I havn't been sad in 2 weeks!

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I've put my mind on some other things--things that are positive and uplifting--and I'm really excited about them,and I havn't been sad in two weeks!

I feel great,and I'm hoping that this will all come to an end. I know that I'll always be HFA,Bipolar,and PTSD,but I think I'm starting to manage them a little better. Plus,the help that I'm getting in a few months,will be even better!

Thanks for listening when I was down,you guys! You're all greaT!


-SpaceCase

No problem, SpaceCase. I'm very happy for you - long may your state continue or even improve.

DADDY-O!! ! *waves frantically* Havn't talked to you in a while!


-SpaceCase

Sounds like things keep improving for you. That's great.

If what you're experiencing is hypomania--I'm very familiar with it. It scares me and I always think, "I'm feeling too good." I know that every time, a bout of deep depression is in store, maybe a day away, maybe less.

I hope the happy feeling will last for you! It is a great feeling, no doubt about it. I wish I didn't have to fear it.

Pattern causing thoughts, or thoughts causing pattern?

Neither, I think; just familiarity with borderline bipolar disorder. I know from experience, that's all.

If it is a pattern of events (which bipolar would be) then the pattern would cause the awareness, which would lead to the thoughts.

And it is quite possible that there are still occasions where you are in a good mood for good reasons, and have the pattern recognition kick in and assume it will lead to bad things (the depression).

I think you're exactly right and very perceptive. When I think "Oh, this is bad; I feel too good," I also think, "But maybe this is OK and it's just the way most people feel most of the time." So I feel as though depression may not follow (and hope it won't) but it usually turns out that it does. How much that result is conditioned by the more or less conscious expectation of it, I of course can't say. But your point is well taken.

I'm sort of bipolar, but I only experience the depression, never the mania.

I've found several lists of famous and creative people with bipolar disorder or depression. My theory is that depression is often caused or at least helped along by being smart enough to see how stupid this world is and how its promise has been betrayed by mediocre, greedy souls over the millenia.

So I feel that depressives are often depressed because of their intelligence, while aspies are intelligent because they're aspies.

I thought this would be a good-natured message and I was right!

I'm glad to hear that!

I've always viewed depression in HOW you think. Someone mentioned how they 'felt good' but THOUGHT they shouldn't. Well, thinking 'negatively' like that is going to start some negative actions. For example, if you walk around only noticing everything that goes 'wrong' then chances are, you will start, subconsciously, LOOKING for things to go wrong. When they go RIGHT, you think "Man, that shouldn't have happened" or something else that is a 'negative' viewpoint to something positive. Its constantly reinforcing the "negative" states of mind and never allowing the positive.

Contrary, I think those who keep an open mind and are optimistic tend to, subconsciously, only notice the good. Now, the difference is that constantly viewing the 'good' will help reinforce the positive states which are "happiness" or "contentment" (complete mental balance) and physical reactions such as 'laughing' and 'smiling.' The opposite 'negative' states are 'depression' and 'crying' and 'unhappiness.'

My personal example includes the great game of golf! I was always angry and when you're angry, you tense up - not good for a good 'feeling' golf swing. You need to be calm and collective. Well, before this year, I was angry and would always get pissed off when I had a bad shot (which is ridiculous because golf is very difficult). When I had a good shot, I *almost* completely ignored it. You know what I remembered walking up to my ball after that great shot? I remembered all my sh***y shots and how bad I was playing. Well, guess what happened during my next shot? I screwed up, got angry, and repeated my pattern.

This year, I took up meditation and actually 'changed' my thinking habits (Cognitive therapy deals with this by changing the way you think or 'view' things). I stepped onto the golf course and wouldnt you believe? Those great shots I had stuck around longer. When I had a bad shot, I took it for what it was and moved on to my next shot, keeping in mind some of my amazing putts and great chips, rarely even allowing those bad moments time to play back to me. Eventually, I played every shot 'separately' as if I wasn't playing bad OR good, it was just "NOW" that matters.

The difference? Well, I played golf routinely with 3 others. We are within 5 shots of each other, normally. However, before my "change," I rarely, if ever, won a game. Normally, I came last or second last. This year, those same 3 guys ended up chasing me! I wasn't losing as much (I still did) and was winning! Me, and another guy I hadn't beat much in my life, went golfing across Canada over the summer. I took 2 rounds, he took 1. I could actually watch some of my friends become angry and actually 'watch' them fall.

My point is that one can change a lot of their sadness simply by changing the way they view life. Bad things still happen to me but they dont hit me as hard. Good things still happen to depressed people but they are so 'negative' and 'down' that it just passes by like it didn't happen. How many of us think "Man, that happens ALL the time!" It may not happen "all the time" but you may be convinced it does.

Just my thoughts/experience.

OH, and keep thinking positively, Space Case

That's good to know SpaceCase. ^__^

That's really awesome!

Hmm, this is unrelated, bur I have been feeling kinda down lately myself. But when people ask me, do you feel sad? I have trouble answering because I don't know what they are referring.



This is a good point. In fact, I tend to remember mistakes in my past rather then positive achievements.

...

Well, anyway, back on topic, I am glad you are doing better SpaceCase.

Great. Congratulations.

I'm not sure if I helped, but still I congratulate you.