I don’t know how to write my blog anymore. It’s sort of like being manic and then dipping into depression. You can’t imagine how you had all that energy. I had so much to say, and now my fingers are all flubbery.
What should we talk about?
[Image from Michael Buchino]
liz | 12:48 PM | Uncategorized
Liz Spikol was born in Philadelphia sometime in the 20th century. She started writing about her experience as a person with mental illness in 1999, while employed at Philadelphia Weekly as the paper’s managing editor. Aside from serving as that paper’s web editor, music editor, staff writer, senior editor, executive editor and a host of other random roles that she couldn’t make up her mind about, she has also worked as a Spanish teacher, as a Certified Peer Specialist during Philly’s system-wide transformation and as a communications specialist for a prison reform organization. Currently, she works at the Mental Health Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania and writes book reviews for PW. This blog — named one of the Top 10 Bipolar Blogs of 2007 and 2008 by PsychCentral — is about medications, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, OCD, PTSD, SAD (and many other acronyms), mad pride, Big Pharma, celebrities, hospitals, stigma and the recovery movement. And other stuff.
Heh. Back to mental health issues?
As ever,
Emily
I feel like the whole thing has been too huge to enjoy with any stability. First the anxiety (I thought he’d win, but goddamn was Tuesday evening rough); then the euphoria; then the crash. I’m just really, really glad I’ve never used coke.
That said, I’m still very curious where Obama stands, specifically, on advancing mental health parity & awareness. See http://www.nami.org/ & find his responses to a NAMI questionnaire.
I’m always a fan of talking about compelling mentally ill people to get help. I’m on my uni’s debate society, and have close relationships with debaters from other schools. One unversity’s club had a girl that the other members were really concerned about, because she would follow people home and call them at all hours, they found notes implying she wanted to hurt herself and others, and a lot of other major concerns. They tried to talk her but she would literally walk away and refuse to listen. So as a group they went to Student Counselling and expressed their concern that she would hurt herself or someone else, and they were told that the university couldn’t do anything unless she came in herself. A few months later, this girl went to a bus stop, stabbed a stranger, then got on a bus. My friends expressed relief that it wasn’t any worse (the victim did suffer any permanent physical damage and is now fine)and that she is now getting the help she needs (she is in a psychiactric hospital), but it could have been so much worse. It could have been another Virginia Tech. Should the university have intervened even if this girl showed no interest in getting help? Are they responsible to any degree?
(sorry to post a huge long essay in your comments section!)
What about the irony in the fact that after the election, while both candidates were talking about this being the land where anything is possible – and nobody has second-class citizenship – four states were altering their constitutions to target gay people? Nobody seems to be talking about that.
i’ve been reading a few tidbits here and there about post-election depression (for those who were on the losing side *snicker*). thoughts on that?
I think you’re getting better, Liz. Changing, going through a good transition.
Yeah, post-election letdown. Somehow, there’s no ‘after-glow’ involved.
How about fantasizing Bush and Cheney being taken into custody right after the inauguration, and sent to the Hague for war crimes?
From the silly to the sublime-
1. What type of pup should be the new first pup? (I don’t care but it should come from a shelter).
2. What did you think about Michelle’s dress. (it grew on me).
3. Now the important things,
How sad it was to see gay marriage overturned in California. I am straight, but everyone has the right to get married!
Assisted suicide in Washington and Oregon?
And if all else fails, write your novel Liz. You are brilliant with your pen.
And tell the world about your latest award!
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