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	<title>Comments for www.mentallyinteresting.org.uk | Pole to Polar: The Secret Life of a Manic Depressive</title>
	<atom:link href="http://thesecretlifeofamanicdepressive.wordpress.com/comments/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<link>http://thesecretlifeofamanicdepressive.wordpress.com</link>
	<description>The Secret Life of a Manic Depressive: The Sane Guide to Mental Illness</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Sun, 15 Nov 2009 17:15:07 +0000</lastBuildDate>
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		<title>Comment on Contact by caycilia</title>
		<link>http://thesecretlifeofamanicdepressive.wordpress.com/contact-me/#comment-36762</link>
		<dc:creator>caycilia</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 15 Nov 2009 17:15:07 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://thesecretlifeofamanicdepressive.wordpress.com/contact-me/#comment-36762</guid>
		<description>Hey.  I just wanted to say that I like your blog a lot and it&#039;s great to read the experiences of another bipolar person.  If you don&#039;t mind, I&#039;d like to link to your blog from mine ( http://operationpsychout.wordpress.com ) . 

-C</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Hey.  I just wanted to say that I like your blog a lot and it&#8217;s great to read the experiences of another bipolar person.  If you don&#8217;t mind, I&#8217;d like to link to your blog from mine ( <a href="http://operationpsychout.wordpress.com" rel="nofollow">http://operationpsychout.wordpress.com</a> ) . </p>
<p>-C</p>
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		<title>Comment on On or around the 2nd of December 2009 by Gaina</title>
		<link>http://thesecretlifeofamanicdepressive.wordpress.com/2009/11/08/on-or-around-the-2nd-of-december-2009/#comment-36761</link>
		<dc:creator>Gaina</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 14 Nov 2009 20:31:31 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://thesecretlifeofamanicdepressive.wordpress.com/?p=6204#comment-36761</guid>
		<description>((HUG)) .  

You are very young and maybe in time your condition will be stable enough to allow you to contemplate a family, but right now, you made the most sensible decision for your current circumstances, so please don&#039;t be too hard on  yourself.

You can call Marie Stopes on 0845 300 8090 if you feel you need to talk to someone.


Sending you loving thoughts x.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>((HUG)) .  </p>
<p>You are very young and maybe in time your condition will be stable enough to allow you to contemplate a family, but right now, you made the most sensible decision for your current circumstances, so please don&#8217;t be too hard on  yourself.</p>
<p>You can call Marie Stopes on 0845 300 8090 if you feel you need to talk to someone.</p>
<p>Sending you loving thoughts x.</p>
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		<title>Comment on &#8220;STATE-SANCTIONED MALINGERING IS THE BIRTISH DISEASE&#8221; by BoB</title>
		<link>http://thesecretlifeofamanicdepressive.wordpress.com/2009/10/22/state-sanctioned-malingering-is-the-birtish-disease/#comment-36760</link>
		<dc:creator>BoB</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 14 Nov 2009 15:59:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://thesecretlifeofamanicdepressive.wordpress.com/?p=6091#comment-36760</guid>
		<description>Well said. The media attacks on people with mental illness really are despicable. Do people like Leo McKinstry work with people like us, see our lives, try to help us in any way? No. He&#039;s nothing but a bigot and a coward.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Well said. The media attacks on people with mental illness really are despicable. Do people like Leo McKinstry work with people like us, see our lives, try to help us in any way? No. He&#8217;s nothing but a bigot and a coward.</p>
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		<title>Comment on &#8220;STATE-SANCTIONED MALINGERING IS THE BIRTISH DISEASE&#8221; by Daily Express: 1.1 million &#8220;moaning about stress and depression&#8221; &#171; Benefits Culture</title>
		<link>http://thesecretlifeofamanicdepressive.wordpress.com/2009/10/22/state-sanctioned-malingering-is-the-birtish-disease/#comment-36759</link>
		<dc:creator>Daily Express: 1.1 million &#8220;moaning about stress and depression&#8221; &#171; Benefits Culture</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 14 Nov 2009 15:52:07 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://thesecretlifeofamanicdepressive.wordpress.com/?p=6091#comment-36759</guid>
		<description>[...] the Secret Life of a Manic Depressive puts it, &#8220;I am sick of this bullshit being published. Swap places with someone incapacitated by [...]</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>[...] the Secret Life of a Manic Depressive puts it, &#8220;I am sick of this bullshit being published. Swap places with someone incapacitated by [...]</p>
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		<title>Comment on 24 by Deb</title>
		<link>http://thesecretlifeofamanicdepressive.wordpress.com/2009/09/03/24/#comment-36758</link>
		<dc:creator>Deb</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 14 Nov 2009 09:16:05 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://thesecretlifeofamanicdepressive.wordpress.com/?p=5928#comment-36758</guid>
		<description>Hey Ms. Seaneen,

