I just want to warn everyone that I have a rare form of bipolar that makes me a ticking time bomb waiting to go off every now and then. Despite therapy and meds I still cannot control psychotic rages every now and then. It is a purely biological problem. So, please know that I have a disability.

That's rough Tweetie411 :( Welcome aboard.

Thanks for the head's up & here's to never having to call 911! ;)

Welcome

I don't believe in free will so I will not crucify you regardless of why you may
fail at any point in the future. Personally I know a lot members out there are alone and have no one to talk to so I would tolerate alot from them here. Though my guess is most support sites(all I have ever seen) mainly cater to those mildly to moderately impaired.

Unfortunately you're right theta. It seems like most sites say they welcome all with disabilities but aren't really welcoming of all of the consequences or byproducts of disabilities.

Unfortunately you're right theta. It seems like most sites say they welcome all with disabilities but aren't really welcoming of all of the consequences or byproducts of disabilities.

Its not an evil conspiracy though. And to large degree I think the advice from
persons who do not have your precise problems or degree of problems is of low value anyway. Its the fundamental problem of us all having not enough empathy. Empathy is not some magical goodness a person has various degrees of its merely a nueroprocessing ability to simulate another person
in your minds eye. A person's brain is very good at processing a very similar situation to itself but it sucks at alien situations. Its why we desperately seek out like minded people in this world that can understand us. As far as how an online support forum should work ideally is people should be willing to accept
a level of disorder a little above their comfort levels.

That happens to me sometimes. I get extremely agitated and rant-- none of it ever makes sense. I'm not physically violent, but the rage encompasses me with it's violence. (hope that makes sense)

Theta, I have to disagree with you. Empathy can be learned and is not purely biological. Therapy has certainly taught me to be more empathetic and to get out of myself more. People who say its biological are just looking for reasons to be selfish and judge others. Look at therapists. They manage to learn empathy and accept situations that aren't similar to their own experience.

re: #8

I've read a few books on 'emotional intelligence, and what you say seem to be true, Tweetie. Empathy can be learned. So can some self-soothing (self-calming) techniques. :)

You sound very informed, wise and like you are into learning stuff. Cool.

Welcome to the Forums.

Hello. That happens to me as well and there are only two things I can do about it...

1) Awareness - As I allow myself to be aware of my disorder (through journaling, etc.) I begin to become aware when the clock starts ticking and then I need to do number 2..

2) Create Space - Like the Wolfman, when I know the full moon is coming I try to seperate myself from those I can hurt. Sometimes I have to go into the darkest room in the house (our bathroom) and sit it out in pain. If I can seperate myself then no one need suffer, but me. I also make sure to let my wife know that the storm is brewing and to keep everyone away from me.

I think that's pretty much it. Hopefully as meds, therapy, awareness, etc. settle in there will be things that can help cut the bomb off at the past. You are not alone in this however. There are quite a few of us who Hulk our into rage due to this disorder.

Theta, I have to disagree with you. Empathy can be learned and is not purely biological.

Thats in full agreement with my thoughts on empathy. A person can follow a set of programming that could allow them to understand any alien situation. But until that programming happens a person's brain will have various degrees
of ability to understand an alien situation. The fact that pre-programming does not often happen and that its impossible to do enough of it in advance to deal will all scenarios is why we have problems.

A neural networks stores
information and the processing logic in the same place(the weighted connections between neurons). So learning and biology are both important
to empathy. Empathy is pattern recognition . People with low empathy have to
have maximum amount of patterns feed into their brains in advance to beable to recognize that pattern. A person with high empathy has imagination/creativity to generate patterns internally with a smaller amount of inputs. That imagination and the lack of it is where biology may play a big role.
Slower neuron firing may result in brain waves such as theta waves in some areas of the brain which maybe associated with increased imagination.


Therapy has certainly taught me to be more empathetic and to get out of myself more. Look at therapists. They manage to learn empathy and accept situations that aren't similar to their own experience.

A good therapists or doctor will be among the people who will have to have above normal empathy to do a good job.

http://www.addforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=48768

That thread mentions a study were doctors empathy is measured in a study.

I think this is one of those nature versus nurture debates. I think there is something biological about recognizing past experiences. But some people can be empathetic even when something is unfamiliar. I think a lot of it has to do with your philosophy on life and how you view people and the world.

I don't understand empathy very well but I am learning.I snap sometimes too, I won't hold it against you if you do it, tweetie.

Don't "explode" on this web site. You will be banned quicly by the "police"!

Cameron, I think that`s sad that people are banned because of their disability. There's a reason I warned people that I'm a ticking time bomb.