Comments on: How Does Awakening Relate to Bipolar Disorder?

By: Tom Stine

Tom Stine — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 01:19:05 +0000

@Todd We can learn a lot from our suffering. You can look deeply into your experience and see God smiling back. Suffering doesn’t make one better or more noble or more spiritual, but the seeing through the suffering can show us a lot. Peace!

By: todd

todd — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 23:59:17 +0000

Hi again Tom.I feel that some people who are bi-polar,have a shortcut to the reason we are here.Call it enlightenment or conciousness.From my own experiences this is what i feel.My mania has been controlled fairly well.Sometimes i feel people react to me a little differently.I know i have to be carefull because i have read into things to much in the past.I just feel like i am more of a spiritual being now.I think this has something to do with the black depressions i suffered and the high manias i dealt with.What do you think?

By: Tom Stine

Tom Stine — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 18:31:31 +0000

@Todd Thanks for your comments. Nice to have you around.

By: todd

todd — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 04:06:51 +0000

Some very interesting comments.Sorry i didnt stumble across them till now.I have noticed the spirituality in my life lately.I use intentions daily,or you could call it positive thinking,it seems to help me a lot.Also prayer.I have just started to get back into meditation.I had some neat experiences with it years ago.Good wishes to everyone!

By: Mighty Morgan

Mighty Morgan — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 14:35:38 +0000

I love posts that discuss topics like this, because in my experience it is true. I was labeled, diagnosed, shaped, shifted and shoved in the mold of “bi-polar” for years. I had no understanding of myself, my thoughts, my beliefs and so I acted out the role and allowed the symptoms to infect every area of my life.
BUT they don’t anymore..and I believe they never will, like you mentioned I had to dive within and discover the “truth” about who I was to understand that I wasn’t any of those aspects that I believed had defined me for so long.
I re-worked and re-wired all the inner aspects of myself to learn to identify the real challenge, which was embracing who I was at the core of my being and learning that life and the experiences it brought, had to be those that resonated within me. When I learned to follow the internal map of my emotions, I was offered the opportunity to discover how I worked from within and re-wired my ideas, beliefs and thoughts in a way that resonated within me in a positive way…the symptoms disappeared and have not returned…..

Mighty Morgan’s last blog post..The Miracle

By: Depression and Spiritual Healing at SpiritualBlog.com

Depression and Spiritual Healing at SpiritualBlog.com — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 06:52:25 +0000

[...] last week at UrbanMonk titled How Our Cravings and Attachments Cause Our Pain And Suffering and How Does Awakening Relate to Bipolar Disorder? from Tom Stine. Share or [...]

By: Tom Stine

Tom Stine — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 15:06:36 +0000

@Eric Glad you are joining in to the discussion. I apologize for the slow response, I’ve been out of town and traveling. It is truly amazing to me that you, me and everyone seems to discover the most miraculous thing: when we allow the “bad” thing in our life to fully happen, it then starts to resolve. Maybe not fully, maybe not the way we had wanted, but the shift happens and things change. This process of allowing things to be is exactly how I got of 3 decades of panic attacks. I’ll have to write about that experience sometime soon.

I’m very happy to have your comments, Eric, and I appreciate the compliments. I look forward to hearing from you again.

By: Eric

Eric — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 15:02:09 +0000

First time contributor so just let me say WOW! Wow to this subject in the context of awakening and wow to the entire body of your blog Tom. My wife is bipolar and I have had my battle with clinical depression. I will state the obvious Mark, which I’m sure you know so well; no emotional state can be sustained forever. It just feels like it. And knowing it intellectually was not always a help when I was in that black hole, but it didn’t hurt either.
I too took meds at first and they kept me in this meat thing called Eric. But feeling I was/am a spiritual being I knew I had to find a spiritual “cure”. But there is no cure is there? There is only “is”. Depression was/is part of my classroom and as such cannot and should not be judged good or bad. That realization was a long time comin’.
Tom, I find your observations and comments very helpful in my inquiry into reality. Thank you for doing what you do.