I am sort of nuts i think. I been looking for a site that i can go to where they can tell me what&#039;s what with my symtoms. i don&#039;t have insurance so that&#039;s kind of off the docket for me. because of our current financial situation we&#039;ve been managing with our meds thru prescription refils n that works out pretty good for me n my husband. But my son was just recently diagnosed with bi polar and now is getting the help he needs. i think i need to know more about his illness and maybe talk to someone about mine who has time to listen to meds ive taken and symptoms. do u kno a place i can go on the web where i can do that. would appreciate the info. thanx, deb.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Hey Ms. Seaneen,</p>
<p>I am sort of nuts i think. I been looking for a site that i can go to where they can tell me what&#8217;s what with my symtoms. i don&#8217;t have insurance so that&#8217;s kind of off the docket for me. because of our current financial situation we&#8217;ve been managing with our meds thru prescription refils n that works out pretty good for me n my husband. But my son was just recently diagnosed with bi polar and now is getting the help he needs. i think i need to know more about his illness and maybe talk to someone about mine who has time to listen to meds ive taken and symptoms. do u kno a place i can go on the web where i can do that. would appreciate the info. thanx, deb.</p>
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		<title>Comment on Blogs, forums and resources on ECT by Sooz Incognito</title>
		<link>http://thesecretlifeofamanicdepressive.wordpress.com/2009/11/09/blogs-forums-and-resources-on-ect/#comment-36757</link>
		<dc:creator>Sooz Incognito</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 14 Nov 2009 08:18:53 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://thesecretlifeofamanicdepressive.wordpress.com/?p=6217#comment-36757</guid>
		<description>Hope I&#039;m not repeating info here. It&#039;s late. Bleary-eyed. Don&#039;t have the url offhand, but at caught in my bipolar burble, the blogger posts about her experiences with ECT.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Hope I&#8217;m not repeating info here. It&#8217;s late. Bleary-eyed. Don&#8217;t have the url offhand, but at caught in my bipolar burble, the blogger posts about her experiences with ECT.</p>
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		<title>Comment on Out to Lunch by Giovanni</title>
		<link>http://thesecretlifeofamanicdepressive.wordpress.com/2009/11/13/out-to-lunch-2/#comment-36756</link>
		<dc:creator>Giovanni</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:25:39 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://thesecretlifeofamanicdepressive.wordpress.com/?p=6273#comment-36756</guid>
		<description>Wow
Impressed by R&#039;s ability of being in undepants in bloody cold England. Cheerio.
G.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Wow<br />
Impressed by R&#8217;s ability of being in undepants in bloody cold England. Cheerio.<br />
G.</p>
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		<title>Comment on The Most Boring Entry Ever To Be Written in this Blog by Peter</title>
		<link>http://thesecretlifeofamanicdepressive.wordpress.com/2007/07/25/the-most-boring-entry-ever-to-be-written-in-this-blog/#comment-36754</link>
		<dc:creator>Peter</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 13 Nov 2009 22:40:24 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://thesecretlifeofamanicdepressive.wordpress.com/2007/07/25/the-most-boring-entry-ever-to-be-written-in-this-blog/#comment-36754</guid>
		<description>Thank you for this post. I Googled &quot;Depakote with Seroquel&quot; which is what I am on, and got sent to your blog. I was diagnosed three years ago after a horrendous psychotic episode which went on for three months or so. I thought I was the reincarnation of Mary Magdalene and people were trying to kill me. Then I got sectioned. That was in Canada where the treatment is crap. My meds were way off (Welbutrin???). Up until then I had always been diagnosed as unipolar depression. I tried anything you can think of, much of it was counter-productive. When the right diagnosis was made I realised that I had had manias on and off for twenty years or so, but never with such a severe psychosis.
I agree about the weight gain. I was under ten stone three years ago. I am almost FIFTEEN now (honestly). I tried to do some jogging this week. It helped my depression a bit if truth be told, but I don&#039;t see myself losing a lot of weight.
Btw my dosage - Seroquel 600 mg per day, Depakote 1,250 mg. I am starting to get high at the moment and this will probably be modified soon. 
Anyway, sorry for the length of my post. It does me good to get it off my chest.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Thank you for this post. I Googled &#8220;Depakote with Seroquel&#8221; which is what I am on, and got sent to your blog. I was diagnosed three years ago after a horrendous psychotic episode which went on for three months or so. I thought I was the reincarnation of Mary Magdalene and people were trying to kill me. Then I got sectioned. That was in Canada where the treatment is crap. My meds were way off (Welbutrin???). Up until then I had always been diagnosed as unipolar depression. I tried anything you can think of, much of it was counter-productive. When the right diagnosis was made I realised that I had had manias on and off for twenty years or so, but never with such a severe psychosis.<br />
I agree about the weight gain. I was under ten stone three years ago. I am almost FIFTEEN now (honestly). I tried to do some jogging this week. It helped my depression a bit if truth be told, but I don&#8217;t see myself losing a lot of weight.<br />
Btw my dosage &#8211; Seroquel 600 mg per day, Depakote 1,250 mg. I am starting to get high at the moment and this will probably be modified soon.<br />
Anyway, sorry for the length of my post. It does me good to get it off my chest.</p>
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		<title>Comment on Out to Lunch by Charlie</title>
		<link>http://thesecretlifeofamanicdepressive.wordpress.com/2009/11/13/out-to-lunch-2/#comment-36753</link>
		<dc:creator>Charlie</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 13 Nov 2009 21:41:16 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://thesecretlifeofamanicdepressive.wordpress.com/?p=6273#comment-36753</guid>
		<description>Have a great trip, you will have to get your hands on some seroquel mind you !! 

