The Ultimate Vampire Resource and Directory

Awhile back I was interested to read the respondents in my ‘Proud To Be Bi.. Polar On VR’ thread.

And, what struck me at the weekend was the thought that there must be a reason why so many people that that are diagnosed depressed are on Vampire Rave.

My query then would be simple: “why are there so many people that are diagnosed depressed are on Vampire Rave?”

The sluggish weather

The nightmare of a bad childhood.

I was diagnosed with Bi-polar 1

But meditation seemed to help me more than my therapist.

I would guess that those that tend to have a lot "dark" moods have a tendency towards "dark" things in their life. As someone who is bi-polar I know many times I feel like when it comes to life and society I feel like I'm on the outside looking in. Vampires are generally portrayed as being on the outside of society looking in as well. I think that is one of the reasons I identify with them and I'm sure it's the same for many others that are depressive and or bi-polar.

im clinically depressed, but i often work my way out of depression by my music. when i set down particularly dark lyrics, it seems to cleanse me. but ive always loved vampires...so i have no answers i fear.
~W~

Not really sure what I qualify for. There has been no real diagonostics on me other then for manic depression. Always down, bearly laugh or smile. Many have tried to pry what's in my brain from me many have failed cuz I know how they work. I don't know what to tell them maybe I should be hypnotized and get what ever is bringing me on a down slope out and reconized.

the ability to interact with others at virtually no cost to themselves is my opinion. i am not bi-polar, at least to my knowledge, though my mother is.

I have been to the Doctor so many times and had every diagnosis and blood test under the sun.

The truth is they do not know where to pigeon hole us.

So some are called Bi polar, some depressed, some with blood disorders.

So far I am a blood disorder with bouts of stress and very unusual teeth and a bit of depression chucked in for good measure.

but they cannot explain my blood counts or my stranger traits so they want to do yet more tests...

My advice...if you feel OK tell your Dr to wake up and smell the coffee.

P.s.they actually asked me "Are you alive"when my blood came back as 19.9mg of Hbg in 100ml NO SHIT!I told them the truth... I,m fine...n ran off laughing!

I'm too tired to say anything other than this:

Being depressed is not being bi-polar and being bi-polar is not being depressed.

"Manic depression"/bi-polar is a condition where a person has huge swings in their emotional state. Going from deep depressions to periods of uncontrolled exhilaration aka mania.

Nearly everyone will have an episode of severe depression and everyone will have a time of general depression at least once in their lives but they are far from bi-polar.

There are many who get misdiagnosed. Think about it....doctors only spend 5 min with a patient and do not truly take the time to hear what the problem is. Just because one has a few bad days and is stressed doesnt mean they need medication to be better or feel better. The world as a whole is over medicated. Doctors give out diagnoses like a fad...one day depression is in the next is split personality. Those who truly have depression or bipolar often get misdiagnosed. Or they get no treatment at all because the signs are not there at the time...bipolar is hard to diagnose. But should be taken seriously. Some even think that vampirism is linked to bipolar or vice versa.

Perhaps it's because many people who are Bi-Polar find it difficult to be outwardly social in the real world.

Here on the rave, they can come and go, chat to likeminded folk or stay quiet but still "join in" through reading journals etc.

Personally with my depression it wears on me to encounter " artificially happy" people, the people who's mantra is " Cheer up!"

People that can chat without dredging things to be depressed about..
While dark topics can be found here, said topics are chatted with an air of sarcasm.. well at least when I first got here.. now there are more people on the doomed-are-we kick.

Perhaps to cope..

Though some may well be seeking to drag others down to there level.. misery ( those who are not managing/ treating their bipolar) loves company.

Then there is also ( as mentioned in the preceeding thread) those who self diagnos for sympathy.

I am bi-polar and Im on here for the reason that people on here dont mind much, here Ive found understanding, help and advice that have meant the world to me, specially before I got the diagnose.

I can be as social as I feel like, on my terms and people accept me for me.. I think thats why alot of bi-polar people love VR so much, people on here accept us as we are :-)

i have been bi polar sent i was in my 20 iam now in my 40 and i come here to have something to do with my time and plus i like the site lol

Why?

Because being bi-polar and being depressed is a fashion statement. It's the 'in' thing.

It's the crazy new fad that everyone is doing. Just like with people claiming to be bi-sexual who had no clue what it was. Because it's different. Because it's cool to walk around like your like is nothing and all you do is cry and act like the world is coming to an end.

I do not think everyone who says they are bipolar or depressed are doing the whole 'fad' thing. Some really are. The sad thing is, it's becoming popular and the ones who really are, aren't be taken seriously.

I have times when i'm extremely depressed about my situation and other times where i'm fine with my situation. I wouldn't call my self bi polar but everyone does indeed have moments of deep depression. I've had a few more fair shares of deep (often very deep than most think) from my situation but i've worked through them as best I could.

well said Xzavier!!

Bi-polar/manic depression and depression are not the same thing. I have had a lot of first hand experience with both, and believe me they are not alike.

As for people with some form of depression being drawn to a place like this...

