[~Christina]

disagree with 95% of what you read? or maybe it's just me.

[Victoria'smom]

here on the forums or in general? I don't actually read much accept for the forums, FML, texts from last night and FB.

[Moose72]

I feel I disagree with most everything I hear or read yes. I think it's when I'm irritable or argumentative when manic.

[~Christina]

MM .. yeah here , but also other stuff too.

Moose .. I think you maybe on to something !

I know what u mean....I think.

[dubblemonkey]

Originally Posted by ~Christina

disagree with 95% of what you read? or maybe it's just me.

...hmmm

think I'm gonna' have to disagree with you there Christina...

...hehe... just kiddin' around...couldn't help meself!

[Nessa213]

I don't know if "disagree" is the right word. For me it's more of doubt or paranoia. Like for example, your post made me immediately think "what have I posted that was wrong?"

But... I'm the paranoid type.

[Dylanzmama]

I always thought my questioning/argumentative ness/negativity was a sign of my intelligence. I'm SERIOUSLY looking at that now!

[ultramar]

Something I've noticed on the bipolar forum, which I think I've mentioned before in different ways, is that I find sometimes that when someone mentions a behavior or characteristic, etc. that at least I feel is just something human/normal/or a psychological issue is quickly interpreted as an indication of illness. In this case, for example, mania or paranoia.

It's just a pattern I've noticed which sometimes baffles me.

I always thought my questioning/argumentative ness/negativity was a sign of my intelligence. I'm SERIOUSLY looking at that now!

Case in point in how this can affect how people feel about themselves. Dylanzmama, I hope you do not start to question whether what might at least be in part an indication of your intelligence is something related to illness.

I understand I'm taking this a little to the extreme, but I feel that if we continue to interpret so many things in this way, what will be left of our identity except that of having Bipolar Disorder?

[~Christina]

Oh wow ..Okay .. I never meant anyone to sit back and wonder what they wrote. I am so sorry if ANYONE felt this way....

Sorry again if anyone took this to heart

Was just "Me" rambling.

[Victoria'smom]

I generally just answer OP. Typing is not my strong suit. I think it's good we (general) "disagree" because that means we give very different suggestions which help OP to form their own opinion. Which is awesomeness!

[emgreen]

Originally Posted by ultramar

I find sometimes that when someone mentions a behavior or characteristic, etc. that at least I feel is just something human/normal/or a psychological issue is quickly interpreted as an indication of illness. In this case, for example, mania...

Being medicated, I've had a relative minimum of what I consider "truly" manic episodes (read psychosis). When things reach that point & I find myself involuntarily committed, it's hard for me to dismiss bipolar as a "normal" psychological issue. That stated, I tentatively agree with large parts of your core argument.

[ultramar]

Originally Posted by ~Christina

Oh wow ..Okay .. I never meant anyone to sit back and wonder what they wrote. I am so sorry if ANYONE felt this way....

Sorry again if anyone took this to heart

Was just "Me" rambling.

No, I think you wrote an interesting statement, I had never thought about it before -I really wasn't referring to that, no worries I don't agree with some of what I read, depending. I read the New York Times a lot, for example, but I think that even if it's portrayed as 'news' to a certain extent there's some personal bias there, so I take a lot of it with a grain of salt. At least in the Opinion Pages it's more explicitly portrayed as personal opinion.

[ultramar]

Originally Posted by emgreen

Being medicated, I've had a relative minimum of what I consider "truly" manic episodes (read psychosis). When things reach that point & I find myself involuntarily committed, it's hard for me to dismiss bipolar as a "normal" psychological issue. That stated, I tentatively agree with large parts of your core argument.

I know what you mean. I'm not referring to episodes, though. Obviously being psychotic is not 'normal' (I can't think of a better word either).

[manicminer]

I have a feeling this might come from a bit of the symptoms of mania. I mean the one's like grandios ideas, feeling invincible, being totally at the top of your game.