Liked the photo&#039;s , looked like fun .

Take care now.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Have a great trip, you will have to get your hands on some seroquel mind you !! </p>
<p>Liked the photo&#8217;s , looked like fun .</p>
<p>Take care now.</p>
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		<title>Comment on Readers! by One in the Background</title>
		<link>http://thesecretlifeofamanicdepressive.wordpress.com/2008/09/18/readers/#comment-36752</link>
		<dc:creator>One in the Background</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 13 Nov 2009 21:16:02 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://thesecretlifeofamanicdepressive.wordpress.com/?p=1671#comment-36752</guid>
		<description>Hi Seaneen,

I&#039;m a disability rights worker and live in the west midlands but also contribute to a disability arts collective with some friends. What do I do? At the moment I project website at work but haven&#039;t done loads of different stuff from advocacy, to I.T. support to development stuff, I feel like a bit of a jack of all trades. I came across your blog on ouch and like your writing in fact it was the radio play based on the blog that attracted me. 
I&#039;ve battled with depression and ocd myself and have had friends and relatives that have experienced mental distress myself. I admire you&#039;re ability to write about it, I love writing but hate writing about myself. It takes a lot to bear your soul. Apart from writing I&#039;m  a massive music fan with really ecletic tastes but some of my musical heroes are bob marley, neil young, ani difranco, tupac, macy gray and the verve. 

I like films but never keep up with the latest ones I never really have time for the cinema and most new films are overhyped shite anyway. I like classics like good will hunting and leaving las vegas though. I like reading my favourite auhtors are toni morrison and douglas coupland. I generally like being arty though and chilling with mates having a drink. 