...many people in the world have been diagnosed with some form of depression in their lives, or if they were to go to a doctor they would be told that they are depressed. Its so insanely common nowadays for people to be "depressed" its not really that surprising that there are a lot of people in the VR who have it. I was a member of an armature dramatics group a few years ago, and at least 70% of the group had been diagnosed as depressed, and that’s a group of about 150 people. With a few in the small percent of manic-depression.

I guess maybe its a sign of our times, people have so lost touch with what they should be and what they should be doing, they are stuck in jobs or lives that are so utterly uninspiring that they end up depressed.

And in a way you could argue that that might be why they end up here. If people are so depressed by the inadequacies of their own lives, or are so depressed that they can’t face the real world then why not find an online out let where you can find people who will discuss the strange and wonderful aspects of life.

Xavier nailed a common denominator, too many take liberty with the definition ( fadsters), a probable reason such people adopt Bi-polar as a label is to present a pretense for apathetic tendancies..

the same people are rather estatic.. as long as people are enthusiastic about every thing related to them personally, no matter how trivial.. once someone else gets the " spot light" they proclaim.." I am so depressed."

Crisis hotlines are skilled at screening such individuals. Note, such individuals often fit the criteria for sociopathic.

When such self dignosed individuals are engaged in a semi-clinical conversation, you can expect the reply " I don't want to talk about it."

or

A response that comes across as scripted ( often based on info phished from various sources).

Sinoras' post is spot on!

you are correct bi-polar depression and depression are not the same thing, but they do have similarities. The majority of people that have bi-polar are misdiagnosed as having depression. The main reason for this is because most don't know to seek treatment for the manic side they don't see it as a problem. I had been undergoing treatment for depression for about 10yrs before someone asked the right questions and discovered I was bi-polar.

Like I said earlier I think it's the "darkness" of vampires and goths that draws us here. I have to agree though that it's the general acceptance and "safe distance" social activity that keeps us here. There is a very diverse society here that for the most part accepts the other members no matter the differences. The main reason most likely being they know what it's like to not be accepted by society, friends and in many cases family. All of us outcasts have come to find this site as a safe haven and in many ways a family that we have been unable to find in "normal" society.

My marriage was ruined by bipolar condition in the ex wife and her mum, I also got mighty depressed but who wouldn’t lol
I think being depressed or thinking you are is common ground in vampire genre and why we all gravitate to such darkness for companionship and support due to us having an understanding for our dark thoughts and a great expression as well on this wonderful site.

This is the problem with diagnosis, the tick boxes are often very similar for several afflictions. More often than not it is the subjective mind set of the practitioner that labels the individual.For instance;

shaking? cannot sleep? mind racing? pacing? feel down and out of place?

Yes my dear you have a mental problem...here is some Seroxat.

Last thing they will ever say is "Ever tried blood?"

I'm not depressed but I love this site and culture but if I had to guess why so many depressed people are at VR I'd guess it was because of the stario type of depressed vampires that goes hand in hand with the culture. Like it's assumed that emo's are cutters it's also assumed thatvampires are depressed, look at ann rices lastat, and even modern Edward so with so many icons in the culture it's bound to atract the same type of people to it.

Granted, there are probably alot of "miunderstood teens" proclaiming to be bi-polar to get some of the spotlight and make people excuse them for being asses and feel sorry for them, I do feel sorry for them, really its pretty pathetic lol
they should try actually being bi-polar and feel how hard it is, sometimes on an everyday basis. before I got the diagnose I spent 4 years being really depressed and wondering if it was like this for everyone, and why it was all worth it, what was the point if this was it.. then I wound up in therapy, things got better but not good. Everyone just assumed I was a struggeling teen and that I'd snap out of it, but I didn't. Then finally last year I sought help yet again and it was relieving to find out what was the cause, at the same time very sad. I had hoped it was just a "teenager" thing that I'd "grow out of"

I don't know the exact reason why, but perhaps more and more kids nowadays are born different, compared to the earlier generations where this would be considered somewhat of a stigma. I guess it's just the numbers that make them stand out more. As for the pride, I'm not sure. A sense of belonging, perhaps?

I dont see how anyone could be proud of something like this. Im not. I have it, I deal with it and I tell those closest since they should have a heads up. I hate being like this, if I could choose Id be able to function like a completely normal person in my head and not have to deal with this BS

I took the Millon test and it is not meant for just the general population but when the therapist feels there may be some underlying problem. Bi-polar disorder runs in my family, both Type I and Type II as well as AD/HD, Schizophrenia, GAD (generalized anxiety disorder) and autism. My granddaughter who is only 8 is diagnosed as bi-polar and so is her father. Since they went on meds they are fine for the most part. She has selective mutetism as well and autistic characteristics. Actually her father is schizo-affective (schizophrenia and bi-polar). The Millon test is fairly accurate but can be misused and misread to a degree but things are built into it to account for fudging sort of, lol.

