Comments on: Therapy, glasses, charity, news http://experimentalchimp.wordpress.com/2008/08/13/therapy-glasses-charity-news/ The Experimental Chimp is a depressive, sleep-inhibited monkey currently moving through the delightful UK mental health system. Will he get the help he really needs or will the doctors fail him? Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:36:24 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: patientanonymous http://experimentalchimp.wordpress.com/2008/08/13/therapy-glasses-charity-news/#comment-30247 patientanonymous Sat, 16 Aug 2008 20:13:48 +0000 http://experimentalchimp.wordpress.com/?p=632#comment-30247 Oh dear...you see..."yet..yet." No more reading or writing until I take in my tea! Oh dear…you see…”yet..yet.”

No more reading or writing until I take in my tea!

]]> By: patientanonymous http://experimentalchimp.wordpress.com/2008/08/13/therapy-glasses-charity-news/#comment-30246 patientanonymous Sat, 16 Aug 2008 20:11:57 +0000 http://experimentalchimp.wordpress.com/?p=632#comment-30246 I started wearing glasses when I was seven years old. I have no idea how anyone knew or clued in as to why I needed them but I am gathering that someone saw me straining or squinting to read something? Anyway, when I got them, the first thing I realised was that when I looked down, I could see each and every blade of grass individually. It was really trippy! Then on the drive home, my eyes started to kind of feel pretty sensitive to everything (hmmm...now makes me wonder about all of the head stuff and my eyes have been extremely light sensitive all of my life.) So, I just put my head down and didn't look out the window anymore. And speaking of glasses, when I was reading your post just now, I thought you wrote: <i>"Then in the bathroom, I went to the charity thing."</i> BWAH-HA-HA! Good lord! I was thinking 'just what the hell kind of charity is that!' This tends to happen to me a lot now that I am on ACs. All sorts of bizarre wordiness problems. It's not uncommon. Not to mention, no tea yet for PA yet today and that is an absolute requirement for even remote functioning. So based upon what I just wrote there, definitely time for a cuppa! x I started wearing glasses when I was seven years old. I have no idea how anyone knew or clued in as to why I needed them but I am gathering that someone saw me straining or squinting to read something?

Anyway, when I got them, the first thing I realised was that when I looked down, I could see each and every blade of grass individually. It was really trippy! Then on the drive home, my eyes started to kind of feel pretty sensitive to everything (hmmm…now makes me wonder about all of the head stuff and my eyes have been extremely light sensitive all of my life.) So, I just put my head down and didn’t look out the window anymore.

And speaking of glasses, when I was reading your post just now, I thought you wrote:

“Then in the bathroom, I went to the charity thing.”

BWAH-HA-HA!

Good lord! I was thinking ‘just what the hell kind of charity is that!’

This tends to happen to me a lot now that I am on ACs. All sorts of bizarre wordiness problems. It’s not uncommon.

Not to mention, no tea yet for PA yet today and that is an absolute requirement for even remote functioning. So based upon what I just wrote there, definitely time for a cuppa!

x

]]> By: Margaret/adifferentvoice http://experimentalchimp.wordpress.com/2008/08/13/therapy-glasses-charity-news/#comment-30245 Margaret/adifferentvoice Sat, 16 Aug 2008 13:55:19 +0000 http://experimentalchimp.wordpress.com/?p=632#comment-30245 Good explanation. All clear now, thank you! Good explanation. All clear now, thank you!

]]> By: experimental chimp http://experimentalchimp.wordpress.com/2008/08/13/therapy-glasses-charity-news/#comment-30237 experimental chimp Thu, 14 Aug 2008 17:35:22 +0000 http://experimentalchimp.wordpress.com/?p=632#comment-30237 Sure. The disease is the thing that causes low and high moods. The behaviours that are associated with these moods, things like hiding away, keeping my feelings to myself, drinking too much, etc. these are my responses to the disease, or psychological problems that have been shaped by the disease. So depression may make me want to die, but researching ways to kill myself is a behaviour. When I'm depressed I don't have any control over the wanting to die, but I do have control over what I do about it. And likewise, being protective and feeling responsible for other people is a behaviour that can lead into the feelings of superiority that's part of hypomania. The disease is just the wrong bit in my head. But its consequences reach into every aspect of my life. Therapy doesn't really try to help with the disease, I can't think my way out of it because it's not something that my mind can control. But I can think my way around the consequences that the disease causes for my behaviour and the consequences of my behaviour on the disease. Sure. The disease is the thing that causes low and high moods. The behaviours that are associated with these moods, things like hiding away, keeping my feelings to myself, drinking too much, etc. these are my responses to the disease, or psychological problems that have been shaped by the disease.

