A BD perspective on an AS cure

[Guest guest]

Debra, I like to think of a cure for AS as being similar to a cure for Bipolar

Disorder (which I, personally, have). BD is a major mental illness, but it's

also linked to some very positive things like artistic creativity. I'm an

artist. I also write well enough that people frequently tell me I should write

a book. I have a great sense of humor. What I'm trying to say is that I

appreciate having some of the positive characteristics of BD. However, without

appropriate medication, I have severe, recurrent bouts of depression. They

happened about twice a year. By the time I was 45 I was seriously doubting

whether I could continue on--knowing that I would have to fight my way back out

of yet another depression a couple of times a year. I looked ahead and saw the

likelihood that I would have to do that another 60 or more times in my life, and

I just couldn't stand the thought. My future looked pretty bleak.

Then I found a doctor who helped me find the medications I need to stay stable.

It took a few years of trying different combinations of things, but when we

finally found the right ones I knew almost immediately that I was on to

something good. For the first time in my life I felt contented and like I could

handle stressful problems without difficulty. I still paint, and I still write

well. I still make people laugh. Losing the BD symptoms hasn't destroyed those

aspects of my personality. BD isn't who I am; it's a disorder I have.

Consequently, I can get rid of the BD symptoms and still be me.

It's not uncommon for people who have BD to feel that they'll lose valuable

parts of themselves if they take medication, so some don't. They think they

won't be able to paint or write or sculpt or act because they're afraid BD is

inextricably linked with who they are. They continue to struggle in life--often

to the point that they can't function and need to be hospitalized. Their

bipolar symptoms place huge demands on their families and destroy relationships.

In a sense, BD *does* define who they are. But it doesn't have to be that way.

I see parallels between a cure for BD and a cure for AS. Because of my

experience with BD, I hold out hope for a treatment for AS--and if/when it's

found I expect it will dramatically improve how much my children have to

struggle because of their AS symptoms. I think their essential personality will

be there, minus the problems that limit them.

Sue C.

On Jun 8, 2010, at 11:00 PM, wrote:

..

Re: Cure

Posted by: " Debra Balke " dlbalke@... pianobird5

Tue Jun 8, 2010 6:26 pm (PDT)

All this talk about cure. I have only been following casually the messages

posted. But, all I can think when I see all these messages is that I do want a

cure. This is a debilitating problem. Can we just cure the negatives and keep

the positives? I'm all for that!

( ) Re: Cure

Well said, good points, Sue!

>

> My almost 19yo son has AS. He's never had any sort of verbal delay, and he has

a *very* high IQ. But he's not going to be leading an independent life as an

adult for a long time--if ever. He needs to be our ward (and is happy to be so)

because he can't handle major decisions for himself.

[Guest guest]

Well said, Sue.  And, from a perspective that many of us don’t

have. 

From:

[mailto: ] On Behalf Of Comtois

Sent: June 09, 2010 07:29 AM

Subject: ( ) A BD perspective on an AS cure

Debra, I like to think of a cure for AS as

being similar to a cure for Bipolar Disorder (which I, personally, have). BD is

a major mental illness, but it's also linked to some very positive things like

artistic creativity. I'm an artist. I also write well enough that people

frequently tell me I should write a book. I have a great sense of humor. What

I'm trying to say is that I appreciate having some of the positive

characteristics of BD. However, without appropriate medication, I have severe,

recurrent bouts of depression. They happened about twice a year. By the time I

was 45 I was seriously doubting whether I could continue on--knowing that I

would have to fight my way back out of yet another depression a couple of times

a year. I looked ahead and saw the likelihood that I would have to do that

another 60 or more times in my life, and I just couldn't stand the thought. My

future looked pretty bleak.

Then I found a doctor who helped me find the medications I need to stay stable.

It took a few years of trying different combinations of things, but when we

finally found the right ones I knew almost immediately that I was on to

something good. For the first time in my life I felt contented and like I could

handle stressful problems without difficulty. I still paint, and I still write

well. I still make people laugh. Losing the BD symptoms hasn't destroyed those

aspects of my personality. BD isn't who I am; it's a disorder I have.

Consequently, I can get rid of the BD symptoms and still be me.

It's not uncommon for people who have BD to feel that they'll lose valuable

parts of themselves if they take medication, so some don't. They think they

won't be able to paint or write or sculpt or act because they're afraid BD is

inextricably linked with who they are. They continue to struggle in life--often

to the point that they can't function and need to be hospitalized. Their

bipolar symptoms place huge demands on their families and destroy

relationships. In a sense, BD *does* define who they are. But it doesn't have

to be that way.

I see parallels between a cure for BD and a cure for AS. Because of my

experience with BD, I hold out hope for a treatment for AS--and if/when it's

found I expect it will dramatically improve how much my children have to struggle

because of their AS symptoms. I think their essential personality will be

there, minus the problems that limit them.

Sue C.

On Jun 8, 2010, at 11:00 PM,

wrote:

..

Re: Cure

Posted by: " Debra Balke " dlbalke@...

pianobird5

Tue Jun 8, 2010 6:26 pm (PDT)

All this talk about cure. I have only been following casually the messages

posted. But, all I can think when I see all these messages is that I do want a

cure. This is a debilitating problem. Can we just cure the negatives and keep

the positives? I'm all for that!

( ) Re: Cure

Well said, good points, Sue!

>

> My almost 19yo son has AS. He's never had any sort of verbal delay, and he

has a *very* high IQ. But he's not going to be leading an independent life as

an adult for a long time--if ever. He needs to be our ward (and is happy to be

so) because he can't handle major decisions for himself.