I am none of those things above but between 1-100 they scored me 126 on anxiety which means I was off the scale. Sometimes my high anxiety will cause me to sort of mimic other things because of being so anxious. I have been on meds and off, makes no difference really. I have been like this since a kid. These are just discriptions so the psychiatric folks have somewhere to start to figure out what to do to help with what they think of as negative behaviors. Meds are generally trial and error because sometimes they really don't know what things are or if there is a co-morbid condition then they can misdiagnose it. Everyone has mood shifts from time to time especially if a lot of personal issues arrive. Society has become too quick to label things but it isn't a fad really. Autism is an epidemic in California. I think it deals a lot with what we are doing with our food. It is creating genetic flaws in my opinion and other things I won't go into.

Everyone gets depressed from time to time especially in this day and age. Look at the world we live in now. It wasn't like this when I was a kid. I never heard of people doing drugs even though I know it was always there but Tom, Dick and Harry weren't doing it. Most kids didn't smoke or drink or do drugs because it was socially unacceptable. Now all of this is rampant. Many are out of work and the list goes on. I would think many come here to just think about things outside of daily life and are depressed but not because of anything dark but because I mean at this point in time for most, life is just hard for those of any age in my opinion.

I really sound negative but happiness comes from within and it is up to the individual to try and find their way through all of it. If coming here helps with all of that I think it's great. I think people nowadays, many of them are drawn to the unknown as a way to get away from all the muck in the mundane world. Many are very creative people and deep thinkers.

A lot of spot-on commentary re. mislabeling. Limitlessnikkee struck a note as far as the general gloominess of vampires, and perhaps goth culture in general.

The power dynamics involved in masochism is also a draw for depressives. Lots of people here caught up in the poetic pain of romantic failure. That's one end. The other end are those who have made it almost a positive, turned it on its head, and proclaim their submissiveness. It's kinda cultish.

I have an easy enough answer for this. The Rave is a way for those who are depressed, to interact with others that won't tear them down. To communicate without being ridiculed, and to just fit in and belong.

As this is a typical vampire site, then they would crave this atmosphere as well, for that fantastical persuasion.

The closest I ever came to being diagnoses with anything was a high school counselor claiming to my mother that I was manic depressive. I did a report on it for a class shortly after that aaaaaand, I never really get depressed like the symptoms says I should if if actually had manic depression. My mother's impression is that I swing back and forth from being "manic" and "normal." That was like 10 years ago, I don't feel like I need any medication, I just tell people I'm different.

I havent been diagnosed with anything but I kno that at any point and time I can just be pissed off or sad or happy. I swing around a lot. I believe I am sociopathic, sorry if i spelled that wrong. But I can just no care about anyone or anything at anyttime. I can not care if what i say or do hurts someone or I can laugh about it depending. It tends to not matter. VR is a place for as the "Norms" (as if this world is normal, there is no normal in my opinion) put it "a place for the freaks". If im a freak awesome but at least I dont have to hide who I am. Think about it, we are ourselves and arent tangled up in suits and an endless yearning to impress everyone else.

I have the impression that nowadays psychologists & psychiatrists tend to give new namea to every slight deviation of usual behaviour from forgetting the TV on & up.

So basically as I see it, every living creature has some issue of one sort or another according to these people and some even state so, of this I am sure. Of course to be fair, this without saying that they are actually doing anything wrong... maybe that factor would depend of the stigma felt by each one of us on this issue.

i am bipolar and on here to find others like myself - vamp and wiccan, as well as just be among people who wont judge me and to learn

im bi polar as well i came here because of a friend but there are alot of really cool people on this site and this is my home when i get upset or angry which is what bi polar really is mood swings

Xzavier, Chalk, Dabbler ~ cool: there are those who 'get it', just irks me, that there are those who do see it as a fashion accessory...

With out doubt Angelus there are a few who do the I want to die thing…. For the rest or majority there is suicide line and a lot of good people on VR who will listen and comment on such a hard infliction in there favor after all it’s not worth pushing someone close to the edge … always room for love and acceptance in this world I believe.

A bipolar disorder is a very serious problem should not be dismissed as a fashion for youth.

What are the symptoms?
Children and teens with bipolar disorder have mood swings with extreme ups (mania) and downs (depression). These intense moods quickly change from one extreme to another without a clear reason. Some children may briefly return to a normal mood between extremes. Many children change continuously between mania and depression, sometimes several times in the same day. Sometimes children with bipolar disorder have symptoms of both mania and depression at the same time.

Times of mania or depression may be less obvious in children and teens than in adults.

During a time of mania, children and teens may:
Feel irritable and throw violent temper tantrums.
Touch their genitals, use sexual language, and approach others in a sexual way.
Not sleep much and go about the house late at night looking for things to do.
During a time of depression, children and teens may:
Say they feel empty, sad, bored, or down.
Complain of headaches, muscle aches, stomachaches, or fatigue.
Often spend time alone and may easily feel rejected or criticized.
How is bipolar disorder diagnosed in children and teens?
This disorder can be hard to diagnose in children and teens. The symptoms can look a lot like the symptoms of other problems, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), alcohol and drug abuse problems, or conduct disorder. Bipolar disorder can often occur along with these problems.