By: Tom Stine

Tom Stine — Mon, 05 May 2008 14:11:54 +0000

@Robert Welcome! Glad to have you here. Your story parallels mine. I remember the last time I had a panic attack. I woke-up, deep in misery, panicked. And a thought crossed my mind: go deeper. Actually try to increase the panic. Go to the depths of the panic. This was, of course, after years of meditation, releasing work, etc. And so, I met my panic, I accepted it fully by diving into it. And it broke. For about 6 months after that, I experienced some anxiety at times, even intense, but never panic. The panic attacks were gone. And now the anxiety is a rare event, almost like it is happening to someone other than me. Thanks for the comment.

By: Robert Davis

Robert Davis — Mon, 05 May 2008 14:03:42 +0000

Tom,

I came across this by chance. You mentioned you have had panic attacks in the past. I to have had them and they were extreme. The medication like zoloft or similiar inhibitors actually made me feel worse! I completely freaked out when they had me try all kinds of those medications. The only thing that kinda calmed me, but did not actually work either(the thought process was still there) was tranqs. The only thing after 10 years of increasing panic that started to chip and dissolve this was taking up spiritual practice(meditation, thought watching, breath awareness etc). From there, at one point or another one realizes the mind for what it is and thoughts begin to lose power as you stop reacting to them.. The mind is certainly not me. This is a very freeing step.
I have not had a panic attack in 3 years now. They used to be almost daily.

By: Mark

Mark — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 09:02:58 +0000

Tom, being a mailbox might not be such a terrible thing. That is unless a prankster dropped a fire cracker into the mail slot. Now that could be an interesting turn of events couldn’t it? It’s not necessary to be crazy to get through this life,but it does keep you on your toes!!

Mark’s last blog post..Justa wondering what happened Frank!

By: Tom Stine

Tom Stine — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 18:14:23 +0000

@JoLynn: You make perfect sense. I have read some research that as much as 25% of people diagnosed as schizophrenic may in fact have experienced some sort of “awakening” moment. As one spiritual teacher put it, if you were walking down the street, and out of the blue you realized that you were the mailbox, you and lots of other people might think you are “nuts.”

By: Mark Krusen

Mark Krusen — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 08:28:59 +0000

Tom, It's great you've plugged in "Commentluv" everybody can use a little "luv" don't cha think? Mark Krusen's last blog post..Not Justa nother recession discussion!

By: Mark Krusen

Mark Krusen — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 08:27:12 +0000

JoLynn,That is so true when you say "The way out is through". There is no express lane for this disorder. For as I wrote in a previous comment here and as I've discussed it some more on my blog.The ride into Mania is exhilarating like a roller coaster ride. Well hang on. Because Tom and Evan if your tuned in still. The ride down is here. It's going to be interesting to see If I can survive the ride down with out hospitalization this time. Last time I couldn't. I'm hoping that because of my ride last time that I can recognize the signs showing me where the hairpin curves are and I can brace myself enough to ride it out. We shall see. I hope the metaphor's aren't to abstract to understand. They make sense to me. But maybe it's only the way I'm seeing it. I look for any body's input. Thanks for being there. As always. I'm Justa saying! Mark Krusen's last blog post..Not Justa nother recession discussion!

By: JoLynn Braley

JoLynn Braley — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 04:41:47 +0000

Hi Tom,

Very interesting article and discussion you have going here! What popped out for me was “The way out is through”….I learned that several years ago and it’s so true.

As far as the bi-polar disorder, this made me think of how many mental institutions house people who went a little beyond the edge of enlightenment, meaning that they aren’t “crazy” but are living in a different space. That’s what came to mind for me, hope that makes sense.

Keep on bringing forth the great articles!

JoLynn Braley’s last blog post..The Fit Shack Is a Year Old and Has a New Look!

By: Tom Stine

Tom Stine — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 21:02:47 +0000

Hey, Mark, thanks for chiming in. And I couldn’t agree more: medicines that work: fine. Medicines that don’t work: not so fine!

