Posted by tarabara on December 18, 2005, at 15:56:24
i was wondering if there was any chance that each poster could set up some sort of bio that could be accessed by other posters. i think this would be beneficial in order to find other like-minded posters w/ similar issues, careers, meds, interests, etc. the reason i'm interested in this is that i'm a grad student who teaches. i'm struggling with the titration on topamax and teaching b/c of the problem w/ word substitution and just being at a loss for words and just being out of it. it's also interesting how i've realized how a life of academia is perfect for someone suffering from a mood disorder. deadlines are always flexible. you can do your work at any hour, you only have to come to campus and teach and then you can leave. grad school gives you an excuse to be anti social because you can always be at home "working." i find this amusing. i have stumbled upon a few people who are in similar positions as me in academia and we have shared so many similarities in our life as well as similar diagnoses, meds, coping mechanisms, working styles, substance abuse, etc. it's fascinating and very helpful and supportive. if we could make this connection easier, i think it would be helpful.
i think issues that people struggle with are school, what kind of work they do, what their family's opinion of their illness is, their faith, their age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, how long they've been struggling with depression/mental illness, their diagnoses (or for fun, how many different diagnoses they have received which seems to be a HUGE frustration of some, including me,) and the list goes on. we could write a paragraph or two about our histories.
of course this would be optional for everyone, but i think that it would enforce a sense of community and understanding, which might improve some of the interactions and communications on the board. the more you know about someone, the harder it is to disregard, insult, and dismiss their opinion and the more likely you are to want to help and look out for their best interest. i just think that it would help foster a more caring community and i know it would help me connect with people who seem to be feeling and experiencing similar life courses.
just a thought...
tara
poster:tarabara
thread:590104
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20051205/msgs/590104.html