From the following link:
http://www.aolhealth.com/conditions/bipolar-disorder-in-children-and-teens?flv=1

I was diagnosed with Bi Polar, and im near enough a different person everyday and have these crazy mood swings all the time, iv learnt to embrace them mood swings and would not change it for anything. ( sounds wierd i know)

I dont know if me being bi polar relates to me being interested in vampirs etc or the reason i joined VR i dont know... all i can say iv always been fasinated by the supernatural.

No Vicky of cause not.. were just debating about the question and it’s hard to encompass why everyone who is or playing a mental condition is on VR.
I feel for you and your family with this condition as it isn’t easy to deal with petal.

So let me get this straight... From what I have read in this forum within the last 3 or so years, the members are: depressed, bi-polar, psychic, have strange "powers" that they don't understand, are vampire, werewolf, are 13 thru whatever...

No wonder why some of us are oft times confused regarding the posts of others. The mixed classifications of mentality is astounding. This place should be called the psycho-rave instead with all these loons running around.

I have a friend who is bipolar,and are with a man who is bipolar.They both take medication to control their moods.But love them both.It does not bother me they are bipolar.I don't know what causes it,but I know this they both have suffered alot of mental abuse over the years.And I am here to help them any way I can.It takes very much patience,and understanding.

I like what the lady says.. bi-polar does take some understanding.. hence the thread.

I quite enjoy this thread. not alot of places one can go and have an open discussion about being bi-polar or how bi-polar people are seen.

Vampriss what you wrote is so so true, it does take alot of patience and understand.

I have bi-polar depression, and never been happier i use to to write to draw to express feeling, never been happier ironic isnt it the thing that makes me depressed is the thing that gives me an outlet to be happy

Ahkharu I know exactly what you mean. painting and drawing are my main outlet aswell. the reason for my art IS my depressions and darker sides, so its not so bad really, just a bit hard sometimes :-)

what is bi polar?

cycling between high and low episodes

Found this in Wikipedia;

Bipolar disorder has been associated with people involved in the arts but it is an ongoing question as to whether many creative geniuses had bipolar disorder. Some studies have found a significant association between bipolar disorder and creativity, although it is unclear in which direction the cause lies or whether both conditions are caused by a third unknown factor; temperament has been hypothesized to be one such factor.

The word "temperament" stands out here, for me. Although there are alot of cool people on the Rave, there are also alot of nasty dispositions, and I'm not saying they're bi-polar; they just come off that way. Up one minute, down the next. Maybe thats one reason they, as Angelus asked, are on the Rave in the first place; its a good place to vent your hostilities on others, who really can't do anything about it-except block you. Its a good place for misunderstood people to come and be accepted without having to explain themselves. I don't know about the "fashion" theory, though; who would consider such a thing fashionable? I'd never heard of that before. Its really quite interesting. It might explain the personalities of some of my friends.

Don't know how many times I've heard the expression "artists are such tempermental people". Being a musician and writer I've been accused of being bi-polar myself. Ha! Perhaps its true.

Yes, I think so too. Somehow, they get categorised into the "Odd ones" group. But I definitely think they have a natural talent of some sort. Be it the arts, or simply being brilliant at what they do. They're different. It's more like a journey inwards kind of thing... Getting in touch with your own emotions, understanding them.. Yeap.

Hmmm? I go with Coladvergen. I create well through my depression...

