Atheism And Bipolarity

[blackpudd1n]

Something I have found particularly interesting in my new-found atheism is how much atheism has been helping me to manage my bipolar disorder.

 

The increasing rationality, objectivity, and ability to think critically that has become a part of my life has made it so much easier to cope with my bipolarity.

 

I can see synchronicity for what it is now and pay it no attention, because now my mind knows that I'm not becoming enlightened, just going a little manic, and I need to deal with it. I can better recognise my mood swings and how far removed they are from my normal emotional range, because my emotions are no longer in charge of me, my mind is. I can better temper my irrationality and mood swings because my increasing objectivity kicks in faster, and I don't get as caught up in them like I used to.

 

As far as having bipolar is concerned, atheism is the best thing that ever happened to me. I can explain myself to myself, reducing my distress, and because I no longer have the xtian mindset of science being evil and bad, I can use science to explain what is going on inside me. Xtianity worsened my bipolarity and made it harder to cope with, particularly when it came to synchronicity. As much as I appreciate the pagan worldview, I can see that paganism could be detrimental to me, too, particularly the more spiritual aspects. But atheism has had such a positive impact on my life, that I am proud to be called an atheist.

 

Atheism has given me a gift I never anticipated- increased control over my wayward mind

[Guest Valk0010]

As a fairly new addition to the group I don't think I have room to comment. But what the fuck ever I will do it anyway. Finding out recently that what I perceived as OCD, being intertwined with what I have been dealing with the past year or so does give me something to say on this subject. Theologically going into the once saved always saved or there is nothing I can do about it mindset and then later deconverting did help my repeated uncontrolled blasphemy bad thoughts when I was manic as a younger lad, mostly because once the thoughts stopped having meaning, they stopped being thought.

[Positivist]

That's awesome, BP! In so many ways, religion (like fundamentalist Xianity) is crazy-making! Ugh! I'm so glad you are finding stability.

I too feel much better: I can stop obsessing about all the things that don't make sense, and I can stop worrying about the Thought Police or worrying that I'm not doing enough for God.

We are free!

[Foxy Methoxy]

There are dozens of anti-testimonies on this board starting with Dave's original that serve as reminders of how not going to church can cure a person of an annoying personality disorder.

[Voice]

Foxy, leaving the cult isn't a cure for the disorder i'm sorry to say. But you're right, pudd1n, the manic parts are way more sane. My god the shit i did.

It's better now that people just say 'that guy's crazy!' instead of 'that guy's a crazy religious, bible-thimpin, in your face, better than thou, stay the fuck away from me crazy!' You can joke around about being just plain crazy.

 

My dad's type I bipolar and was an active christian since maybe my 20's. He's a super liberal christian now, almost imperceptible, but he was a pastor's kid and seems to be hard wired for it. He flipped hypermanic once and thought he was Jesus. Tried to kill 2 people thinking they needed to be sacrificed to save the world. Later, another incident, he went for me but i was able to calm him somehow. Another Abraham thing. I'm his first born. If he flipped again and came at me, i wouldn't hesitate to kill him. Christianity. Bless us, Jesus.

 

I've inherited a type II BP condition, commonly handed down from a type I. Even as an ex-c who was not hard wired by christian ideas, the mild manic episodes i have are still embarrassing. Maybe mine's worse than what you experience.

 

Do you work with lithium? It's not a cure, but it helps me. I only take 600mg. My loopy dad takes 900 and it seems to keep him stable.

[blackpudd1n]

There are dozens of anti-testimonies on this board starting with Dave's original that serve as reminders of how not going to church can cure a person of an annoying personality disorder.

 

Bipolar and personality disorders are not quite the same thing. That being said, though, I'm kind of surprised more ex-christians don't suffer from personality disorders such as Borderline Personality Disorder due to how traumatising xtianity can be.

 

I'll never be "cured" but life sure as hell is easier when I'm certain it's just mania and not God trying to send me signs LOL.

[Voice]

There are dozens of anti-testimonies on this board starting with Dave's original that serve as reminders of how not going to church can cure a person of an annoying personality disorder.

 

Bipolar and personality disorders are not quite the same thing. That being said, though, I'm kind of surprised more ex-christians don't suffer from personality disorders such as Borderline Personality Disorder due to how traumatising xtianity can be.

 

I'll never be "cured" but life sure as hell is easier when I'm certain it's just mania and not God trying to send me signs LOL.

