Me, Bipolar & I | Sharon Sutton | TEDxDurhamUniversity

[@MichaelMBBullock]

Very brave speech Sharon well done.

[@facebookmebipolari2013]

Thank you. Appreciated.

[@CindySutter]

wow! i’m just like this in many ways. the first time i realized that i was probably i was the only one who had these problems. i didn’t know what it was that was making feel suicidal and horrible manics togethr at times. i never heard of manic depressive or bipolar in my life. i tried to end it all when i was after that, i tiedto learn everything i could abou my condition. i’m still learning9 or 10 my family never knew about all the emotions or actions that i was experiencing. i finally at age42 took a person’s advise to go to the emergency room. i was suictdal once more! i told the intake that i wanted rpto kill myself, and they brought me back right away! was in the mental health ward and i was ableto see a psychiatrist. he gave me a dianosed nme as having bipolar1. he got me on meds. i have been on many meds. some of whi had very bad side affects or i just had allergies to them . i have been o n two mes fot years now and thy calmed my episodes somerimes but still have manic and depressive episodes not all the time though like i used to…. i really can’t tell when im going to have episode i realized though that get mania first then depression. sometimes they are severe. imguess i should be thankful i get repries sometimes.

[@kaiwenxu1176]

Hi Sharon! Greetings from China! I’m also a bipolar. Thank you for your bravery! I did lost my job because of people’s bias after I went to the mental hospital. The shame of having the disease could also be a problem. The society is not as tolerant as in western countries. However life still continues. I felt better and found myself another job after finished working holiday in Australia. Even though my English still needs improving I can understand most of your words. You are more mentally strong now. Still wonder how you overcame? And how you see those who have bias on you especially you really cared of?

[@facebookmebipolari2013]

If people have a problem with me having bipolar Disorder then that's their issue and not mine. I have to keep focused and positive to overcome things. Thank you for your wonderful comment. Just seen it! FB: "Me, Bipolar & I"

[@lakeshagadson357]

Tomorrow a better you a better me soyou should never give up on your hopes and your dreams 😊

[@nickydavies5399]

Oh thank you!! Thank you so much for this! So inspiring, moving, totally amazing! Thank you for being so brave, and so strong, and for explaining everything to me so well. I now feel like I understand my loved one so much better, and the sky is the limit for them. Thank you! XXX

[@facebookmebipolari2013]

Thank you so much!

[@shelly8686]

Fabulous job and explanation on bipolar and mental illness. Makes me sad for the life I might have had if we knew more about the treatment of mental illness. Its been a life of struggle with failed relationships, not being able to get out of bed, deciding to not have children because of the bad gene pool, never having the capability to do a job well enough to be promoted.

[@facebookmebipolari2013]

Thank you for your comment. Regardless of having bipolar disorder there are a lot of good points to it at times and we have to remember that and try and make each day a good one.

[@alkasoli4002]

Stigma is heart wrenching

[@facebookmebipolari2013]

It certainly is!

[@CindySutter]

to lakes, that’s a good thing i can barely cope lately but it’s people like you that keep me going and wonder if it willbe better for me?

[@Ripose]

I'm not sure if I should have hope or give it up after viewing this. I wish I could find some sense of accomplishment in my life, yet I look back and see nothing there and because of learning problems I can see nothing in the future. Mental illness has destroyed my life but if anything I would hope to give someone else the hope and strength to find a purpose in their life. Congratulations on your achievements and for making this video!

[@facebookmebipolari2013]

Darcy Peal: I have just seen your comment. This is my TEDx Talk. Please message me on my Facebook page if ever you want to ok (Me, Bipolar & I) and thanks for your lovely comments :)

[@blindbat6]

My current job increases my anxiety and makes me very uncomfortable because I also have learning issues. Im hesitant to tell people because I hear them talk bad of another guy that has mental illness. In the workplace Ive ALWAYS struggled and Im at the end of my rope. I have to find my niche. All I want is stability and to be able to care for myself. To anyone with this illness keep pushing forward we are gonna be okay.