Interesting coolleyhou and shewolf85 and there lays a problem with diagnosing as it can take a while to make sure it is bipolar rather than any other forms that bleed into this condition and understanding this horrific complaint of the mind. My ex cant do anything repetitive like work, 9 – 5 job, house work, washing dishes, cleaning looking after her children you know anything you have to do becomes a chore and boring (I just thought she was a princess or spoilt brat) they are or become sexual deviants, nymphomaniacs and thrive on unusual amounts of sex and experimentation( I thought I was the luckiest man alive morning lunch break sometimes afternoon and then the evening and finally the night oh those nights lol) .. attention to detail like cooking without burning coz you drifted off to relive the boredoms with a sex toy as an example ( I came home from work looked at the dinner on the table and joked “I didn’t know we had a BBQ as it was burnt beans on toast” and the last time she cooked. lol) to come home to find the bedroom windows with silver cooking foil paper on them ( I joked thinking it was to keep the heat out of the bedroom .. it was in fact as she said to keep the voices out that told her to kill).
Having to pay for home live in help so you know your kids are not dead when you come home and secretly checking all knives are locked away ( only to be making love and notice a very large knife under her pillow sure can sometimes ruin the moment .. but I love the Adams family and she sure did make it feel like I lived in such a family lol) silly things like pulling up at timhortons a drive in coffee donut place and to have them tell you “your watch is off by five mins” as I discovered my ex ordered a coffee every hour on the hour all day long .. (I should of got shares in that place or a bloody discount lol)
When I met my ex she was slim busty and shaped perfect, we sat looking through family photos once we married and I said oh I didn’t know you had a overweight sister .. she said that was her and if she ever got to 300lb’s again I was to shoot her ( 3 years later im sat in the kitchen cleaning my gun and she said what are you doing and I said “you did say I could shoot you?” She was 300lbs lol)
Then she said she was seeing her friend and when she came home on her 9 o’clock curfew she would come in say high run upstairs and shower every night.. by the third night I got suspicious and so did her friend husband as the same was going on .. with him being a rather cold Russian and me a violent thug he had murder on his mind for an unfaithful wife lol being diplomatic I suggested we check first .. we followed them to a small trailer park and they went in .. we bust in and they were just smoking and this is why they washed after as they knew we didn’t smoke or like the smell. ( I explained never to lie I can deal with it all even murder as long as we have trust in our marriage)
Problem was this getting caught was a high for her and she started to go out more and smoke then the drugs .. I had to talk to dealers in the area not to supply her or else (fun times kicking the heck out of one or two who didn’t listen) lol
Now in my defense right up till the end I didn’t know it was bipolar or anything about bipolar like most here and my responses were less than caring sometimes, after all I was running a large business and coming home and cleaning up after her and the kids and keeping everyone happy and safe and a overweight lazy wife going mental and being a bad.
This was also taking a toll on me … I had been secretly saving to buy a house and surprised her with it one day knowing she likes thrills, we went one day for a quickie down to a new building estate, I pretended to break in to a finished house with her and inside on the kitchen table was a love note roses and tickets to Disney land… she was over the moon we made love I went back to work she stayed to explore the house… I get a call from the hospital she OD and slashed her wrist in the bath .. the high was too much for her apparently ( then im told about bipolar she has and always had, her family knew and no one told me, which nullifies the marriage I hope) after a bit of care and making up we make love on my birthday I go to work we make love again and she gets me in the evening and we go for fish n chips as im English and after a cake as well she says “ were leaving you” and drives off to Calgary with my kids ( drama drama drama always drama) lol
Now iv lost everything and building again as best I can my self first, im thankful I used protection as friends I have on bipolar support forum aren’t so lucky as the random need for sex has left them with kids not of there own and aids for some, not mention ruined lifes for all around, so it’s not a well understood illness and it has very damaging effects on those around. now we have to watch the children for signs of this as it can be spread from the mother to the children..

well that felt good to get that off my mind, and Probably explains why I got angry with some on VR here in the past lol after all we never know what is going on with people do we, we just try not to judge and label right?

Correct Lavisbre. As much as everyone tries not to judge and label many people do judge before they know as well as wrongly label. Society in general often judges others before they know the person/people and is often wrong and find out the hard way. Me i have judged but it has been after i know people. I have been wrongly judged most of my life for different reasons and think it is wrong to judge and label not based on what has happened to be but what has been proven time and again with many different people.

I use the rave as a way to escape from reality, to debate, something I like to do, to vent in my journal, read other journals and other stuff, I even write personal stuff that I don't tell to anyone I know, therefore doing things that I like and spend some time 'out of reality' are something that lack my depression and because here even though I can still be judged, no one knows me in reality, so no one can recognise me and point the finger at me.

I was diagnosed with depression but not with Bi-Polar, I tend to be moody but usually because of the situations, I get angry and sad easily and worry too much because I care and I am touchy.

I am not following a fad, I only admit my depression in threads like this, I didn't write it in my profile and/or anywhere. I write 'admit,' because I don't feel pride for this, just a bit of courage in admitting so.

Well said Mischka and Deathnitegrl, personally I do tell people my problem as im at peace with myself and part of an occult practice experiments has been to lose the ego which is mighty hard sometimes I can tell ya. lol Im Diabetic a little surprise I found a week after my wife left me, part of this chronic illness is depression sometimes I believe as high as one in three of us are affected.. mind you it might be higher as one finds out that every 30 seconds somewhere in this world someone has a leg amputated due to diabetic issues not to mention other parts and blindness and so forth lol
Back to the point I found myself suddenly crying when I was reading a book in a store .. very embarrassing and it wouldn’t stop for four mins .. I didn’t feel that sad not more than normal… still talking about this and the drugs they put me and my abuse of them has helped several friends and im sure people they talked too about it as well like a little nice bomb of info …. Makes you feel better that even though my body is going to do stuff I can chose what I do with it and how it impacts people… I choose help ..

My close friend had been talking about wanting to die and finally went and OD so I phoned the police and they took him to the nut ward, it was funny to see him in the observation room on the drugs they gave him, I kept popping my face up till he notice and then disappeared again. Most amusing if you know the guy lol and after nine hours his face was a picture when they said were keeping you in. lol and in the group talk when it got to mark to say something I said “ill distract nurse Ratched and you chief grab that water cooler and lets get out of here” lol funny we were the only ones laughing ..but they let him go two days later and he’s realized depressed or not life is worth living even if it’s with someone like me lol
Still point im making is were not taught how to deal with depressed people so don’t ever try just get the help needed even a cry for help needs attention before it gets too late.

deathnitegirl and erm.. darn, the lady after you [pot heads memory] .. thanks f't input.. like yourself, I don't draw attention to it, 'ceptin for here.. but, this thread and, the preceding two.. have been helpful.. I think.