 

Damned strait.

[blackpudd1n]

Foxy, leaving the cult isn't a cure for the disorder i'm sorry to say. But you're right, pudd1n, the manic parts are way more sane. My god the shit i did.

It's better now that people just say 'that guy's crazy!' instead of 'that guy's a crazy religious, bible-thimpin, in your face, better than thou, stay the fuck away from me crazy!' You can joke around about being just plain crazy.

 

My dad's type I bipolar and was an active christian since maybe my 20's. He's a super liberal christian now, almost imperceptible, but he was a pastor's kid and seems to be hard wired for it. He flipped hypermanic once and thought he was Jesus. Tried to kill 2 people thinking they needed to be sacrificed to save the world. Later, another incident, he went for me but i was able to calm him somehow. Another Abraham thing. I'm his first born. If he flipped again and came at me, i wouldn't hesitate to kill him. Christianity. Bless us, Jesus.

 

I've inherited a type II BP condition, commonly handed down from a type I. Even as an ex-c who was not hard wired by christian ideas, the mild manic episodes i have are still embarrassing. Maybe mine's worse than what you experience.

 

Do you work with lithium? It's not a cure, but it helps me. I only take 600mg. My loopy dad takes 900 and it seems to keep him stable.

 

I'm on 2000mg a day of Epilim.

 

I never tried to kill anyone, but I've done some pretty crazy shit. Like the time I was convinced that the telemarketers were working for the government and stealing data from my phone and were going to come to my door and take my photo. I rang a lot of people telling them to beware of the telemarketers.

 

Or the time I called the cops up to warn them that the government was going to try and plant microchips in their brains to control their thoughts under the guise of letting them access the internet. That was a quick and free ride to the hospital!

 

Of course, there were the shopping sprees, the delusions of granduer, the mood changes... I've always been a rapid cycler. How fast I cycle depends on how well I'm managing the illness. The rapid cycling is probably the more disabling aspect of the condition for me.

[blackpudd1n]

As a fairly new addition to the group I don't think I have room to comment. But what the fuck ever I will do it anyway. Finding out recently that what I perceived as OCD, being intertwined with what I have been dealing with the past year or so does give me something to say on this subject. Theologically going into the once saved always saved or there is nothing I can do about it mindset and then later deconverting did help my repeated uncontrolled blasphemy bad thoughts when I was manic as a younger lad, mostly because once the thoughts stopped having meaning, they stopped being thought.

 

I'm just glad you were out of xtianity BEFORE you got diagnosed!

[blackpudd1n]

That's awesome, BP! In so many ways, religion (like fundamentalist Xianity) is crazy-making! Ugh! I'm so glad you are finding stability.

I too feel much better: I can stop obsessing about all the things that don't make sense, and I can stop worrying about the Thought Police or worrying that I'm not doing enough for God.

We are free!

 

Yes, it definitely is freedom!

[Voice]

I never tried to kill anyone, but I've done some pretty crazy shit. Like the time I was convinced that the telemarketers were working for the government and stealing data from my phone and were going to come to my door and take my photo. I rang a lot of people telling them to beware of the telemarketers.

 

Or the time I called the cops up to warn them that the government was going to try and plant microchips in their brains to control their thoughts under the guise of letting them access the internet. That was a quick and free ride to the hospital!

 

Of course, there were the shopping sprees, the delusions of granduer, the mood changes... I've always been a rapid cycler. How fast I cycle depends on how well I'm managing the illness. The rapid cycling is probably the more disabling aspect of the condition for me.

 

LOOOOOL

I'm sorry that was too funny

[Guest Valk0010]

As a fairly new addition to the group I don't think I have room to comment. But what the fuck ever I will do it anyway. Finding out recently that what I perceived as OCD, being intertwined with what I have been dealing with the past year or so does give me something to say on this subject. Theologically going into the once saved always saved or there is nothing I can do about it mindset and then later deconverting did help my repeated uncontrolled blasphemy bad thoughts when I was manic as a younger lad, mostly because once the thoughts stopped having meaning, they stopped being thought.

 

I'm just glad you were out of xtianity BEFORE you got diagnosed!

Well luckily for me, all the supposedly experienced christians around me, realized somehow it wasn't just a spiritual problem. They thought it was just ocd, so that helped my ass.