So depression may make me want to die, but researching ways to kill myself is a behaviour. When I’m depressed I don’t have any control over the wanting to die, but I do have control over what I do about it. And likewise, being protective and feeling responsible for other people is a behaviour that can lead into the feelings of superiority that’s part of hypomania.

The disease is just the wrong bit in my head. But its consequences reach into every aspect of my life. Therapy doesn’t really try to help with the disease, I can’t think my way out of it because it’s not something that my mind can control. But I can think my way around the consequences that the disease causes for my behaviour and the consequences of my behaviour on the disease.

]]> By: adifferentvoice http://experimentalchimp.wordpress.com/2008/08/13/therapy-glasses-charity-news/#comment-30236 adifferentvoice Thu, 14 Aug 2008 16:49:30 +0000 http://experimentalchimp.wordpress.com/?p=632#comment-30236 EC, I don't understand what you mean by this : "But it’s become clear that it’s really about the interaction between the disease and the things I do to cope with it." Would you mind expanding/explaining a bit, as I'd like to understand. Thanks, Margaret EC, I don’t understand what you mean by this :

“But it’s become clear that it’s really about the interaction between the disease and the things I do to cope with it.”

Would you mind expanding/explaining a bit, as I’d like to understand.

Thanks,

Margaret

]]> By: experimental chimp http://experimentalchimp.wordpress.com/2008/08/13/therapy-glasses-charity-news/#comment-30234 experimental chimp Thu, 14 Aug 2008 08:23:36 +0000 http://experimentalchimp.wordpress.com/?p=632#comment-30234 This is one of the things I've been looking at with my therapist. At first it was difficult for me to resolve the difference between medication (which feels like it's for treating something real and biological) and therapy (which feels like it's for treating something much more ephemeral). But it's become clear that it's really about the interaction between the disease and the things I do to cope with it. It's been really useful. This is one of the things I’ve been looking at with my therapist. At first it was difficult for me to resolve the difference between medication (which feels like it’s for treating something real and biological) and therapy (which feels like it’s for treating something much more ephemeral). But it’s become clear that it’s really about the interaction between the disease and the things I do to cope with it. It’s been really useful.

]]> By: Gabriel... http://experimentalchimp.wordpress.com/2008/08/13/therapy-glasses-charity-news/#comment-30233 Gabriel... Thu, 14 Aug 2008 01:17:24 +0000 http://experimentalchimp.wordpress.com/?p=632#comment-30233 "...but it’s been a hurdle to clear before I can." When I go on (mostly incomprehensibly and at great length) about "behaviours" and how the disease influences our decision making this is one of the things I mean. “…but it’s been a hurdle to clear before I can.”

When I go on (mostly incomprehensibly and at great length) about “behaviours” and how the disease influences our decision making this is one of the things I mean.

]]> By: experimental chimp http://experimentalchimp.wordpress.com/2008/08/13/therapy-glasses-charity-news/#comment-30232 experimental chimp Wed, 13 Aug 2008 23:49:21 +0000 http://experimentalchimp.wordpress.com/?p=632#comment-30232 My sister had something similar happen when she got glasses. The flowers in the garden stopped being a mass of blurry colours. I suspect I'm going to be able to enjoy reading again. Struggling through three-hundred odd pages of small text is going to be so much easier now. Being able to enjoy any social stuff is awesome. I never really thought of the odd tension and anxiety I feel around social activities as being part of the disease. It hasn't always prevented me from enjoying being social, but it's been a hurdle to clear before I can. But recently it's been so easy and I think I'm beginning to understand why people enjoy being around other people... My sister had something similar happen when she got glasses. The flowers in the garden stopped being a mass of blurry colours. I suspect I’m going to be able to enjoy reading again. Struggling through three-hundred odd pages of small text is going to be so much easier now.

Being able to enjoy any social stuff is awesome. I never really thought of the odd tension and anxiety I feel around social activities as being part of the disease. It hasn’t always prevented me from enjoying being social, but it’s been a hurdle to clear before I can. But recently it’s been so easy and I think I’m beginning to understand why people enjoy being around other people…

]]> By: Gabriel... http://experimentalchimp.wordpress.com/2008/08/13/therapy-glasses-charity-news/#comment-30231 Gabriel... Wed, 13 Aug 2008 22:05:22 +0000 http://experimentalchimp.wordpress.com/?p=632#comment-30231 When I first started wearing my glasses a couple of years ago it was like my horizon was extended by twenty or forty feet (I should find some way to measure). Suddenly the gas station sign down the street went from a grey mess to being perfectly legible. ...how great is it being able to participate in a group activity and being able to appropriately enjoy yourself? When I first started wearing my glasses a couple of years ago it was like my horizon was extended by twenty or forty feet (I should find some way to measure). Suddenly the gas station sign down the street went from a grey mess to being perfectly legible.

…how great is it being able to participate in a group activity and being able to appropriately enjoy yourself?

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