Well first I want to say that even if a doctor tells you that you are bi-polar or depressive doesnt mean they are right.. Cause due to my past and upbringing.. I was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Dissorder.. But Every bit of medicen they crammed down my throat just made it worse.. Now im not saying I do this now but it does help if it is absolutely needed.. But the only thing that helps me at times is to smoke a lil bot of grass.. But for the most part I can handle it just fine through the love of my kids and my God and music..

I might be wrong here, but I think the only reason why the docs diagnose their patience in certain ways, is because the medical board want a clear cut numbers run for the benefit of a sensus. If certain numbers correspond with new or old practices, then more money would be given to the hospitals because of those diagnostics.

I think it could be seen as politics.

Even if the patient does not have the proper symptoms, the docs could be obligated to keep to the hospital procedure or at least what their supervisors or superiors tell them.

Interesting topic, but, How can we measure what is true and what is created to impress others? As a web side, just like Face book and My space, there are many people who profess to be something that they are not, just to make themselves, likable or make others feel sorry for them. Yes, in every congregation of people, there will be maniac-depressive, bi-polar, schizophrenic, etc. But, to keep telling others about their illness, is incoherent.

ive been told i was bipolar by 8 doctors and many bipoolar people

"ive been told i was bipolar by 8 doctors and many bipoolar people"

May I ask what are the specialty of those doctors that took care of you? just curiosity. And by the way, a bi polar person can not give a diagnostic of a illness just because they have the illness. Take 8 years of university study to understand how the brain affect our emotions and feelings. for the record.

I agree with Sinora, I think its easier for those with such problems to interact socially over the internet rather then in person, considering alot of bi polar people have anxiety when interacting with the general public.

DwD I think you have a good point.

A lot of this whole "depression thing" could be environmental.

Sure is Tibet monks I believe don’t have a word for it due to them not suffering from this western illness

wow.. never have I read such ridiculous remarks as pupported by someone here.. 'diagnosis because of politics'.. says me, paraphrasing the fellow.

I mean.. when I was diagnosed .. a lot of years ago.. it was not politic, to be ill.. sure not then.. maybe the change of the label has popularised it, with some.. but to describe a malady as politics is sheer frellin ignorant, plain as.. fella, I feel sorry for you.

i also noticed that I have been diagnosed as bi polar and borderline personality disorder . been on every med seen several drs but nothing seems to help ...

The majority are not answering the original question, don't just state that you are Bi-Polar, state why you are on VR as well, or why do you think there are so many with Bi-Polar disorder on the site.

Re: ~Angelus's~ post regarding "bi-polar because of politics".

This does happen, the docs may diagnos to provide statistics for the hospitals benefit. Sure this procedure seems corrupt, but it does happen. Like it or not. Most political endeavors relate to this type of practice.

I couldn't care less if I were diagnosed with "bi-polar-ism" or any other mental disorder. As well, the "why are you on the Rave" question has been asked so many times in so many ways, that I think I will count the plausable excuse of "I am on the rave because of (name your mental issue here) as a result." Add it to the frey and move on already. Who really cares why any of us visit this site and contribute to it, either tactfully with mental capacities, or money wise. Why does it have to be asked over and over again.

no need to get cocky, man. i am on here because this is the only frinds and communication site that they didnt block here at job corps

*Chuckles* Your Jobcorps most likely does not know about the site. As well, you neglected to answer the first querry that the thread was proposing to begin with.

I am not cocky, I am self assured. There is a huge differance here.

Im with Angelus here, I find it interesting that there are alot of people who are bi-polar on here. But then I also think its easier to be open about it on here because on here everyone seems to vent their darker sides and for many, hidden sides.
Im comfortable on being open and honest about it on here. Only people that know about me being bi-polar irl are my closest friends and my boyfriend. since they spend alot of time with me and they deserve to know, since I cant always controll my moods and Id rather they know and accept it, than have them wonder why I am like this.

Well many questions get asked over and over again because new people keep on joining, talking about the site is a valid thread after all, anyone who dislikes a topic can freely choose not to respond.

There are many good replies here...so I'll just sum up my opinion...

I believe we all have times of depression and a bit of mania.

Our bodies are finely tuned instruments...and lets us know when something in either our physical, emotional, or spiritual selves is amiss.

These 3 parts of what it means to be human, must be in balance, else, something is going to go awry in one or more of those categories.

I think when we are depressed, it's our spirit's way of letting us know that we need to work on ourselves somehow....change our ways of looking at things, eat healthier, give up bad habits, etc.

Pay attention to your body...your emotions...and your spirit....you can learn from yourself in more ways than you think!

*smiles*

"Pay attention to your body...your emotions...and your spirit."
Can you elaborate as How can a person Pay attention to something that is not tangible: The spirit. Yes, I understand about the body and emotion, but, about the spirit, I am totally loss. May be someone can make me get in tune with my spirit.

