h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Thanks Ed.

btw...we had a new member at our b-p support group last night. She asked if there was any nutritional advice that might help. After hearing about whet she normally eats - which is basically good, nutritious food - I suggested that she was almost certainly doing the right thing already!

My eating habits are not too bad, but not too good either. *shrug* I need to cook more.

That's good you were able to reassure new member on that account.

I've been watching a miniseries about the Impressionists. Fascinating stuff. I'm relearning old stuff, and learning some new stuff too.

I've lost 21lbs in the last six weeks . I've still got some ways to go - but I started working out two days ago.

We were also able to reassure the new woman that there is life after b-p. She was tearful at the start, and it must jave taken a lot of guts to come. She was asking things like whether most people with b-p manage to work.

Hey, hey, way to go!

I'm sure you were a good source of tips on coping with bipolar. And you manage very well in your job; she was probably happy to hear that.

I'm not claiming it was particularly me who put her at ease. We all chip in. There's a couple of guys who facillitate from the Scottish Bipolar Fellowship.
www.bipolarscotland.org.uk

>I've lost 21lbs in the last six weeks



You suck. If I could manage that, I'd be in fine shape by the end of July.

Well all you need to do is eat an apple whenever you feel hungry.

That's the problem- I'm hardly ever hungry. I don't eat much at all.

Example, today- breakfast: roughly 1/4 cup plain prepared brown rice and 1 banana. For lunch I brought a hard-cooked egg, and a handful of cherry tomatoes. I have an apple and a plum in case I need a snack at some point. For dinner, we're having veggie burger sliced and "stir-fried" with broccoli slaw. I did put a splash of soy milk in my coffee this morning.

Sometimes it seems like you men can lose weight just thinking about working out.


K and I are getting a membership for the pool this summer.

That'll help. I'm hoping the pounds will start falling off now that I'm pounding the treadmill.

I wish I could fit a treadmill in the apartment. I have a small-ish stair climbing thingy that helps a bit, but it's been murder on my bum knee so I can't use it, consistently, for as long a day as I'd like. I hope the treadmill works out well for you!

21 lbs...

*bas...ard*

The Geo has also lost about that amount.

Whereas I have lost nuffink, complete f'all... Metabolism of a glacier.

I am vowing to run up the stairs at work everyday next week, it's a five floor hoss...then twice a day the next week..... I never seem to get time to 'workout' at home in the way that I should.

We had a gazelle once but left it out for the binmen, which was funny, they were trying it out before they took it away....

'I only do it for the endolhins' ('Postcards From The Edge - Carrie Fisher)

It's amazing how good the gym makes me feel. Why didn't I try it before?

Correction: 'endolphins'. Ruin a killer line, whydontcha?

You left a gazelle out for the binmen?????

Poor dear.

http://www.visoterra.com/images/original/visoterra-gazelle-3527.jpg

By the way, "you lot", without actually consulting a shrink, how would you define Bipolar or differentiate it from stuff like Aspergers or mildish paranoid schizophrenia; or simply "a moody sod who has weird sleep patterns"?

zdt

Well...here we have the problem of 'Labelling Theory' - ie it's convenient but not necessarily accurate or helpful to shoehorn people into fixed varieties of mental ill health. Some of the problems:
- The same illness may present differently for different people. Not all b-p patterns are the same. People act out their highs and lows in different ways.
- There's no reason why somebody shouldn't have multiple conditions. I know somebody who has bp and OCD, bp and alcohol addiction are an extremely common combination...and I have bp and glaucoma.
- Clear definitions of psychiatric conditions are confounded with behavioural patterns. Some things may be the result of the condition (eg low self esteem). Others - they may just be how the person is.

To take your Asapergers example...I certainly don't share Asperger's characteristics. I am socially competent (no - really!), a good communicator, etc. What is it you're thinking about here? Is it - I'm guessing - the way that people with bp can show socially abnormal behaviour when ill? (withdrawal when depressed; not giving a **** what anyone thinks when high). Well...that's just a symptom - the same way that a stomace ache can be a symptom of anything from bowel cancer to a dodgy kebab.

Bp does, however have various diagnostic characteristis, and tehse are defined in DSM-IV, the trick cyclist's bible (although any competent trick cyclist - there are a few! - knows that this isn't the whole story). If in doubt, W***pedia is your friend:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bipolar_disorder#Diagnosis

(That's much better than this: A3213064)

Have I answered your question?

I think Ed answered your question pretty well, don't have much to add except that there is a mild form of bipolar disorder called Cyclothymia. Everything thing goes in cycles, elated to depressed and back.

Getting back to sleep patterns -- I'm doing really well! Have been on the right track for a few days now.

Hey good to hear JEllen, congrats!