Hope I didn&#039;t go on too much, keep up the writing its good for the soul x</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Hi Seaneen,</p>
<p>I&#8217;m a disability rights worker and live in the west midlands but also contribute to a disability arts collective with some friends. What do I do? At the moment I project website at work but haven&#8217;t done loads of different stuff from advocacy, to I.T. support to development stuff, I feel like a bit of a jack of all trades. I came across your blog on ouch and like your writing in fact it was the radio play based on the blog that attracted me.<br />
I&#8217;ve battled with depression and ocd myself and have had friends and relatives that have experienced mental distress myself. I admire you&#8217;re ability to write about it, I love writing but hate writing about myself. It takes a lot to bear your soul. Apart from writing I&#8217;m  a massive music fan with really ecletic tastes but some of my musical heroes are bob marley, neil young, ani difranco, tupac, macy gray and the verve. </p>
<p>I like films but never keep up with the latest ones I never really have time for the cinema and most new films are overhyped shite anyway. I like classics like good will hunting and leaving las vegas though. I like reading my favourite auhtors are toni morrison and douglas coupland. I generally like being arty though and chilling with mates having a drink. </p>
<p>Hope I didn&#8217;t go on too much, keep up the writing its good for the soul x</p>
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		<title>Comment on Dead Set / Pitchforks out for Kerry Katona by MazThe Moo</title>
		<link>http://thesecretlifeofamanicdepressive.wordpress.com/2008/10/27/dead-set-and-a-lynching/#comment-36748</link>
		<dc:creator>MazThe Moo</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 13 Nov 2009 19:30:20 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://thesecretlifeofamanicdepressive.wordpress.com/2008/10/27/dead-set-and-a-lynching/#comment-36748</guid>
		<description>wow i feel sorry for KK. I thought she was drunk initially but after hearing her explanation i believe her...</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>wow i feel sorry for KK. I thought she was drunk initially but after hearing her explanation i believe her&#8230;</p>
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		<title>Comment on Out to Lunch by Dennis</title>
		<link>http://thesecretlifeofamanicdepressive.wordpress.com/2009/11/13/out-to-lunch-2/#comment-36747</link>
		<dc:creator>Dennis</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:26:46 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://thesecretlifeofamanicdepressive.wordpress.com/?p=6273#comment-36747</guid>
		<description>Hey re having no internet but lucky to have electricity, this hit a nerve with me I Spain from the UK as I need sunshine due to suffering from SAD. Thing is we have internet but can&#039;t use it much as the electricity keeps going down.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Hey re having no internet but lucky to have electricity, this hit a nerve with me I Spain from the UK as I need sunshine due to suffering from SAD. Thing is we have internet but can&#8217;t use it much as the electricity keeps going down.</p>
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		<title>Comment on Blogs, forums and resources on ECT by mo</title>
		<link>http://thesecretlifeofamanicdepressive.wordpress.com/2009/11/09/blogs-forums-and-resources-on-ect/#comment-36729</link>
		<dc:creator>mo</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 12 Nov 2009 01:51:15 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://thesecretlifeofamanicdepressive.wordpress.com/?p=6217#comment-36729</guid>
		<description>Hi Seaneen

I had a course of ECT a couple of years ago after about 18 months of severe depression which had failed to respond to a barrage of psychotropic drugs. I signed willingly, I couldn&#039;t give a fuck at the time if they gave me a lobotomy or castrated me, never mind an electric shock.

Anyway, six blasts from the National Grid had no effect on me so they upped the voltages. The 9th one was a humdinger, it injured my back and caused me to lose a large filling. I presume I wasn&#039;t given adequate muscle relaxant. Did I contact &quot;Injury Lawyers For You&quot;... no of course not. At the time I knew I was being punished for being such a pathetic wretch. They gave me a quick session with the physio and then discharged me to lie moribund back at home.

Did it help me?... I think my mood lifted slightly because (or despite) of it. Was my memory affected?... I don&#039;t know because my concentration, attention and memory had been virtually non-existent in the months beforehand. My memory is still very poor. I have something like a nominal dysphasia where I can&#039;t remember names but they do suddenly pop into my head about two days later.

I certainly left a part of me behind but whether that was in the bed I lay in for months or in the brief visits to the ECT suite I don&#039;t know. I don&#039;t know if it really matters that much either. I think my wife and I would have tried anything to lift my mood at that time. Despite two shrinks and a mountain of pills, nothing else had worked. If they&#039;d suggested bilateral amputation I would have probably have given it a go.

I don&#039;t think I&#039;m making much sense here but what I&#039;m trying to say is that I think chronic Bipolar Disorder and 18 months profound depression fucked me up more than a few blasts of ECT. These days the worst time isn&#039;t when I&#039;m up or down, it&#039;s when I&#039;m neither up nor down because that&#039;s when I realise I am far from normal. My normal is no longer normal.

Sorry, I&#039;ve prattled on for ages but that&#039;s it all now.

