I almost killed a child.
Sorry, I’lll elaborate. I almost killed off my online persona, ‘Boy’, and deleted my blog.
I foolishly thought that closing this outlet would rid myself of the strange impulses, feelings, and thoughts I have. Wrong. It would just keep them trapped in the last place I want them to be: inside me.
It was in this latest ‘episode’ of mine, that the realisation finally hit me. This isn’t normal. I’m not normal.
A few days ago, I was loving the sight of the moon on a sunny day, I was feeling accomplished and fulfilled following the completion of the latest project, and things were good.
Today, I spent the last 6hrs looking at my bedroom wall – worrying about things already done, and thinking about the things I should be doing – but desperately scraping every thought to find the actual energy or motivation to act. Considering I had spent the last few days happily working non-stop while even forgoing eating, I know this melancholy feeling is arising from a place more primal than that of my stomach… perhaps my soul?
I also know that next week, I’ll be grinning and going again.
This is how life is at the Bridge.
It’s not just a physical place I visit, it’s a metaphor for how I seem to live my life, from two drastically changing perspectives: on top of things, or under them; up high or down low.
A doctor might say the Bridge is just a bridge, but I on the other hand, am possibly bipolar.
Recently watching Stephen Fry’s documentary, The Secret Life of a Manic Depressive, I learned more about bipolar and other various conditions as well as their varying degrees of impact. I’ve never put my put my foot through a window or been a risk to anyone, but I know what it’s like to often feel drained and immobile, with a sense of tunnel vision best described by Van Gogh:
“One feels as if one were lying bound hand and foot at the bottom of a deep dark well, utterly helpless”
Like the others featured in Fry’s documentary, I also know what it’s like to have sudden surges of energy, creativity, spontaneity, and optimism. I realised this is the reason I’ve resisted seeking help or medication; I don’t want to lose this part of my personality.
“You’re only given a little spark of madness. Don’t lose it.” -Robin Williams
Since his passing, the above quote by Robin Williams now sadly makes another point: there is more to lose that just one’s spark, there’s more important things at stake. For me, it’s not my life, but it’s the experiences of living: the things outside of one’s room; the things above the rut you’re in; the things behind the clouds that are following you; the conversations I’m too anxious to have with people.
So what am I going to do?
Fry puts this hypothetical question forward to a few of his interview subjects: if there was a button that they could press to instantly remove the lows, taking all the highs with it – would they press it? Fry’s own answer can be summed up in his Memoir, Moab is My Washpot:
“It’s not all bad. Heightened self-consciousness, apartness, an inability to join in, physical shame and self-loathing—they are not all bad. Those devils have been my angels. Without them I would never have disappeared into language, literature, the mind, laughter and all the mad intensities that made and unmade me.”
I know this still doesn’t clarify what I’m going to do. Because I honestly don’t know. But it starts with getting out of bed, making a cup of tea, and sitting in the sunshine.
I can relate to all that you’ve written. I know that I must take care of myself to minimize the lows. Eat well. Don’t burn myself out, exercise daily, meditate and socialize. I’ve recently come across Tara Brachs ‘Radical Self-Acceptance’ audiobook, which is changing my life and perspective. Also, Pema Chodron’s ‘Getting Unstuck’. These help me to heal the wounds that I’ve instilled in my mind from childhood and beyond. I also study Chinese Medicine and know that when I’m feeling stuck, down, depressed, my qi is the also stuck and depressed. So I do things to move it, like get acupuncture, take herbs and do qi gong (and eat the right foods!). One other thing that helps me to feel connected and outside of my head and problems is practicing Tonglen. It helps me to have perspective and shift my energy to that of wanting to help others who are suffering. Check it out if you’re interested:
http://acupuncturedoc.com/tonglen.htm
Thank you for not deleting your blog. I value your posts and enjoy reading about your experiences. Know you’re not alone. That’s important. Be gentle with yourself and take care.
Hello again Ellen.
The last sentence won me. Thanks for checking out my page, and all the best.