all of the safety measures could fail, and you'll fall to your death. There are those precious times when the track is flat and you're fine (euthymia), but it doesn't necessarily last long, and not all rides have them. The highs are intoxicating - you feel on top of the world, seeing everything around you from an enlightened perspective, feeling all-powerful and all-seeing, imagining anything is possible, but then you pass the crest and fall, racing out of control, unable to stop, not knowing how far you'll drop, how long it will be before you come up, or if you'll ever reach those same heights. There's no end to the ride. You can only pray that you can stay on a flat stretch for as long as possible and that maybe, just maybe, the next lap will be easier.
There are several disorders on the bipolar spectrum: bipolar I (manic episodes, usually with minor or major depressive episodes), bipolar II [hypomanic episodes (no psychosis or major social/occupational impairment) with major depressive episodes], bipolar NOS (doesn't fit criteria for type I or type II). I am diagnosed with bipolar type II, so I can't explain what mania feels like, but I'll tell what I can.
(Hypo)mania feels a lot like an ecstasy roll that lasts for days or weeks. It's exhilarating but eventually exhausting, and it can get out of control. Sometimes the entire roll goes bad.
Hypomanic episodes can feel great - elevated mood, grandiose thoughts racing through your head, high energy, great productivity, more social energy. Everything is wonderful. Everything is possible. Everyone is good. This can lead to some poor judgment calls. Risky sex, purchases, and gambling all seem like great ideas when "nothing can go wrong". This feels great at the time, but once you return to a normal mood, you look back and realize exactly how ridiculous it was and wonder how in the hell you thought that wasn't a stupid decision.
Hypomanic episodes can also feel awful, with irritability replacing the more pleasant symptoms. You just feel pissed off at everything for days on end, including coworkers, family, and friends. You need less sleep, since you're buzzing with negative energy. You make impulsive decisions, but they're fueled by irritability, not optimism.
And then comes the fall. I've heard that the higher the (hypo)mania, the deeper the depression that follows, and from what I've seen, it's true. Once your mood has dipped, you look back at the high and realize you were wrong about how great it was, which exacerbates your slide into depression. It's awful because something great can elevate you into (hypo)mania, but looking back, you're jaded about the whole experience, since you know your judgment was off at the time.
Anyone who's been depressed knows how awful it is. No willpower to get out of bed. No desire to do anything or see anyone. No hope for the future. Feeling worthless. Feeling numb. Unable to concentrate and get anything done. Feeling unworthy of anything good.
Bipolar II is depression-heavy, so this happens a lot. Some are mild depressions, but many are severe. Days on end of thinking nothing but how much you want to die. Inability to do anything except eat (there's a huge risk of weight gain with bipolar II). Hopelessness compounded by the fact that you think that due to your illness, it's virtually guaranteed that you'll end up down here again.
These inconsistent moods, emotions, and behavior can take a toll on relationships. People might understand if they knew where you were coming from, but there's still a strong stigma against bipolar, so it's not something most people want to admit. Even if they know, you are just so unstable. Supporting a friend through depression after depression is a lot of work. People are charmed by the hypomanic you, but that person can disappear for months on end.
Since hypomania is rarely recognized by patients, someone with undiagnosed bipolar II is just confused. They see themselves acting hysterically happy, abnormally irritable, and hopelessly depressed over and over again. There are often stimuli that spark the mood swings, but the reaction is far overblown. You see yourself as ridiculously overdramatic but don't understand why.
The diagnosis is a double-edged sword. It's a relief to hear a reason why you've had so many issues in the past and that there are ways to help, but it's emotionally crushing to be formally labeled as mentally ill. A lot of bipolar celebrities have committed suicide, so that puts a damper on hopes of someday really getting better, and it definitely doesn't feel fabulous to share this problem with people who are well-known."
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Post by xxxxxxx on Jul 31, 2013 20:49:24 GMT
Hi Claire! I also have BPD, Depression and anxiety. I also used to live quite close to Grimsby myself, in Louth. I've also been known to play some World Of Warcraft... but the question is, Alliance or Horde? ;P
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Post by nightowl on Aug 1, 2013 15:30:31 GMT
Heeeey Nice to meet you! Especially since you're a fellow AC fan have you been playing new leaf? I pretty much can't stop playing it haha
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Post by Toni-Louise on Aug 1, 2013 19:26:26 GMT
Hi, welcome to minds like ours =]
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