Best Wishes
mo</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Hi Seaneen</p>
<p>I had a course of ECT a couple of years ago after about 18 months of severe depression which had failed to respond to a barrage of psychotropic drugs. I signed willingly, I couldn&#8217;t give a fuck at the time if they gave me a lobotomy or castrated me, never mind an electric shock.</p>
<p>Anyway, six blasts from the National Grid had no effect on me so they upped the voltages. The 9th one was a humdinger, it injured my back and caused me to lose a large filling. I presume I wasn&#8217;t given adequate muscle relaxant. Did I contact &#8220;Injury Lawyers For You&#8221;&#8230; no of course not. At the time I knew I was being punished for being such a pathetic wretch. They gave me a quick session with the physio and then discharged me to lie moribund back at home.</p>
<p>Did it help me?&#8230; I think my mood lifted slightly because (or despite) of it. Was my memory affected?&#8230; I don&#8217;t know because my concentration, attention and memory had been virtually non-existent in the months beforehand. My memory is still very poor. I have something like a nominal dysphasia where I can&#8217;t remember names but they do suddenly pop into my head about two days later.</p>
<p>I certainly left a part of me behind but whether that was in the bed I lay in for months or in the brief visits to the ECT suite I don&#8217;t know. I don&#8217;t know if it really matters that much either. I think my wife and I would have tried anything to lift my mood at that time. Despite two shrinks and a mountain of pills, nothing else had worked. If they&#8217;d suggested bilateral amputation I would have probably have given it a go.</p>
<p>I don&#8217;t think I&#8217;m making much sense here but what I&#8217;m trying to say is that I think chronic Bipolar Disorder and 18 months profound depression fucked me up more than a few blasts of ECT. These days the worst time isn&#8217;t when I&#8217;m up or down, it&#8217;s when I&#8217;m neither up nor down because that&#8217;s when I realise I am far from normal. My normal is no longer normal.</p>
<p>Sorry, I&#8217;ve prattled on for ages but that&#8217;s it all now.</p>
<p>Best Wishes<br />
mo</p>
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		<title>Comment on About Me by becky letourneau</title>
		<link>http://thesecretlifeofamanicdepressive.wordpress.com/hello-my-name-is-seaneen/#comment-36727</link>
		<dc:creator>becky letourneau</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:55:19 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://thesecretlifeofamanicdepressive.wordpress.com/hello-my-name-is-seaneen/#comment-36727</guid>
		<description>the fact that I see a lot of myself in this article makes me smile.

i&#039;m becky, btw. rapid cycling bipolar ll. more down than up, i&#039;m still under the impression that my mind is trying to kill me.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>the fact that I see a lot of myself in this article makes me smile.</p>
<p>i&#8217;m becky, btw. rapid cycling bipolar ll. more down than up, i&#8217;m still under the impression that my mind is trying to kill me.</p>
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		<title>Comment on Feeling Fake by Amy</title>
		<link>http://thesecretlifeofamanicdepressive.wordpress.com/2007/06/22/feeling-fake/#comment-36726</link>
		<dc:creator>Amy</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:48:44 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://thesecretlifeofamanicdepressive.wordpress.com/2007/06/22/feeling-fake/#comment-36726</guid>
		<description>Hey.  I was just poking around on the interwebs and caught your post in the process.

I just wanted to say that it rang true with me and the writing style is very reminiscent of my own.

I don&#039;t know what to say exactly.  Maybe, um...  It&#039;s reassuring to know that I&#039;m not alone in my own depression.  

Anyway...  Thanks.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Hey.  I was just poking around on the interwebs and caught your post in the process.</p>
<p>I just wanted to say that it rang true with me and the writing style is very reminiscent of my own.</p>
<p>I don&#8217;t know what to say exactly.  Maybe, um&#8230;  It&#8217;s reassuring to know that I&#8217;m not alone in my own depression.  </p>
<p>Anyway&#8230;  Thanks.</p>
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		<title>Comment on Readers! by Melinda</title>
		<link>http://thesecretlifeofamanicdepressive.wordpress.com/2008/09/18/readers/#comment-36725</link>
		<dc:creator>Melinda</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:45:44 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://thesecretlifeofamanicdepressive.wordpress.com/?p=1671#comment-36725</guid>
		<description>Hi,

I&#039;m 26.   Live in South Florida.  Married.  No children but would love to be a mother.  

I love cats but don&#039;t have any.   I&#039;ve suffered with severe depression since childhood.   I&#039;m very misunderstood by most people, including my husband...he is 39.

I&#039;m five feet tall.   I have BDD and extremely poor body image.   I have a complicated relationship with food.   I have no friends.   I love my mother, but my relationship with my family is somewhat strained.   