Ya know when you feel like you could take on the world, have the answers to any problem, can do it all. These other people are mere mortals. How could what they say possibly be correct when I have all the correct information in my never ending wealth of knowledge? lol

That's how such a thing would play out for me anyways...

[~Christina]

Hmmm.. I don't disagree thinking I am or know better or are smarter .. certainly nothing like that.. I am pretty certain I am not the only person who may read a bunch of posts and responses and disagree with the majority of it, maybe I am being inappropirate saying or rather typing it ??? could be.

I don't even think its because of "Bipolar" I do not and have never used Bipolar as a blanket statement about my feelings or thoughts or actions... That thought process makes no sense to me at all, Bipolar is not the blame for everything I say or do or feel.

I do appreciate every ones responses.. I think many points have been made.

Thanks

[ultramar]

Originally Posted by ~Christina

Hmmm.. I don't disagree thinking I am or know better or are smarter .. certainly nothing like that.. I am pretty certain I am not the only person who may read a bunch of posts and responses and disagree with the majority of it, maybe I am being inappropirate saying or rather typing it ??? could be.

I don't even think its because of "Bipolar" I do not and have never used Bipolar as a blanket statement about my feelings or thoughts or actions... That thought process makes no sense to me at all, Bipolar is not the blame for everything I say or do or feel.

I do appreciate every ones responses.. I think many points have been made.

Thanks

I thought you were referring to reading in general, not specifically this forum. In any case, and especially since no one truly knows anyone here, I think it's a matter of ignoring what you don't like or don't believe (or respond if that's better) and enjoy what you do like and believe in. I agree it's hard to know what to believe on an on-line forum.

[ultramar]

Originally Posted by ~Christina

Hmmm.. I don't disagree thinking I am or know better or are smarter .. certainly nothing like that.. I am pretty certain I am not the only person who may read a bunch of posts and responses and disagree with the majority of it, maybe I am being inappropirate saying or rather typing it ??? could be.

I don't even think its because of "Bipolar" I do not and have never used Bipolar as a blanket statement about my feelings or thoughts or actions... That thought process makes no sense to me at all, Bipolar is not the blame for everything I say or do or feel.

I do appreciate every ones responses.. I think many points have been made.

Thanks

Oh, disagreeing, not not believing. I agree with Miguel'smom on this one. In any case, you're always free to disagree with what you disagree with, that's the beauty of it.

[Meisjes]

Weighing in on this.....often my mind, when in a distrustful state, will replay everything read or heard as opposite. Very conflicting to the mind.

[BipolaRNurse]

Originally Posted by ultramar

Something I've noticed on the bipolar forum, which I think I've mentioned before in different ways, is that I find sometimes that when someone mentions a behavior or characteristic, etc. that at least I feel is just something human/normal/or a psychological issue is quickly interpreted as an indication of illness. In this case, for example, mania or paranoia.

It's just a pattern I've noticed which sometimes baffles me.

I always thought my questioning/argumentative ness/negativity was a sign of my intelligence. I'm SERIOUSLY looking at that now!

Case in point in how this can affect how people feel about themselves. Dylanzmama, I hope you do not start to question whether what might at least be in part an indication of your intelligence is something related to illness.

I understand I'm taking this a little to the extreme, but I feel that if we continue to interpret so many things in this way, what will be left of our identity except that of having Bipolar Disorder?

Well, in the case of folks like me who are still relatively new to the diagnosis, there is a learning curve at play here. I know I myself am still acutely aware of every little burp and every minor shift in mood, and I still run frequent mental self-checks to make sure nothing evil is brewing in there. Last week, I had a meltdown at work that was actually a symptom of stress overload rather than a new and scary manifestation of my bipolar, but until I talked with someone who knew more than I did, I was freaking out about freaking out!!

So yes, we newbies over-think things (and isn't that a BP symptom too? ), but we have to experience many different variations on a theme before we can be reasonably sure of what is related to our illness and what isn't. So a little patience and understanding goes a long, long way toward helping us figure this stuff out.