[Foxy Methoxy]

Ok, guys. It was a joke, not an invitation to be lectured on real mental health problems. I know a thing or two about personality disorders. In 2006, I was kept in the mental ward of a hospital against my will. I'm also a suicide survivor.

[Positivist]

I know a thing or two about personality disorders. In 2006, I was kept in the mental ward of a hospital against my will. I'm also a suicide survivor.

It's way more common than people ever admit. There is a lot of social stigma associated with mental health issues, which is unfortunate.

Hell, I've dated my way through the DSM-IV, so what little I have experienced myself was generously augmented by others. Not so fun....

Glad you're with us, FM.

[Positivist]

I never tried to kill anyone, but I've done some pretty crazy shit. Like the time I was convinced that the telemarketers were working for the government and stealing data from my phone and were going to come to my door and take my photo. I rang a lot of people telling them to beware of the telemarketers.

 

Or the time I called the cops up to warn them that the government was going to try and plant microchips in their brains to control their thoughts under the guise of letting them access the internet. That was a quick and free ride to the hospital!

OMG, I laughed out loud. BP, you are absolutely delightful. I love your stories and your amazing attitude (both hard won, I know). Like most stories, they are told best from safe shores and I am so glad you are there.

 

Peace!

[Legion]

yeah

[lunaticheathen]

Ok, guys. It was a joke, not an invitation to be lectured on real mental health problems. I know a thing or two about personality disorders. In 2006, I was kept in the mental ward of a hospital against my will. I'm also a suicide survivor.

 

I got the joke, Foxy.

I'm also a survivor of a mental ward and suicide. *hugs* Glad we're both on the other side of that mess.

 

I don't have bipolar, but christianity sure made my depression and anxiety far far worse. My present religion/gods help me with these, as well as good friends. I don't reject science as an avenue to help though - another reason why my present spirituality is far better than christianity. In fact, my fellow faithful in Kemetic Orthodoxy have all urged me to seek counceling as soon as I can find something I can afford.

 

I do understand how some mystical beliefs can get blown up to unhealthy delusions in manic states, but, fortunately, I don't have that problem. I have others instead. Worm theology is what drove me to my first suicide attempt. Damn baptists.

[JadedAtheist]

Being free from a destructive religion is where the healing is for me, I don't think it's necessarily the atheism that has caused it.

[blackpudd1n]

Ok, guys. It was a joke, not an invitation to be lectured on real mental health problems. I know a thing or two about personality disorders. In 2006, I was kept in the mental ward of a hospital against my will. I'm also a suicide survivor.

 

I wasn't having a go at you, Foxy. I'm sorry if it seemed that way- I didn't know that about you, and unfortunately I have to deal all too frequently with misconceptions due to how open I am about my illness. Hug?

[blackpudd1n]

I never tried to kill anyone, but I've done some pretty crazy shit. Like the time I was convinced that the telemarketers were working for the government and stealing data from my phone and were going to come to my door and take my photo. I rang a lot of people telling them to beware of the telemarketers.

 

Or the time I called the cops up to warn them that the government was going to try and plant microchips in their brains to control their thoughts under the guise of letting them access the internet. That was a quick and free ride to the hospital!

 

Of course, there were the shopping sprees, the delusions of granduer, the mood changes... I've always been a rapid cycler. How fast I cycle depends on how well I'm managing the illness. The rapid cycling is probably the more disabling aspect of the condition for me.

 

LOOOOOL

I'm sorry that was too funny

 

Don't apologise- I find it pretty funny myself!

[blackpudd1n]

Well luckily for me, all the supposedly experienced christians around me, realized somehow it wasn't just a spiritual problem. They thought it was just ocd, so that helped my ass.

 

That was incredibly lucky!

 

Unfortunately, my biological mother has changed her tune from me being demon possessed being the reason I don't have anything to do with her, to 'oh, she's sick, we must pray for her and patronise her'.

 

The reality of the situation is I don't have anything to do with her because she's a fucking psychopath!

[Guest Valk0010]

It has I guess left me sort of bitter, thought it helps if I need a satisfying answer. The reason god didn't cure me was that he doesn't exist or doesn't care enough to cure it. Its a subtle thread in my thinking one might say.

[blackpudd1n]

It has I guess left me sort of bitter, thought it helps if I need a satisfying answer. The reason god didn't cure me was that he doesn't exist or doesn't care enough to cure it. Its a subtle thread in my thinking one might say.