I&#039;m mixed race and this frequently causes people of all kinds  to discriminate against me.   I constantly deal with racism.

I love Marilyn Monroe.   I love high heels.   I hate elevators (you call them &quot;lifts&quot; in the UK).   I&#039;m terrified of clowns.   I love chocolates.   Winter is my favorite time of year.   I love music...lately I&#039;ve been experimenting with different genres.   There is a British folk singer from the 60&#039;s named Vashti Bunyan with a beautiful voice.    

I&#039;ve been bullied my whole life for being &quot;different&quot;.    People in high school never understood.   I&#039;m relieved to know that I&#039;m not alone.   My husband admitted that while we were dating he found me to be odd.   He was a bit unsettled by me for some reason, which hurt my feelings because I thought he was perfectly lovely.   

I have a few quirks that seem &quot;weird&quot; or &quot;abnormal&quot; to others but nothing that should scare people away.   I&#039;m kind, sensitive, witty, loyal, compassionate, caring and intelligent.   I could be the best friend to anyone if they would give me a chance.   I&#039;m not a bad person.   Unfortunately, as some of you can relate to, there is a stigma involved with mental illness.   People make unfair assumptions without seeing you as an imperfect-but-wonderful INDIVIDUAL.   

I love old movies.   I love classical music and contemporary jazz.   I enjoy plays.   I&#039;m a complete bookworm.   I adore books.   I like shopping, but only if it is something I really need or want.   I enjoy food.   I love to travel  and explore new places.   I love art.   I want to become an author.   

There is so much in this world that I want to DO, and SEE, and EXPERIENCE, and BE.   I have this overwhelming desire and hunger to really live life.    But I fear that it will be impossible.   No one really wants me to do much of anything without playing by their rules.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Hi,</p>
<p>I&#8217;m 26.   Live in South Florida.  Married.  No children but would love to be a mother.  </p>
<p>I love cats but don&#8217;t have any.   I&#8217;ve suffered with severe depression since childhood.   I&#8217;m very misunderstood by most people, including my husband&#8230;he is 39.</p>
<p>I&#8217;m five feet tall.   I have BDD and extremely poor body image.   I have a complicated relationship with food.   I have no friends.   I love my mother, but my relationship with my family is somewhat strained.   </p>
<p>I&#8217;m mixed race and this frequently causes people of all kinds  to discriminate against me.   I constantly deal with racism.</p>
<p>I love Marilyn Monroe.   I love high heels.   I hate elevators (you call them &#8220;lifts&#8221; in the UK).   I&#8217;m terrified of clowns.   I love chocolates.   Winter is my favorite time of year.   I love music&#8230;lately I&#8217;ve been experimenting with different genres.   There is a British folk singer from the 60&#8217;s named Vashti Bunyan with a beautiful voice.    </p>
<p>I&#8217;ve been bullied my whole life for being &#8220;different&#8221;.    People in high school never understood.   I&#8217;m relieved to know that I&#8217;m not alone.   My husband admitted that while we were dating he found me to be odd.   He was a bit unsettled by me for some reason, which hurt my feelings because I thought he was perfectly lovely.   </p>
<p>I have a few quirks that seem &#8220;weird&#8221; or &#8220;abnormal&#8221; to others but nothing that should scare people away.   I&#8217;m kind, sensitive, witty, loyal, compassionate, caring and intelligent.   I could be the best friend to anyone if they would give me a chance.   I&#8217;m not a bad person.   Unfortunately, as some of you can relate to, there is a stigma involved with mental illness.   People make unfair assumptions without seeing you as an imperfect-but-wonderful INDIVIDUAL.   </p>
<p>I love old movies.   I love classical music and contemporary jazz.   I enjoy plays.   I&#8217;m a complete bookworm.   I adore books.   I like shopping, but only if it is something I really need or want.   I enjoy food.   I love to travel  and explore new places.   I love art.   I want to become an author.   </p>
<p>There is so much in this world that I want to DO, and SEE, and EXPERIENCE, and BE.   I have this overwhelming desire and hunger to really live life.    But I fear that it will be impossible.   No one really wants me to do much of anything without playing by their rules.</p>
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		<title>Comment on About Me by Virrvarr</title>
		<link>http://thesecretlifeofamanicdepressive.wordpress.com/hello-my-name-is-seaneen/#comment-36722</link>
		<dc:creator>Virrvarr</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:33:51 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://thesecretlifeofamanicdepressive.wordpress.com/hello-my-name-is-seaneen/#comment-36722</guid>
		<description>I have been reading your blog for a few hours now, and I love it. I have the same diagnosis as you have, atm I&#039;m even taking the same medication, and reading this was like coming home. I write about bipolar disorder and mental illness in general on my Norwegian weblog, and work as a writer as well, so I can&#039;t help feeling related to you! (c;</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I have been reading your blog for a few hours now, and I love it. I have the same diagnosis as you have, atm I&#8217;m even taking the same medication, and reading this was like coming home. I write about bipolar disorder and mental illness in general on my Norwegian weblog, and work as a writer as well, so I can&#8217;t help feeling related to you! (c;</p>
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		<title>Comment on Blogs, forums and resources on ECT by bipolarbeerbook</title>
		<link>http://thesecretlifeofamanicdepressive.wordpress.com/2009/11/09/blogs-forums-and-resources-on-ect/#comment-36720</link>
		<dc:creator>bipolarbeerbook</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:28:13 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://thesecretlifeofamanicdepressive.wordpress.com/?p=6217#comment-36720</guid>
		<description>I find it interesting that ECT is not unlike a computer breaking down and reinstalling.
I dont plan to have it though, the thought of ECT and the section process has  made me wary of being admitted to hospital.
I cant understand why  all these people think you are seeking  information on ECT for your own treatment. Its very odd.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I find it interesting that ECT is not unlike a computer breaking down and reinstalling.<br />
I dont plan to have it though, the thought of ECT and the section process has  made me wary of being admitted to hospital.<br />
I cant understand why  all these people think you are seeking  information on ECT for your own treatment. Its very odd.</p>
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		<title>Comment on Blogs, forums and resources on ECT by Time Management</title>
		<link>http://thesecretlifeofamanicdepressive.wordpress.com/2009/11/09/blogs-forums-and-resources-on-ect/#comment-36714</link>
		<dc:creator>Time Management</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 11 Nov 2009 01:20:10 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://thesecretlifeofamanicdepressive.wordpress.com/?p=6217#comment-36714</guid>
		<description>Hi, 

