Comments on: Flash-bulb moment: musings on parking spaces and bipolar disorder

By: Vocally crazy: on privilege and the risks and benefits of being out « Raising My Boychick

Tue, 03 Aug 2010 07:19:09 +0000

[...] Flash-bulb moment: musings on parking spaces and bipolar disorder [...]

By: Arwyn

Arwyn — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 07:50:38 +0000

Oh wow, it’s so interesting that yours is a literal parking space need. I can absolutely understand that — at times, getting myself up and out of the house was too much; not being able to park in front of my own house, or having to risk confrontation with anyone coming home would have been quite out of the question.

I hope you are able to get some resolution and whatever else it is you need to be well.

By: jason

jason — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 20:55:09 +0000

Thank you for writing this, you have said exactly how I feel, and to add to the confusion its my wife who works and I’m the house husband. 12 years i’ve been staring at these walls, not been able to go out as my stress is often interpretated as aggression when i’m merely trying to express my views and feelings. Imagine how hard it was when I was taking my little ones out to the park, and now the council have set me back mentally another 4 years saying that they can help me with my parking by placing a white line across my drive of which they did, only to email me later that day saying they have broken the law and I wasn’t entitled to having it, as my bipolar is not a disability. Yet the man down the road how a blue badge and can park pretty much where he likes, walks with a limp and works as a mechanic in a garage, lugging heavy things around. There’s me, can’t go out at all now, because they’ve parked all their cars from their garage down my street, and there’s no space for our own. Just more confrontation, as no one understands. Just want to express myself and make them understand. But yet at the same time I dont want to upset my own family as I can see the years of my illness starting to take affect on them, I can even see a change in my 7 year old. Jason, England.

By: The M-word: in which I indulge in angst, whining, and more angst « Raising My Boychick

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 11:31:39 +0000

[...] Flash-bulb moment: musings on parking spaces and bipolar disorder [...]

By: The Noble Fat N Happy One

The Noble Fat N Happy One — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 20:50:55 +0000

THANK YOU for writing this post. i have recently made a big effort to be more open about my own disability, and taking my own mental health seriously. knowing i need to be proactive in seeking the treatments i personally need to help me not just survive, but to thrive. i have accepted this is WHO I AM i am a person with a disability. i cant pretend i am not. i cant try not to be. i just have to manage my illness to the best of my ability, and stay on top of my well being.
thank you again for putting my inner feelings into words that are more elegant and eloquent than i can do myself.

By: Arwyn

Arwyn — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 03:25:10 +0000

Edited post to add links to calls for action at Hoyden About Town. If you're in Australia, please do act. If you live outside Oz, spread the word, and keep watch for any opportunities for action in your own neck of the woods (and let us know about it).

By: Arwyn

Arwyn — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 23:16:30 +0000

Add that talking about the crazy helps keep me sane, and I have three good reasons to keep it up. I have it on good authority that three is enough to go on, so on I shall go!

By: Broodmother

Broodmother — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 19:22:47 +0000

I think that’s the reason you *should* keep posting–the two reasons, actually: 1. it makes sense to those of us with similar disorders and makes us (well, me!) feel like we’re/I’m not alone, and 2. if it ever resonates with someone else who doesn’t have the disorder, which is likely, then they’ll have a greater understanding of their relative/friend/lover who does. :) Thank you for being brave enough to articulate this!

By: Arwyn

Arwyn — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 06:53:34 +0000

*blushes* Thank you!

I’m never sure how my commentary on the crazy is going to be received; I know well enough from talking with others with similar disorders that it’s not just me, that it makes sense to them too, but sometimes I do wonder whether it makes any sense to those with no frame of reference. But then I think that the hesitation and doubt are just the crazy trying to sneak back in, so I post it anyway, and I haven’t been mortified by the response yet. I wonder if that says more about me or the people who comment. ;)

By: Broodmother

Broodmother — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 05:44:15 +0000

(does that amuse anyone else? the crazy voice saying I'm not crazy?)Indeed it does, only because I've had too many telling me the same. ;)

Also, brilliant commentary on the state of the invisible disability, as always. I never fail to be impressed with your ability to break it down here, even if I don't always comment. *tips hat*