Lived Experience Forum

[MoonGal]

I read a great article by Melody Moezzi about living with Bi Polar, it is so rare to find positive articles from people who identify as living with mental illness, even rarer to find one so positive and self-affirming.

As I read it I was cheering inside, whoo hoo! Go girl 

Then I kind of flunked out into a sad moment, 'cos, I'm not there, i am squirrelled into a ball of pain and chucked about by my bi polar to the point of feeling pretty messy alot of the time. Before my back injury (and before I had an actual diagnoses) I had periods in my life of feeling and being succesful, acheiving and attaining goal after goal in career and life. Now I seem to just subsist.

Anyways - I would love to know what others think of this article too... and share it as it is so MI affirming - and what a great image of a happy, confident and smiling Melody. I loved it.

 Melody Moezzi 's

Thriving With Bipolar Disorder

March 28, 2016

[Appleblossom]

I was just thinking of you @MoonGal worried that you hadnt been posting.  You were missed in the best possible way.

[MoonGal]

Melody has written a book too: 

<Drug Name> & Hyacinths: A Bi Polar Life
Melody Moezzi

[MoonGal]

Thanks for missing me @Appleblossom, I was in the trenches for a while.

[Appleblossom]

Yes that was her 2nd book.  Her first was on Iranian muslim women ... We read a few memiors about Iranians and muslims in our book clubs.   It is important, topical and does sell books.   I have sung with Chaldeans and helped some Iranian refugees here in Oz.  The social issues and repressions are important to acknowledge, but I was surprised by the very good self esteem many of them had.

Hyacinths symbolise the Persian New Year.

I just searched internet after reading your post.

Comparison is hard if it makes us feel useless.

I also loved reading "Half a Yellow Sun" and "Purple Hibiscus" by Nigerian writer ... Adichie.

I cant keep up with everything.  maybe one day I will read Moezzi's stuff ...

How is your back and neck going ...  @MoonGal   any improvement?

One thing that helped me in singing was that I stood next to a lady with serious neck issues so she was sensitive and we clicked on many things.  The lady on the other side was a bit bouncy and made me feel a bit sea-sick but didnt put my neck out .. phew ...

[MoonGal]

I just ordered her book (the hyacinth one) 🙂 Look forward to it. I will donate to the library afterwards as the library system doesn't have a copy. I have also ordered (through the library) Ruby Wax's "Frazzled" to read too.

Yes, I felt useless 'in comparison' and comparison is such a useless thing to do, really. So yes, No comparisons! 

@Appleblossom - thanks for enquiring about my back, it is as it is, determinedly stubbornly painful. 😞 I learned here that amedication I was on (may) have a side affect of back pain and was determined to come off it to see if it helped. I am still waiting for it to have helped despite the medication change sending me rocketting off the planet for the past 9 weeks... Still, Once i knew about the possibility of it causing back pain, I had a duty of care to myself to find out if coming off it would make a difference.

How have you been travelling?

[Appleblossom]

That seems to be the problem with side effects .. they are often general .. its hard to know what to do. You did what you thought was right.  I think it is important to be proactive in all health issues

I am doing ok @MoonGal Thanks for asking.

Mostly I keep busy so I dont think about my pain too much. 

Have been slack on my physio exercises, but other things accomplished.  Will get back into them tomorrow.

Hope the medication shift has some positive for you ... even just that you know your body and moods better.

Take care

[MoonGal]

Well my new medication has kicked in and it feels like I have eaten a packet of "I don't give a F*cks" 😄 (apologies for the swearword) about anything AT ALL - but in a good way - anxiety is waaaay down, and back pain manageable, i have a new mattress too which I think has helped enourmously. 

I will make hay while the sunshines. 🙂

Yes for pain @Appleblossom - I always stay active, I am up and down, try not to sit in one position for too long, I barely 'rest' I have to learn to rest, even when I am depressed I never stop, do lots of housework etc - yes busy body and busy mind helps manage pain alot.

[Appleblossom]

You can probably roll in the hay too ...

Glad things are looking up