Diagnosed a Manic

Posted bydonmatthewspoetryPosted inMental health, UncategorizedTags:, ,


Dealing with mental health issues
Step 1. Talk about
So I am



Diagnosed a manic
Nothing I could do
Inherited at birth I’m told
Genes just passing through

Seems they liked the look of me
Those manic-leaning genes
Left my brain unbalanced-like
(Chemicals I mean)

But as I’ve said:

Mania’s not the problem
Hills I have to mount
Mania’s not the problem
It’s how it’s dealt that counts

Kept in check with latest drugs
Lithium/valproate
Just not enough to zonk me out
Allows me still create

Manics can creative be
If not let run amok
Otherwise the aftermath
Is pain, suffering and shock

So not zonked out (drug overload)
With still creative edge
A touch of manicness creeps in
To most of what I write

Despite of living on the edge
I’m in a comfort zone
I stick steadfast to drug regime
(If not, I could be gone)


Bipolar mania is caused by an imbalance of chemicals in the brain
Bipolar disorder (formerly known as manic depression)
involves extreme mood swings from extreme highs (mania)
to extreme lows (depression).
Although diagnosed with bipolar disorder
I don’t suffer depression. I don’t know why
Genetics. It’s also thought bipolar disorder is linked to genetics,
as it seems to run in families.
Bipolars are at greater risk of suicide (extreme depression)
I have no thoughts of this. Never had. never will.
Many bipolars are creative.
Other bipolars: Stephen Fry, Vincent van Gough, Robin Williams (suicide)Mariah Carey, Kurt Cobain (suicide), Winston Churchill, Sinaed O’Conner, Brian Wilson, Jimi Hendrix, Ernest Hemmingway (suicide), Virginia Woolf (suicide), Kayne West, Catherine Zeta-Jones and others.



“There is a dead space between most people and those afflicted with Mental Illness and it’s called Understanding”


Stanley Victor Paskavich
author, bipolar




DM



Published by donmatthewspoetry

I just like playing round with words. And having fun

13 thoughts on “Diagnosed a Manic”

    1. He has the perfect combination. Bipolar, author, says it as it is. Yes , how good the quote. And how true. People want to sweep mental health issues under the carpet because they don’t understand them. And why not? They’re invisible. how do you deal with something invisible? Sweep it under the carpet. Not like broken arm. You can see it ergo easy to understand and know how to fix.

      A manic in full flight is scary. People don’t wanna know cos of that great dive called Understanding.

      If you don’t know a bipolar you can’t understand. I was in full flight once. I could go on but that’s another story for another day……..

      Skip reckons I’m ‘coming out’………

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  2. And Skip could well be right!

    Yes, one part of the difficulty with mental health is dealing with society’s misconceptions of such. Just makes everything harder than it needs to be.

    Deffo going to look more into Paskavich though. Thanks for the tip 👍🖤

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    1. And Skip said ‘about time’. I have been stewing over whether to ‘come out’ for a long time. Skip is happy……

      Education is the way forward……

      Discovered Paskavich a long time ago then forgot him. Ya know howlife gets too busy……

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      2. Education is the Key

        My mantra……..

        Education is the key
        First you learn the ABC
        Then you do a number climb
        1 2 3 4 5 6 9

        clap clap clap…..

        My kindy teacher taught us that ……….

        Miss Bethal …..

        We all loved her………

        Sadly she passed away last year…….

        We sung it to the tune Twinkle Twinkle………

        You have a go LC……..

        On the count of three….

        With me…….

        A. he’s mad

        B. No, just different

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  3. Can feel your words, Don. I’m glad that you’re aware and are taking care of yourself. Medicine and therapy are imperative. Yes, this world lacks understanding. Why go the extra mile if you can just live in oblivion. By all means they can just stay there. Keep expressing! It gives hope to many. 🙂

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    1. It took me a long while to post this. I have always been hesitant to post personal issues on a world stage.

      Two years back I read something and it hit me. This is why society is having so much trouble with mental illness. A lack of understanding. Lack of someone explaining what it’s like to be bipolar etc. What hit me? When I read this introduction to addressing the problem:

      Dealing with mental health issues
      Step 1. Talk about it

      My career was as an educator. I still am. FCS is full of it.

      Education is the key Terveen.
      I’m finding my educator legs again.

      Skip says ‘about time’……..

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