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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Janice on June 18, 2000, at 18:17:01
Hello everyone,
Lately, I'm beginning to suspect I may not know exactly what feeling normal is like. I've been a rapid cycler since I was 19 and I have always been high or low--never medium. I'm sure I've had medium moments in those moments from switching from high to low.
Recently, I was explaining to my new and very nice pdoc what my normal was like, he seemed to think it was still hypomanic. For example, when I feel good and have the time, there would is no better way for me to spend my time than to exercise for 3 hours a day. I do this simply because it feels good. There could be other factors involved other than just mood that could be determining my love of exercise. Although I don't believe it plays a part (but I do feel fat), In the past I've had eating disorders. I have ADHD (the hyper kind), and LOVE movement -- I was both a dancer and rode horses competitively up until my 24th year of life.
But I'm changing the subject, what I want to know is how do you know when your mood is normal?
What indicators will let you know your mood is normal?
Thank you in advance for all your wonderful wisdom, Janice
Posted by Peter C on June 18, 2000, at 20:09:26
In reply to how can you tell when you're FEELING NORMAL, posted by Janice on June 18, 2000, at 18:17:01
This is likely very boBBesque advice, but when feeling strange feels normal, then you can tell you are feeling normal.
What I mean to say is, wanting to have someone elses feeling of normality might never feel normal for you. But if you tend to cycle and get kind of really into things (as in obsessed), when that feels normal and you recognize that as part of who you are, In my not-s0-humble opinion, that is when you avoid a kind of feedback loop of frustration over who you are that can drive you deeper into dispair or obsession or whatever you might feel is abnormal.
In my experience, it is when I say to myself, "I am lonely, i am often lonely, it is okay for me to be lonely" that, by sheer coincidence, I find myself offering friendship that often absolves some of my loneliness, but which tends to remain anyway.
> Hello everyone,
>
> Lately, I'm beginning to suspect I may not know exactly what feeling normal is like. I've been a rapid cycler since I was 19 and I have always been high or low--never medium. I'm sure I've had medium moments in those moments from switching from high to low.
>
> Recently, I was explaining to my new and very nice pdoc what my normal was like, he seemed to think it was still hypomanic. For example, when I feel good and have the time, there would is no better way for me to spend my time than to exercise for 3 hours a day. I do this simply because it feels good. There could be other factors involved other than just mood that could be determining my love of exercise. Although I don't believe it plays a part (but I do feel fat), In the past I've had eating disorders. I have ADHD (the hyper kind), and LOVE movement -- I was both a dancer and rode horses competitively up until my 24th year of life.
>
> But I'm changing the subject, what I want to know is how do you know when your mood is normal?
>
> What indicators will let you know your mood is normal?
>
> Thank you in advance for all your wonderful wisdom, Janice
Posted by judy1 on June 18, 2000, at 23:25:12
In reply to Re: how can you tell when you're FEELING NORMAL, posted by Peter C on June 18, 2000, at 20:09:26
Hi Janice,
I'm glad you're feeling well- I also get the hypomanic dx to my "normal" state. So I'm probably no help except I understand the movement part- I have a very neglected Arabian horse in my back yard that is bursting with energy waiting for my next normal state. Then there's the Lady Godiva story, but we'll save that for another time. Take care.
Posted by dj on June 19, 2000, at 22:08:29
In reply to Re: how can you tell when you're FEELING NORMAL, posted by Peter C on June 18, 2000, at 20:09:26
> This is likely very boBBesque advice, but when feeling strange feels normal, then you can tell you are feeling normal.
>
> What I mean to say is, wanting to have someone elses feeling of normality might never feel >normal for you.
> >
> > Recently, I was explaining to my new and very nice pdoc what my normal was like, he seemed to think it was still hypomanic. For example, when I feel good and have the time, there would is no better way for me to spend my time than to exercise for 3 hours a day. I do this simply >because it feels good.g'day janice!
Sounds hypo to me too, but then again you are a Torontonian living in Canada's hustling cowtown ; ).
However if feels good to you and does good for you and is not exessively obsessive or avoidance behaviour, what's the problem?
However if it is causing you problems in your life than, though that may be normal for you, is it healthy? Those are more the question I suspect you need to address and your doc may be pointing you toward...
from the sleepy wet-coast (though not today ; )
dj
Posted by Janice on June 19, 2000, at 23:27:59
In reply to Re: how can you tell when you're FEELING NORMAL, posted by judy1 on June 18, 2000, at 23:25:12
Arabs are my favourite, my very favourite - highly strung and smart. I sold my last horse 10 years ago and very rarely miss them, but what you wrote makes me miss them. I remember the smell of timothy hay, the sawdust, the saddle, and of course the horse. Those are good smells!
Now as for this Lady Godiva story, I think if you and I were neighbours, we'd be big trouble - especially if we got our mania's to coincide. What out North America!
Yes I do feel good in the normal'ish range. But it's not normal because I haven't slept for 2 days. Ever notice how the manias just whiz by and the depressions drag on forever?
Hope your appointment went well. Janice
Posted by Janice on June 19, 2000, at 23:39:12
In reply to Re: how can you tell when you're FEELING ? ; ), posted by dj on June 19, 2000, at 22:08:29
hi dj,
I guess the problem is that I suffer from rapid cycling bipolar so if I do activities to encourage it like - not sleep, exercise like crazy (even though it feels great), drastically alter my eating habits - it encourages the rapid cycling hell.
Of course the real problem is the rapid cycling bipolar. I recently changed my medications (when you were off babble), and the cycling is changing now for the first time in 14 or 15 years, so I am both very hopeful and very hopeless about my situation - depending on my mood.
thanks dj, Janice
Posted by judy1 on June 20, 2000, at 11:16:39
In reply to Feeling Normal - Judy, posted by Janice on June 19, 2000, at 23:27:59
Hi Janice,
Still up there? You and I are lucky with the euphoric kind of high, I guess that's what makes it so damn hard to stay compliant all the time. I hope you have a nice soft landing and you're right about the depressions dragging and the highs so fleeting- although I once was hypomanic for 2 months before I got the nasty mania. And if you're up for 48 hours straight, that actually equals 12 days of depression for me since I'm only up 4 hours a day then and failing crappy each minute. I guess I should tell you to stay on your drugs- did you actually have breakthrough mania while complinat? But it's hard for me when I see you happy to say that, so try to keep the damage minimal and take care- Judy
Posted by Janice on June 20, 2000, at 23:38:50
In reply to Re: Feeling Normal - Judy, posted by judy1 on June 20, 2000, at 11:16:39
hi Judy, Yes from what I understand not too many bipolars have the euphoric type of highs like we do. No drug in the world could compare to some of my highs, and I've spent alot of time when I wasn't manic looking for a drug to mimick those feelings. I'm really just normal right now, well plus a little hyper (I would be high if it weren't for all the lithium & topamax). I'm usually pretty good with compliancy, but I sure notice it's alot easier to control the highs than the lows.
I'm sorry to hear you're feeling so bad. I don't know if it helps, but I've been there. This sure is an unrelenting, incredibly painful, devastating illness. The thing with rapid cycling is you never get a break. take care Judy
Keeping the damage very minimal, Janice
This is the end of the thread.
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