[@lakshyabhatia9831]

I m sooooo proud of her.

[@facebookmebipolari2013]

Thank you soooo much!

[@rayswoodshop4467]

Choose life That is what I have done since my teens...somehow not giving in. You have to be mentally tough to live through that. funny thing is, I didnt find out until middle age...what a kicker !

[@facebookmebipolari2013]

Thank you so much. Stay strong!

[@CindySutter]

keep sharing wth us, you are an inspiration!!

[@alkasoli4002]

I was so angry and wasn't using proper words while conveying messages .No wonder why VR hates me Let me be honest ,all that was because of my illness ..I didn't do it knowingly./intentionally

[@facebookmebipolari2013]

Don't worry about it

[@underthefigtree9524]

Absolutely loved the last minute.

[@facebookmebipolari2013]

Thank you

[@heidiken8193]

Thank you for this video xxx

[@facebookmebipolari2013]

Thank you :)

[@blackswan1983]

I can't help but feel that you are fooling yourself by being off meds, and saying the disorder has given you purpose in life. Most people with bipolar would be ill advised to stop meds and focus on it as their master status in life.

[@facebookmebipolari2013]

I'm not fooling myself. I cope fine off medication and I'm happy with that. I'm not most people. I'm an individual and everyone is different.

[@dotcassilles1488]

@blackswan1983: Each person with bipolar experiencesa variety of different symptoms and different depths/severity of symptoms. Medications may help to stabilise moods and with other symptoms like tiredness but taking meds is not a silver bullet or even the "gold standard" of care. Medication is only one of the many treatments or management options available to people with bipolar. It is acknowledged that in some cases medication may do more harm than good in the long term. Unless the person who has bipolar is willing to work to change their behaviour, thoughts, physical environment etc then their overall environment (physical, mental, social, emotional and spiritual) will continue to trigger mood changes and increase the "kindling" effect of repeated mood swings as part of the progression of the illness. all medication does is to act like a mask to limit the range of mood swings a person has, numbing them to the extremes of mood as long as they are on medication. In this way it acts like an emergency brake.ever tried driving with the emergency brake on? . If the medication does its job the person often feels like a zombie, with no change in mood, no matter the situation. My experience as someone who is diagnosed with "rapid cycling, treatment resistant bipolar spectrum disorder" is that when I am in crisis (a flare-up of extreme mood swings) the medication is helpful in the short term. In the long term it causes other less desirable symptoms and stops me from feeling any happiness at all and my normal mood defaults to being depressed or completely numb. I gradually lose my ability to be positive, to smile, laugh, or celebrate anything. I find it hard to do anything at all. I lose hope and can spiral down into suicidal thinking if I'm actively tracking moods and thought patterns. Relying on medication to smooth the extremes is like putting a bandaid on a bone that is weak and has broken many times, and then expecting that the bandaid will fix the underlying causes of the weakness. Taking the medication will not stop the fact that there is a reason or reasons both physical and mental symptoms are being experienced. Unless we treat or manage the cause (or most often multiple causes) that triggered bipolar to appear, as well as using medication to alleviate symptoms and support the person who is suffering (using the medication for a short time then reassessing) there is no change in overall mental or physical health. The person relying on medication alone over long periods (more than 6 months) continues to experience the symptoms and need the medication. If only medication is used (and not combined with others treatments) then the person may need to be on medication for the rest of their lives and most likely will need stronger and stronger doses in order for it to be effective. Eventually the person may need to change medications or combine medications to keep the mood swings and other symptoms under control. The body can get used to the presence of the medication and override its positive benefits. Increasing the dose of that medication is only possible so many times without causing major damage to the body. Patients and the health care team they seek help from should weigh up the benefits and risks to the individual and decide how to manage bipolar on a case by case benefit. Blessings from South Eastern Australia, Dot

[@lankwon2004]

Pray to God in jesus name and fast for healing of bipolar.

[@stevenmartinek4419]

Can't heal it,sorry.

[@davidpowell6271]

If God was real, awful things such as bipolar would not exist.