Time Management has really become &quot;Action Manage&quot;.

Free 8 Minute Video:

http://freeactionmanagevideo.com/

Helps keep thing in order...

Nothing to sign up for...No request for emails por names...just free.


Simple ~ Intuitive ~ Great Results!


Managing our time and actions everyday for business and evey day...daily task(s) is a challange for us all...The key is do have a &quot;plan&quot; and &quot;work that plan&quot;

Along with technogy to keep you on the track.

Best to all!,
Dan




Free Video At: http://tinypic.com/r/zve9z5/4</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Hi, </p>
<p>Time Management has really become &#8220;Action Manage&#8221;.</p>
<p>Free 8 Minute Video:</p>
<p><a href="http://freeactionmanagevideo.com/" rel="nofollow">http://freeactionmanagevideo.com/</a></p>
<p>Helps keep thing in order&#8230;</p>
<p>Nothing to sign up for&#8230;No request for emails por names&#8230;just free.</p>
<p>Simple ~ Intuitive ~ Great Results!</p>
<p>Managing our time and actions everyday for business and evey day&#8230;daily task(s) is a challange for us all&#8230;The key is do have a &#8220;plan&#8221; and &#8220;work that plan&#8221;</p>
<p>Along with technogy to keep you on the track.</p>
<p>Best to all!,<br />
Dan</p>
<p>Free Video At: <a href="http://tinypic.com/r/zve9z5/4" rel="nofollow">http://tinypic.com/r/zve9z5/4</a></p>
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		<title>Comment on Make Psychiatric Medication Sexy by atomic purple</title>
		<link>http://thesecretlifeofamanicdepressive.wordpress.com/2008/07/07/making-psychiatric-mediation-a-nice-thing/#comment-36709</link>
		<dc:creator>atomic purple</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:26:15 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://thesecretlifeofamanicdepressive.wordpress.com/?p=824#comment-36709</guid>
		<description>this is genius. thanks for the laugh.  i&#039;m calling my Seroquel &quot;damn-it-alls&quot;, because i seem to not really care about anything.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>this is genius. thanks for the laugh.  i&#8217;m calling my Seroquel &#8220;damn-it-alls&#8221;, because i seem to not really care about anything.</p>
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