Markus.. lok up something called the Joharis square, or quadrant.. it will explain a lot to you simply..

and yes, as to the politics.. maybe where they have a corrupt health care system.. but, we haven't got there yet.

on the whole, I would guesstimate that their are few Now who end up 'on the sick' because it is politically expedient .. may have, in the eighties to a lesser degree than 'some countries', but I know of one or two individuals...

on the whole, prople don't like accepting labels.
'self-assured'.. ? interesting choice of word.

why not overly assertive to the point where you dismiss all viewpoints, bar your own.

As for why this thread.. well ColaV. said it for me, people come and go.. so the question, like many others asked, is alway's fresh.. **Bows**

Thanks to all, who took part in this thread.. all.

~ Angelus.

I apologize to the one that posted something along the lines about how we didnt answer the question of the thread.. I believe that the reason that so many people on VR have some type of Bi-Polar or depression is because you are simply not in person.. And for people with these conditions its always sooo much easier to type how your feeling and to write it.. Hense all the great writters of our time.. And I dont believe that people fake it on here.. Its just a place of acceptance.. Acceptance of faith, Lifestyle, Religion.. Everything under the sun.. So why not be honest with the only group of people that know exactly where your coming from..

Well I'd say it's because people with these conditions of the mind might feel lonely and on here they can find others with similar interests to talk to. I don't think there's any surreptitious reason why so many people who are bi-polar or depressed come on here.
As for myself, I saw a psychologist recently, who pronounced me perfectly normal, a rather refreshing opinion.

My, my, my... This is no good at all. If I were ever diagnosed as "normal", I would actively seek out another professional opinion.

Over thirty odd years ago, I was diagnosed as manic depressive.. and Now, seemingly there's nothing in my medical records about it. "I'm cured! I'm normal!!"

**maniacal laughter**

I have borderline personality disorder ......bi-polar is a normal thing in life now . if you look and ask doctors 99%of people now are bi-polar . it is what the human race and more have developed . it has happened because of life . so every person you meet even without doctors papers is most likley bi-polar

i found the notes from my confidence course and put them here in 'Interesting'.

It's called 'Pathway to excellence'.

It went up a few days ago.

May some of it be of use, to someone.

It seems the popular thing these days to be bipolar.

that my friend is why the thread came about.
I found the fashion of it curious, then began to really appreciate the open stories shared, by people who do understand and, want to share with others, who do.

that's well cool, innit?

Im not saying all,but perhaps many use the above mentioned as an excuse of some kind to justiufy their behaviour.And perhaps those who are truely depressed or bi polar dont get out as much, thus alot of time spent here. and I think online in general.Peeps on this site are pretty easy going and tolerant when it comes to accepting those with problems like that.
As for me,Im not depressed,or bi polar.I just like the site because there are many subjects here I am interested in and I like you peeps!
Well,some of you anyway.
;)

again.. the point I made in the first thread.. 'some' abuse, or "use" the label. enough though to leave a taint in the mouths of some, methinks.

My mother is bi-polar. I've learned, throughout my life, to read the signs of her mood swings. Lately she's been depressed, and it's a little scary, however, it is just as scary when she becomes manic. On top of being Bi-polar, my mom is OCD. When she's manic, she sweeps around the house, picking up anything and everything under the sun that she thinks is out of place. Once, she picked up my bowl of food that I had sitting next to me-I was snacking-took it to the kitchen, and tossed it out. She then proceeded to rewash every dish in the house-clean and/or unclean.

I can always tell how her day is by the condition of her bed, too. When she's in a moderate mood, her bed is made. When she is depressed, it is made, but there are wrinkles, and the pillows aren't positioned quite right. When she's manic, there isn't a wrinkle in sight.

shot i got bi polar and im on here because its a fun sight i have meet some people who i consider friends and theres a lot of good lists on where to find books and goth stuff plus gittry things that call out to my add and red neck side lol

plus the other sights i frequent are

collarme.com
myspace.com
facebook.com
swaptree.com

and many bi polars go there as well its whats out there

For those of whom have been properly diagnosed with Bi-polar, how is one diagnosed? Is this through paperwork such as psych-testing, neorologists? How did your doctor come up with the conclusion that you are bi-polar?

As well, what benefits your disorder and why is it immediately relevant to your time on VR?

I spent some time with a senior psychiatrist from the UK called Dr Markose who specialised in the criminal system...

He was unable to explain why so many "Apparently sane" Doctors treating those with psychiatric disorders were themselves then diagnosed with the self same afflictions.

After 40 yrs of practice he gave credence to the notion that mental disorders were sometimes spiritual as per the beliefs in India/Africa etc...He reckoned around 40 percent.

Still feel comfortable in the world of science?

I wouldn't call it being comfortable with "science" based on your post regarding said doctor, I would instead deem it as questioning the comfort zone surrounding "medicine" and those of whom would practice such.

One gets diagnosed by a Doctor, simple as.
As maintained earlier, I got labelled 'manic depressive'.
An, seemingly I'm cured, as it's no longer on my records.

