Bipolar Questions Version 4

i'm not sure if my sleep changes with seasons. i find it hard to sleep when it's really hot, but if i don't have something hot to warm my feet during winter, i can't sleep either. right now i'm happy when it's mild.

do you have any music or particular songs that strongly connect you with certain memorable times or events in your life?

"I believe I can fly" always takes me back to my camp counselor days as do most children' songs. Various songs take me back to therapy rooms where I worked when those songs were popular.

Have you ever fallen for an online scammer?

No, no scammers!
However, I see first-hand how they target the elderly (my mom) and it's relentless!

What is your favorite winter meal?

Maybe chili? Oh! Or chicken pot pies from scratch!

What’s a silly/small pet peeve of yours?

when a radio station overplays a certain song so it becomes annoying

what animal best describes you and why

Squirrels. They are small and cute and playful....and a little spastic.

How old were you when you had your first kiss?

I think 7 or 8 years old. I used to ride my bike to visit a friend in another section of town. She had this little boy neighbor that was maybe two years older than us. He was super cute! I asked him if I could kiss him, and he said "OK!" So I did. It was mighty nice and he smiled afterwards. It was probably on his cheek, though. I don't recall if I saw him again after that.

I kissed several guys between that age and 21, but never really as enthusiastically again until my first love at 21. That kiss was amazing! My next enthusiastic kiss was with a German guy I met in Thailand briefly. Hot and super sweet! Then the next was with my husband while dating. Again, there were forced (or passionless/drunken) kisses with other guys in between.

Describe the person you had your first crush on.

It was Mark Hammil in 1980.

Whats your favorite place that youve visited out of town?

The Outer Banks. Lots of special family trips there.

What do you eat when you wake up hungry in the night?

i never eat during the night

what's the most memorable dream you've had recently?

Heartbreaking and relationships, issues relating to childhood trauma... I cried but I took care of me, and broke down the dream because it bothered me so much.. that was the other day... I don't usually **remember** dreams and it may sound off but when I dream with such intense emotions or vividly I am usually learning or processing something that's very difficult for me.
So while I was upset I am glad I dreamed and am me with how I take that info.

Have you ever dreamed that you were the opposite gender?

I'm not sure. I don't always remember my dreams clearly. I guess it would be interesting if I have/do. I guess if there was a way to remember, I'd likely assume that at one point I might have.

Has your experience having bipolar disorder as a [your sex] likely been unique in some way?

I think so, I didn't know that birth control and how it interacted with me was a red flag ... the last pdoc I saw mentioned how I reacted to birth control was another experience in life that was a tally mark on bipolar dx in her opinion.
Hopefully I understood that question..

Do you ever question if the doctors are correct?

yes, sometimes, when the psymptoms arn't affecting me,

but then it comes crashing down and I'm like well, it's deffenetly real..

question: do you fully trust your current therapist

I trust him as much as I trust anyone.

Is your therapist the same sex or opposite sex and how do you feel about that?

My new pdoc/therapist is female. I have had 2 males for 25 years. This feels different for sure! It's easier to talk about some things with my new female therapist.

Q: My rheumy thinks her siblings became overtly bipolar when/because they'd all smoked marijuana on a regular basis when they were teens/young adults.

Out of curiosity, have you ever smoked marijuana on a regular basis?

I smoked regularly (almost daily) for about a year until it started making me anxious, paranoid, panic attacks. From what I've read it can prompt symptoms of mental illness to show up (that would've happened at some point) but it doesn't mean the cannabis has caused it. So many people either smoke regularly or have tried it at least once and they're not all bipolar :P

Q: What happened in the last dream you remember?

No, but I’m totally open to it. I suspect that it would help my anxiety a lot.

Q: Have you ever had surgery? If so, for what?

Luckily not, unless you count wisdom tooth extraction. Hopefully I'll never need anything more invasive. I have had general anesthesia for multiple ECT treatments, but I know that's not surgery.

What was your best experience with someone in the mental health field?

i think it's just been working with the psychiatrist that i've had for the past few years. he has been consistently kind, reasonable and supportive.

what do you do when/if you get flashbacks/bad memories coming into your mind? (eg: i get memories coming up of horrible experiences i had in inpatient stays years ago, with little to no prompting)

I have a grounding box, so usually I'll just get something out of that box, hold it in my hands, and try and focus on it.

ocasionally I'll just have what I like to call blackouts, which is when it gets so bad I just shut down... I am still alive and breathing, but unable to function- from a distance it looks like I am ignoring you, I'm not, I just can't.... uh, react to anything

imagine it like... an emotional coma. that's it- because my physical body is perfectly here and alive, but I'm not at the same time..

question:

do you think you are making good progress in your bipolar treatment?

why or why not

I’d have to say mediocre. Some days/weeks are ok to good others are hellish and then there’s the in between. I’d be happier without the nasty thoughts screaming at me and it’s accomanying anxiety. Med review next month with pdoc.

Q. Is a sore/painful/nervous/churning stomach one of your symptoms and if so how long does it last or is it chronic? (And any suggested remedies?)

pepermint tea always helps me with a bad stomach (among other things)

I think it must be something in the drink that calms the system

question: when was the last time you truly felt happy, and what was it that made you feel that way?

I guess today. I was helping this boy with his essay, and when he got up to leave at the end of the period, he looked at me and said, “thank you.” Just a little thing, but it was touching coming from an adolescent.

Q: What is a personality trait that you wish you had (or had more of)?

Being less generous. Less spender. Pinch pennies.
But that would be someone else, not me. Why change now?.

Who is your favorite character from the comic books.
Go ahead. You don't hafta say Superman, unless you mean it.
I'll respect your opinion.

Cheers.