a road to nowhere
Thelma, 24, has a borderline bi-polar disorder. She swings from manic optimism to deep depression for varied lengths of time and enjoys being the way she is.
"I refuse to accept that I am mentally ill or disabled in any way," says Thelma. "I don't take any medication - I don't need it and I won't take it - and as far as I can see it is a problem that other people have with me rather than a problem I have myself."
"Okay, I can't hold down a job for long and I haven't had a relationship that lasted more than three months," confesses Thelma, "but does that make me much different from most other young people?"
"Most jobs don't last more than three months," laughs Thelma, "and most guys are not worth knowing for more than three months, right?"
"I'm an only child and I live at home with my parents," explains Thelma. "They are very old fashioned and call me unruly but I am just a normal high spirited girl who gets into trouble every now and again. What's wrong with that?"
"When I'm on a high I feel great," laughs Thelma, "and it makes up for all the times I am down."
"My mother keeps telling me 'don't spill the milk and you won't end up crying', " explains Thelma, "and excusing the mixed metaphors this loosely means that I shouldn't play with fire if I don't know how to handle it."
"I never know if I can handle a situation until I am in it," says Thelma, "so warning me not to do things is wasted breath."
"I want to experience as much of life as I can and the only time I can experience life is when I'm on a high."
"When I'm on a downer it's an effort just to get out of bed in the morning," explains Thelma. "And when you live with constant highs and lows like I do you need to flow with it and make the most of the good times."
Thelma's most common troubles are in the relationship department but her most recent 'high' took her in a new direction.
She came out of a low and suddenly decided to take to the road and tour the country.
"No it wasn't a Thelma and Louise thing," laughs Thelma. "I went alone."
"For three weeks it was glorious - just the road and me," says Thelma. "I hardly ever slept - I just kept on going and going and getting further and further off the beaten track."
"I didn't take a phone or much food or clothes with me," says Thelma. "I trusted that the universe would take care of me - and it did."
"In the middle of nowhere I came down with a low," says Thelma. "I went into panic mode. I was frozen with fear. I wanted to get back to my bed. I wanted to hide."
"Luckily a passing motorist found me before I sunk too far and I got dropped off at the closest airport."
"My parents were angry because they had to foot the bill for my air fare and getting my car back home," laughs Thelma. "But I will pay them back one day when I get a job."
"It was a great trip and I am glad I did it," says Thelma. "Most people live their whole lives and never do anything interesting and if living an interesting life means to some people that I am mentally ill then they can think what they like."
"Look at all the great movers and shakers in our history - and in the world today," says Thelma. "They are more like me than you!"
"I refuse to accept that I am mentally ill or disabled in any way," says Thelma. "I don't take any medication - I don't need it and I won't take it - and as far as I can see it is a problem that other people have with me rather than a problem I have myself."
"Okay, I can't hold down a job for long and I haven't had a relationship that lasted more than three months," confesses Thelma, "but does that make me much different from most other young people?"
"Most jobs don't last more than three months," laughs Thelma, "and most guys are not worth knowing for more than three months, right?"
"I'm an only child and I live at home with my parents," explains Thelma. "They are very old fashioned and call me unruly but I am just a normal high spirited girl who gets into trouble every now and again. What's wrong with that?"
"When I'm on a high I feel great," laughs Thelma, "and it makes up for all the times I am down."
"My mother keeps telling me 'don't spill the milk and you won't end up crying', " explains Thelma, "and excusing the mixed metaphors this loosely means that I shouldn't play with fire if I don't know how to handle it."
"I never know if I can handle a situation until I am in it," says Thelma, "so warning me not to do things is wasted breath."
"I want to experience as much of life as I can and the only time I can experience life is when I'm on a high."
"When I'm on a downer it's an effort just to get out of bed in the morning," explains Thelma. "And when you live with constant highs and lows like I do you need to flow with it and make the most of the good times."
Thelma's most common troubles are in the relationship department but her most recent 'high' took her in a new direction.
She came out of a low and suddenly decided to take to the road and tour the country.
"No it wasn't a Thelma and Louise thing," laughs Thelma. "I went alone."
"For three weeks it was glorious - just the road and me," says Thelma. "I hardly ever slept - I just kept on going and going and getting further and further off the beaten track."
"I didn't take a phone or much food or clothes with me," says Thelma. "I trusted that the universe would take care of me - and it did."
"In the middle of nowhere I came down with a low," says Thelma. "I went into panic mode. I was frozen with fear. I wanted to get back to my bed. I wanted to hide."
"Luckily a passing motorist found me before I sunk too far and I got dropped off at the closest airport."
"My parents were angry because they had to foot the bill for my air fare and getting my car back home," laughs Thelma. "But I will pay them back one day when I get a job."
"It was a great trip and I am glad I did it," says Thelma. "Most people live their whole lives and never do anything interesting and if living an interesting life means to some people that I am mentally ill then they can think what they like."
"Look at all the great movers and shakers in our history - and in the world today," says Thelma. "They are more like me than you!"
Labels: bi-polar disorder, depression, disabilities, highs, lows, mania, medication, mental illness, women
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