The simple thing is, the mood swings are not simple depression, as so endure, they're just so volatile at times, without help, people do suffer.

And, sometimes.. without help, it's not just the sufferer who does so, but also those around them. I know.

i was digonased by 3 diffrent doctors with it, i felt getting other opions before i admit i had was indeed bi polar, so many people get miss labeled

i do agree with Oceanne about many who do not get out like we need to and we end up here, i do know for me that is true. i dotn go out a lot sometimes i feel anxity with large groups or some day im having mood swings and i dont feel other people should have to deal with my bad b day

and honeslty i just really like the sight i can be my self and im not judge because many people with diffrent mental or sane problems are here and im not looked down on, well plus im not a trouble maker either lol

Well its more of an inclusion thing for alot of kids i think...

nerd,goth,emo,vampire, whatever, the kids in the service that are identified in those groups just love their squadmates and team leaders.

it is because they arent included as much in school so that is a way to relate to other people for the social time all humans desire

i think that applies here as well

I have borderline personality disorder which is similar to bipolar, but different. It's the same disorder that a lot of murderers and serial killers have and that is very scary to me as I am very quick to lose my temper. People with bpd tend to have some sort of early childhood trauma and I'm wondering if this may have something to do with the obsession of the "darkness".

Interesting to meet you. Here is the translation of your illness to the readers: Borderline personality disorder is a mental illness that causes intense mood swings, impulsive behaviors, and severe problems with relationships and self-worth. People with this disorder often have other problems such as depression, eating disorders, or substance abuse.

Most of the time, signs of the disorder first appear in childhood. But problems often don't start until early adulthood. Treatment can be very hard, and getting better can take years. This is because problems with emotions and behaviors are hard to improve. But treatment may work better than experts used to think. Most people with severe symptoms get better over time.
What are the symptoms?

Everyone has problems with emotions or behaviors sometimes. But if you have borderline personality disorder, the problems are severe, repeat over a long time, and disrupt your life. The most common symptoms include:

* Intense emotions and mood swings.
* Impulsive behaviors that are self-damaging, such as substance abuse, binge eating, and reckless driving.
* Relationship problems.
* Low self-worth.
* A frantic fear of being left alone (abandoned).
* Aggressive behavior.

Other symptoms may include:

* Feeling empty inside.
* Problems with anger, such as violent temper tantrums.
* Hurting yourself, such as cutting or burning yourself.
* Suicide attempts and suicidal thoughts.
* Feeling suspicious of others for no reason (feeling paranoid) or losing a sense of reality.

It is easy to confuse this disorder with other mental illnesses such as antisocial personality disorder. So if you think that you or someone you know may have borderline personality disorder, see a doctor. Don't try to diagnose yourself.
What causes borderline personality disorder?

About 2 out of 100 people have borderline personality disorder. But experts don't know exactly what causes it. Problems with chemicals in the brain that help control moods may play a role. The disorder also seems to run in families.

Often people who get it faced some kind of childhood trauma such as abuse, neglect, or the death of a parent. The risk for getting the disorder is higher when people who had childhood trauma also have problems coping with anxiety or stress.
How is it treated?

The symptoms of borderline personality disorder can be treated, but there is no known cure. Long-term counseling is an important part of treatment, but this can be very challenging. Often, it is hard for people with this disorder to have a good relationship with the counselor.

There are also medicines that can help you cope with the disorder. These medicines can help treat depression or help control moods.

Treatment can be very hard, and getting better can take years. The return of symptoms is a common problem. This is called a relapse. Treatment is even harder if the person has other problems, such as depression or an eating disorder. But most people who are treated improve over time.

Inteesting Markus.. and again, I applaud everyone for their input. don't know about everyone else, but I'm finding it interewsting.. so again, thank you.

MistressVampire: Im like that too, I dont like going out in big groups, I tend to try to melt in with the background and Im very uncomfortable. These days its incredibly hard since Ive moved in with my bf and dont know anyone except him, so he keeps dragging me to meet all his friends at once and we always end up fighting because I dont like having all these strangers around me, I feel cornered and nervous and tend to unfortunatly take it out on my bf who put me in that position even though he's only doing it so that maybe Ill make some friends.
Socially Im really struggeling since it takes me so incredibly long to trust people and to grow attached to people. Ive never been able to keep friends since to me their just people. when people try to befriend me I do my best, but in the end it doesn't help since in the end to me, they'll never be something other than people I just happen to know. people in my life have always been replacable... but such is life I suppose, I do not say this to get pitty or anything. Im used to it being like this. Im just saying thats how it is for me and maybe someone else has the same problem. if so message me, Id love to talk to someone who has the same problems

.. the reason for this thread, was so that like-minded people could share: I'm so pleased they have!

as a bi polar female, i like this site because i can be myself,erractic and all and my friends on here will always help out. Its nice not to have to hide the fact that i have bi polar disorder or to be discriminated because of it. i like this post, thank you for posting

I for one am not bi-polar. I do however, know people who are. They never take their meds , they are depressed half the time and they drink to excess.

This thread has been automatically closed for length.