By: Mark

Mark — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 19:55:47 +0000

Tom,I take Risperdal 0.5 mg I was taking 1 at bedtime. It wasn’t quite doing it so I now take 1 in the Morning also. It seems to help. I’m not sure if I’ll have to add anything else to it or not. Corinne is right. Without the medications it would be impossible for me to function. I have no problem with taking medicines that work. It’s the things you take that don’t work and have side effects that bother me.

By: Tom Stine

Tom Stine — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 19:17:03 +0000

@Corinne: I have known a few folks with bipolar, and you are right, they have seemed to need their medication to function well. I have no problem with medication, not in the slightest. I’m spiritual and alternatively inclined, for certain, and I look for alternatives to medication personally, but when I need antibiotics, I take them. When I had panic attacks years ago, I took zoloft. I resisted doing so, but wow, did it help! A few years later, and some Sedona Method, and the panic was gone for good, as were the pills. But I appreciate my very wise MD for suggesting I take a drug. Quite often, people need the little bit of stability that a medicine can give so that they can explore alternatives. Alternatives such as those that spirituality can offer.

By: Corinne Edwards

Corinne Edwards — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 18:45:52 +0000

I have been closely involved with a person with bipolar disorder.

This is a brilliant discussion, Tom.

But the illness is hard to control unless medical intervention is used.

Then, and only then, will those so afflicted be able to even understand what your are saying. They are too fragmented with their extreme ups and downs.

With the highs, they will say, “Yes! Yes!I get what Tom is saying! He is so right!”

With the lows, they can barely function. Not even read or concentrate.

But you covered yourself well. You are not giving medical advice.

By: Mark

Mark — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 09:40:01 +0000

I invite everyone over to my blog for a conversation on this Bi-Polar disorder thing. I have just today “come out of the closet” if you will. Come on over and join in on our conversation I’m sure my family will chime in if they’re not to “busy” to read the post today.

By: Raymond Chua

Raymond Chua — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 04:09:14 +0000

That’s a great sharing, Tom.

Just a humble suggestion for you. I think breaking the text into 4-5 lines per paragraph will help to reduce the eye fatigue while reading.

That’s my opinion.

Hope you don’t mind.

By: Tom Stine

Tom Stine — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 00:02:47 +0000

Ah, how do I escape? Well, I just get busy with other things. I do spend a lot of time with this blog, but ironically not as much as I could. There’s almost an infinite variety of things that can be done. But I also have clients to coach, a kid to take care, friends to talk to, you name it. A full life. And lots of time for sitting and meditating, which I’m going to do now.

By: Mark

Mark — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 22:40:23 +0000

Tom, how do you escape from your blog for so long? Maybe it’s because I’m so new. But my blog holds me hostage!Sometimes for hours. I really enjoy it though. It has become a big part of my day.Thanks for joining in.

By: Tom Stine

Tom Stine — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 22:04:57 +0000

Hey, you guys are having a nice chat, and I’m no where to be seen! Thanks for leaving the comments. I’m glad the article made some sense to you, Mark.

By: Evan

Evan — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 09:58:41 +0000

Hi Mark,

I think I understand where you are coming from.

I hope others do share their experiences. I find manic-depression extraordinarily interesting.

I am probably the opposite – am happiest just going along with a kind of ripple of joy “underneath” the everyday.

By: Mark

Mark — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 09:43:17 +0000

No not at all Evan. Just the opposite. I find the mania exciting, interesting, mind expanding,and down right challenging. Having just been diagnosed with this. I am now looking forward to the challenge of the depression also. Does that seem weird to you? It does to me a little! I’ve had 3 or 4 episodes of this in my life, but I am finally able to put a name to the behavior. Thanks Tom for bringing this so out into the open by posting on it. Perhaps others will share their lives with us. I think statistically 1 in 70 of the population is blessed with this condition.

By: Evan

Evan — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 09:26:07 +0000

Hi Mark,

I’d like to hear what it is you find unsatisfactory about your mania. Not liking feeling depressed I understand very well. But do you find the mania unsatisfactory also?

By: Mark

Mark — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 09:09:37 +0000

Thank you Tom. That brings some clarity for me.