 

The bitterness was something I had to work through in general. I felt as though my life was over for a long time, and I think you'd have to be rather abnormal not to feel some anger and bitterness when you get diagnosed. It was a very confusing time for me- relieved on the one hand that there was a name for it, and within the context of having bipolar I was not abnormal, that my experiences were very normal, but on the other hand I felt so distraught because I felt as though my life was over. Discovering that I could learn to manage the illness, and reduce the impact of it on my life by managing it helped me to overcome those negative views about what my future held.

 

i used to consider it a beast in my mind, and expend all my energy on fighting it all the time which was not an effective strategy because it made me exhausted and more prone to episodes. When I started viewing it as a gremlin that was a part of me and that I had to learn to live with in all its mischieviousness, that's when I started doing better.

[Voice]

Something I have found particularly interesting in my new-found atheism is how much atheism has been helping me to manage my bipolar disorder.

 

The increasing rationality, objectivity, and ability to think critically that has become a part of my life has made it so much easier to cope with my bipolarity.

 

I can see synchronicity for what it is now and pay it no attention, because now my mind knows that I'm not becoming enlightened, just going a little manic, and I need to deal with it. I can better recognise my mood swings and how far removed they are from my normal emotional range, because my emotions are no longer in charge of me, my mind is. I can better temper my irrationality and mood swings because my increasing objectivity kicks in faster, and I don't get as caught up in them like I used to.

 

As far as having bipolar is concerned, atheism is the best thing that ever happened to me. I can explain myself to myself, reducing my distress, and because I no longer have the xtian mindset of science being evil and bad, I can use science to explain what is going on inside me. Xtianity worsened my bipolarity and made it harder to cope with, particularly when it came to synchronicity. As much as I appreciate the pagan worldview, I can see that paganism could be detrimental to me, too, particularly the more spiritual aspects. But atheism has had such a positive impact on my life, that I am proud to be called an atheist.

 

Atheism has given me a gift I never anticipated- increased control over my wayward mind

 

Wow I want to say hey sister. It's nice isn't it!

Your manic charts (monitoring your swings) read exactly as mine did. I mean the severe manic spikes from religious elation down to just something we know needs to be dealt with. You're fortunate to know about your bpd though, i didn't. All i knew is that i wasn't through the roof manic once i came out.

[blackpudd1n]

Something I have found particularly interesting in my new-found atheism is how much atheism has been helping me to manage my bipolar disorder.

 

The increasing rationality, objectivity, and ability to think critically that has become a part of my life has made it so much easier to cope with my bipolarity.

 

I can see synchronicity for what it is now and pay it no attention, because now my mind knows that I'm not becoming enlightened, just going a little manic, and I need to deal with it. I can better recognise my mood swings and how far removed they are from my normal emotional range, because my emotions are no longer in charge of me, my mind is. I can better temper my irrationality and mood swings because my increasing objectivity kicks in faster, and I don't get as caught up in them like I used to.

 

As far as having bipolar is concerned, atheism is the best thing that ever happened to me. I can explain myself to myself, reducing my distress, and because I no longer have the xtian mindset of science being evil and bad, I can use science to explain what is going on inside me. Xtianity worsened my bipolarity and made it harder to cope with, particularly when it came to synchronicity. As much as I appreciate the pagan worldview, I can see that paganism could be detrimental to me, too, particularly the more spiritual aspects. But atheism has had such a positive impact on my life, that I am proud to be called an atheist.

 

Atheism has given me a gift I never anticipated- increased control over my wayward mind

 

Wow I want to say hey sister. It's nice isn't it!

Your manic charts (monitoring your swings) read exactly as mine did. I mean the severe manic spikes from religious elation down to just something we know needs to be dealt with.

 

I remember being in a psych ward and being convinced that I was demon-possessed when I was a fundy. Mental illness and religion just don't mix. I started to gain some insight at the end of 2009, and I stopped going to church, though I still considered myself an xtian, because some part of me recognised that church was detrimental to my mental health. My psychiatrist was palpably relieved when I told him that, too. I was, ahem, kind of in the business of trying to save the other patients' souls whenever I went to hospital, and, um, did manage to convert one guy, after which I went manic from the joy. They got the shits with me at 4am when I was still pacing the hallways and praising god and told me not to leave my room. I was devasted. I needed to praise the Lard!!