Comments on: The 12 Best Things About Being Mentally Ill

By: Sheri

Sheri — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 22:23:22 +0000

I too am a Bipolar christian, one who wishes that I had an artistic streak as it might be a way to support myself at a time when SSI is being denied and I have blown up my job history and my credit history. I have been single and raising 3 children for the past 25 years (single again for 14 yrs) and currently require my son to put a roof over my head. Struggling to get a job, struggling with my faith at the moment. Im 47 and my whole world is in TILT mode.

Sheri

By: Roy

Roy — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 01:42:45 +0000

i love this article and many of these ring true for me. recently i’ve been trying to envision happiness in my meditation and i’ve had glimpses of these ideas there. thanks for sharing :).

By: Teresita

Teresita — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 01:04:39 +0000

This has been a bless in my day and my life….thank you for sharing your experience. Now I know I am in the right way in my life…studying as an Art Therapist….. It is an excelent tool and a good way to focus all the energy…maybe can be useful for someone….thanks!

By: james

james — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 03:07:19 +0000

That’s brilliant! He must have a lot of control to not do the lot in his “design phase”. Your support of him is wonderful.

By: kathbc

kathbc — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 02:46:36 +0000

Just to let you know, my husband is bi polar, and has done quite well artistically – he creates art from wood. At the moment he is building wooden chests for our children, then he will make new beds for them. He finds that when he is manic he plans what he will make this is his design phase. When he is feeling within the ‘normal’ range he goes over his designs, tweeks them and cuts the wood, when he is depressed is the perfect time for sanding and doing the little tedious things which don’t require too much energy, but still give him a sense of achievement.
He doesn’t do full time work well for long – a year is about what he manages, but the things he creates are valuable and saleable and bring in a little money at craft markets. His biggest problem is putting the right price on the items for sale – usually he under prices his work which means that those who can afford to buy them don’t value them as they don’t cost enough – the snob effect! Luckily we have a new friend who is telling him the right prices for his items so they are selling. So don’t undervalue yourself or your art.

By: Debby

Debby — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 17:36:26 +0000

I love being a bi-polar artist/writer who can best be described as creativity with feet, but I also understand the longing to be able to do the simple things in life like being able to count on myself and my mood. Sometimes I can’t even notice that my house is a disaster let alone figure out where to start to clean it. But this is how God made me. Good for the people who can do a tedious nine to five. I am not one of them. Good for the people who can eat sugar and stop at one cookie. I am not one of them either. But we have so many wonderful things to offer. I love us!!!!!

By: Lynda

Lynda — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 18:53:15 +0000

Great post. I don’t have bi-polar (I have chronic depression) but I grew up with a mother who did. She was wild and wacky and I miss her so much. Sure, there were extreme down times and her anger could be like Katrina blowing through your life, but what a childhood I had. She’d take us for walks at midnight and told me the moon followed me around cause I was special. She’d laugh and laugh and make each of our days brighter. She was always for the underdog and me.. being a 60’s child, usually got out-done by my own mother when it came to getting out and trying to change the world. How weird was it going to protest meeting and finding your mother there!

All the best to all of you. We are all unique and special and I have found in my long life that it just isn’t black and white, we all have such greatness in us.

By: No

No — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 04:06:20 +0000

I agree with the Artist comment from Julian. This is not a good era to be an artist. You can’t support yourself by using your talents. You end up taking demeaning jobs that don’t allow you the time to even practice art in your spare time, because you have either no spare time or no money to buy supplies. It’s enough to make somebody want to curse god for giving them a useless, impractical talent and no opportunity to do anything with it.

By: Doug

Doug — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 01:18:37 +0000

Very nicely thought out. I am a much richer person for the things that I’ve been thru — and continue to go thru. Thanks for the perspective.

By: BH

BH — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 14:17:47 +0000

Thanks for the article. I agree with everything you are saying and have gone through the ups and downs of bipolar and the various sundry treatments to make life a bit more stable. I also agree with the scripture qouted about perseverence building character and character building hope. Having been through tough times, suicide attempts, depressive and manic episodes makes for an interesting life. But it is a life with experiences that has made me stronger and able to help others by just being me.