You're welcome Peter - it is rare for a person with or without mental illness to be so open about their struggle. It is that openness which should invite a wider readership. I was initially reluctant to read a longer post but you kept my attention - you write well. A subsequent shorter post to draw folks in, with a link to this post is something you might want to consider.
Peter, thank you for so courageously sharing your journey. As a retired psychiatrist, I have worked with many people who live with bipolar disorder. And I was struck by the creativity I often encountered in them. There's a book called "Touched with Fire: Manic Depressive Illness and the Artistic Temperament," written by Kay Redfield Jamison, a psychologist who has bipolar disorder. She writes about historical writers and artists with bipolar disorder who lived before treatment was available. It is a tragic book in some ways because it made me wonder how much more creative and productive and happy they could have been if they had been able to receive treatment and support. But it is also a testament to the creative spirit. I recommended the book to many patients who found it helpful knowing that Life may have handed them bipolar disorder but also gave them creativity. Best to you.
Thanks Peter for putting your full self "out there". It takes courage and a certain amount of faith in humanity to leave yourself so vulnerable - admitting that you, like every one of us is flawed. But your struggle has a name and unfortunately a stigma. I've had a number of patients with Bipolar disorder that have learned to manage their disease reasonably well by digging deeply into the resources available and through the strength of character that not everyone is blessed with. Every time that someone reads what you wrote here, they get a fleshed out concept of what serious mental illness looks like. You have worked your way out of the shadows to where you can make a difference.
Hey Mark, Thanks for giving this a read and taking the time to leave a comment. I'm not sure how I feel about this piece, but if nothing else, I do hope it sheds some light on what I personally struggle with. I know there are other folks who struggle and perhaps have yet to find their voice. Also, thanks for the warm welcome and I'll do my best to keep the faith.
Peter: So glad to have met you on Substack. You have some powerful material to keep you busy for a nice long time! I like your choice to keep the unnamed “her” unnamed. It makes an authentic-sounding memory for your speaker.
Tara, it's a pleasure to meet you as well! I'm loving this community, plus it gives me a place to share. I appreciate you giving my stuff a read and interacting with my page! Hopefully it's an overall enjoyable experience, even though much of my work deals in darker themes.
Darker themes are human themes. Just keep writing! Don’t worry about what anyone thinks. Ignore stats. Just write. You have so much to say. Onward, onward! ❤️
it takes a tremendous amount of courage to write this type of topic..yet somewhere.. in the darkest moments this,really holds space for someone,or for the people that try to support someone battling this!I hope to share this in a note in the coming week.
You're welcome Peter - it is rare for a person with or without mental illness to be so open about their struggle. It is that openness which should invite a wider readership. I was initially reluctant to read a longer post but you kept my attention - you write well. A subsequent shorter post to draw folks in, with a link to this post is something you might want to consider.
Thanks for the compliment and the tip. Good Vibes.
This is so beautifully written and really resonated with me. I read it weeks ago and am still thinking about it.
Hey Kate, thanks for giving me a read! I hope you enjoy!
Peter, thank you for so courageously sharing your journey. As a retired psychiatrist, I have worked with many people who live with bipolar disorder. And I was struck by the creativity I often encountered in them. There's a book called "Touched with Fire: Manic Depressive Illness and the Artistic Temperament," written by Kay Redfield Jamison, a psychologist who has bipolar disorder. She writes about historical writers and artists with bipolar disorder who lived before treatment was available. It is a tragic book in some ways because it made me wonder how much more creative and productive and happy they could have been if they had been able to receive treatment and support. But it is also a testament to the creative spirit. I recommended the book to many patients who found it helpful knowing that Life may have handed them bipolar disorder but also gave them creativity. Best to you.
Thanks for giving this a read...and thanks for your kind words. I will have to look into that book sometime. Best to you as well :)
Thanks Peter for putting your full self "out there". It takes courage and a certain amount of faith in humanity to leave yourself so vulnerable - admitting that you, like every one of us is flawed. But your struggle has a name and unfortunately a stigma. I've had a number of patients with Bipolar disorder that have learned to manage their disease reasonably well by digging deeply into the resources available and through the strength of character that not everyone is blessed with. Every time that someone reads what you wrote here, they get a fleshed out concept of what serious mental illness looks like. You have worked your way out of the shadows to where you can make a difference.
Welcome to Substack and keep the faith.
Hey Mark, Thanks for giving this a read and taking the time to leave a comment. I'm not sure how I feel about this piece, but if nothing else, I do hope it sheds some light on what I personally struggle with. I know there are other folks who struggle and perhaps have yet to find their voice. Also, thanks for the warm welcome and I'll do my best to keep the faith.
Peter: So glad to have met you on Substack. You have some powerful material to keep you busy for a nice long time! I like your choice to keep the unnamed “her” unnamed. It makes an authentic-sounding memory for your speaker.
Tara, it's a pleasure to meet you as well! I'm loving this community, plus it gives me a place to share. I appreciate you giving my stuff a read and interacting with my page! Hopefully it's an overall enjoyable experience, even though much of my work deals in darker themes.
Darker themes are human themes. Just keep writing! Don’t worry about what anyone thinks. Ignore stats. Just write. You have so much to say. Onward, onward! ❤️
it takes a tremendous amount of courage to write this type of topic..yet somewhere.. in the darkest moments this,really holds space for someone,or for the people that try to support someone battling this!I hope to share this in a note in the coming week.