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  • #598122
    bombmaniac
    Participant

    Is the title of my article in Ami Living this week. I know I told you all two weeks, but I miscalculated. It’s about mental illness, in particular bipolar, the effect it has on families, and the damage that stigma causes to those with a mental illness as well as their family.

    It’s published under a pseudonym, so don’t bother trying to research me. I made an email account for those who may, for whatever reason, wish contact me about the articles. [email protected]. Ami was supposed to publish the email address but it must have slipped their mind. Please the article around to everyone you know. It’s not a publicity stunt on my part; it’s just a very important subject to me.

    Next week (hopefully if my editor gets back to me in time :P) is part 2 which deals with how to handle and what to expect when navigating the mental health system.

    In 2 weeks (again, hopefully) is part 3 which deals with how to cope with a mentally ill family member.

    Please discuss below.

    Enjoy.

    #789270
    aries2756
    Participant

    I haven’t read the article but it is definitely something that needs to be discussed.

    #789271
    Pac-Man
    Member

    So you are now an official seriel columnist for Ami.

    #789272
    Another name
    Participant

    bombmaniac, thank you so much for sharing your story. I look forward to reading it. 🙂

    #789273
    smartcookie
    Member

    Wow! How did you get an email adress to pass here on this site? You must be superman!

    #789274
    ronrsr
    Member

    Congratulations and thanks, bombmaniac.

    I have a brother with the same illness, so I know what it can do to those who have it and those who love them. The worst of his illness occurred during the 1970’s, when it was taboo to talk of this problem. I applaud you for shedding light on the subject and, I hope, encouraging more openness, understanding and pathos.

    #789275
    bombmaniac
    Participant

    The email address is not my personal email address so it passed.

    ronrsr: yeah. i know what you mean. the 70’s was when the issue of mental illness being destigmatized was first raised. in 1972, geraldo rivera broke the story about the Willowbrook State School (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willowbrook_State_School for those of you who dont know what im talking about)

    geraldo essentially lit the spark for the acceptance of the mentally ill and those with Down’s Syndrome. but even so…mental illness has been stigamtized heavily despite all teh ettempts to reverse that stigma.

    part 2 is gonna be educational…part 3 may be a little controversial 😛

    #789276
    oomis
    Participant

    Yasher koach on getting published. This is a very choshuv topic, and there are so many misconceptions.

    #789277
    bombmaniac
    Participant

    thank you oomis 🙂 show it to as may people as you can

    #789278
    A Heimishe Mom
    Participant

    That is NOT a good title!! I get your point – once you specified that it is about mental illness, but in the current, unfortunate climate, that title really has a very different conotation. And unfortunately, there ARE “frum” folks out there who . . .

    #789279
    bombmaniac
    Participant

    yeah i know…when i looked at the title i was like “wut…wut even is this…wut…” took me like 5 minutes to get it. im not fond of the title at all…but i left the title up to the editor. so thats that.

    #789280
    adorable
    Participant

    bomb- I dont usually buy the Ami but I think this time Im going to.

    #789281
    MiddlePath
    Participant

    Bomb, I happen to like the title…I never read Jewish magazines, but perhaps I will for your article.

    #789282
    bombmaniac
    Participant

    yup 😀

    so im at my local grocery, and im friends with teh guy because ive been shopping there for years. so i tell him that i have an article in Ami Living and were talking about it…and some woman comes over to me and says “you have an article in Ami?” so we spoke about it for a minute and she said “i dont usually buy ami but i will this week”

    so yeah 😛 so far i have i think…7 sales attributed directly to me 😀

    #789283
    ronrsr
    Member

    Did you autograph her copy? It’s traditional.

    #789284
    kapusta
    Participant

    Must be popular. Of the two stores I was in today there was not one Ami left. Maybe they should add you to their regular writing staff.

    *kapusta*

    #789285
    bombmaniac
    Participant

    ROFL no

    the reason Ami sold out this week was because of their feature on Leiby. i just happened to be in the same magazine.

    #789286
    kapusta
    Participant

    Wouldn’t know. Didn’t see it. ?

    *kapusta*

    #789287
    aries2756
    Participant

    I read the article. You did a great job. You relayed your story with much less anger than when you told your story here. You and your story will have a tremendous impact on many people who “don’t understand” and many who needed validation.

    #789288
    bombmaniac
    Participant

    it was exactly the same as teh article i posted here…it was edited for grammar and structure, but it was essentially the same

    #789289
    Another name
    Participant

    Bombmaniac, I read it in the Ami. It was even nicer the second time around. i am sure it wasn’t easy writing up all the pain, and sharing it with the public. You were really excellent at capturing the illness and some of your struggles. Thank you for increasing the awareness! I’m sure I am 1 of many that was inspired!!!

    #789290
    Sister Bear
    Member

    Awesome article bomb!!!!!! I was somewhere where they had Ami and it was the only article I read 🙂 I really liked it!!!!!!

    #789291
    bpt
    Participant

    I read the article, and while I do not have anyone in my family that has that condition, one point you noted hit home real hard.

    It was where you mentioned that even in the recovery periods, you were saddled with the fact that a relapse in on the horizion. And there is nothing you can do to prevent it. Control it perhaps, but its inevitable reoccurance is always there in the background.

    I see this with my parents and in-laws as they age, and see the forgetfullness, the diminishment of agility, the loss of coordination. And there is nothing that can be done to stop it. Ease it perhaps, contain it perhaps. But in the end, its a reality that is unescapable.

    Your article made it clear that not all conditions are just a matter of “why can’t they just pull themselves together” or “the family should try harder, and this would not happen”

    Not every situaion is within your control.

    Looking forward to your next 2 installments!

    #789292
    bpt
    Participant

    And as far as the title, Too Funny! I missed it until it was pointed out.

    Just goes to show how temiusdik Ami is! (wonder what they’ll say if the joke gets back to them?)

    #789293
    bombmaniac
    Participant

    i missed this week >.<

    the editor assigned to me wasnt in at all and hadnt answered my emails…GRR i can still POSSIBLY make regular ami this week, but most likely part 2 will be next week if at all.

    and yeah, bpt, exactly. i was only able to identify with the whole matzav and my grandmother falling apart when around 2 months after all this started i fell apart for 2 weeks. i walked around looking at the ground, tears in my eyes all day. i did not know what my future would be because i had essentially lost my mother and grandmother and felt alienated from the rest of my family.

    i tried to “pull myself together” but it just wasnt possible. i can attest to the pain caused by depression. its not just “all in your head.” i felt actual physical pain in my head an limbs. i couldnt eat, couldnt sleep, going to shul was an absolute nightmare. i didnt want to be around anyone, i didnt want to go anywhere. which was a problem because i was still in high school…i missed a LOT of school after that. yeah…its tough. i didnt see anyone about what i was feeling and that basically led, for the next two years, to me being a very cold callous uncaring and unemotional person. even now im not as emotional as most people are.

    #789294
    adorable
    Participant

    bomb- did you have a high school rebbe who you spoke to? you said that you missed lots of school- just curious if you got the support that you needed from them at all

    #789295
    bombmaniac
    Participant

    my 12th grade rebbi in particular

    #789296
    adorable
    Participant

    very good to have. very important.

    #789297
    bombmaniac
    Participant

    a 12th grade rebbi? i agree 😛

    #789298
    adorable
    Participant

    yup- its good to have someone to mentor you and just be there for you.

    #789299
    tracht gut
    Member

    Hats off to u!i bought Ami for the first time this week and ur article was very well written and i felt ur pain…

    good job!

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