Flipswitch

In this supplemental to episode 48 about disclosure, Chris rejoins the crew to discuss more about the topic of when and what to disclose about one’s disorder.  The team uses Emily’s upcoming enrollment in college as a prime example of a situaton in which someone gets to decide exactly how much and what to disclose to others.

Listen Now:

 Standard Podcasts: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (46)

Hey all, it’s me, Ryan, again!

I was just surfing the internet, for something to do when I found myself at CNN.com and an interesting article on the United States Representative Patrick Kennedy was highlighted. According to the article, he has been struggling with Substance Abuse for most of his life in conjunction with depression, which any of you who are continual listeners of Flipswitch will know is very typical, and has decided that he needs to check himself into his local hospital to better treat his illness.

Kennedy commented in the article that he decided to make this public because it is going to be a significantly longer stay than he expected. He felt his admission could also help to alleviate some of the stigma that a lot of people struggling with mental illness and addiction face when getting help. I think this is very courageous on his part, if he is doing it for the right reasons, and I also feel that his admission can help all of you to realize something important when dealing with your own illness.

You can be successful and still suffer from mental illness. It is not an easy road, but most things in life aren’t easy. You may have a more severe form of Bipolar Disorder or Depression, which may limit the successes in your life; however, there are still things that you can accomplish and be successful at no matter how severe your illness.

Anyway, here is the link to the article.

It’s not long. Take a read. You may find yourself thinking, as I did, that he has a sense of pride in admitting he needs to enter the hospital’s program. This may seem strange to you, but I think what you must realize is he is proud that he is dealing with his problems. He is happy he is getting help and confronting his issues head-on. It’s the appropriate feeling he should have, too. Each and every one of us should feel happy and proud when we face the issues in our lives, no matter what they are, because we are making ourselves better and taking personal responsibility.

Peace Y’all! Ryan

Guess who’s who of the co-hosts.

Just in case you haven’t noticed, Flipswitch has a new flash player on depressedteens.com that has all the episodes available.  Here’s what it looks like:

You can embed it on your own page or just check back to the depressedteens site online.  Also, friend us on myspace where we also have a player.

Of course, there are invididual episode players on the depressedteens.podbean.com page and you embed them as well.  Now, more Flipswitch easier!  Hooah!

Hey everyone,

I know it’s been awhile since I’ve written here. Part of that was because of school…finishing up senior year being a bit stressful, and part was because of my laziness, but that’s finally ALL OVER NOW (maybe not the laziness). Yes, I graduated high school! Wooo party!

But not really. I’ll actually be spending most of my summer having to be responsible. In other words, I got a job (as a day camp counselor). But there’s still fun to be had this summer, and before I know it, I will be starting out as a freshman all over again in college.

That aspect about the near future has got me thinking. I remember my friend Andrew said something referring to this in his salutatorian speech at graduation; he said something along the lines of, “I remember just four years ago that we were all starting off as nervous little freshmen. And to most, we’ll be doing that all over again.

Now, I remember I loved being a freshmen in high school…I thought it was the coolest thing ever and I never really knew why the other kids hated freshmen so much. I’d say we were pretty awesome. Later on, I “saw the light” so to speak, and I grew to hate freshmen. They all just seemed so immature and annoying…which made me start to think: are the older students in college going to think the same of me when I start this fall?

Now, I know that I shouldn’t really care what people think because “it’s not supposed to matter.” I am my own person…I guess. But the people in college aren’t going to be like my parents; they’re not going to love me “no matter what.”

So, I guess what I’m trying to say…or more so ask is: why do I constantly hear the same advice about how I shouldn’t care what other people think about me? Right off the bat, I know that advice is complete nonsense. I mean, I judge people daily, so how can I expect people aren’t doing the same with me? That’s right, I can’t.

Also, I think my first question should be restated, because, really, I could care less what the older kids in college think about me. I’m going to care about what the people my age think. They’re the ones that I’m going to have to make a good impression on. They’re the ones I’m going to want to be friends with. They’re the ones that I’m mostly going to talk to for the next four years.

Unfortunately, this is a blog mostly comprised of questions, and I can’t really give advice on the matter since I’m going through it myself, (which is why I’m writing about it here right now). I guess all I’d have to say is, yes, that you should be your own person and not try to conform to other people too much. Hang out with who you like and try to avoid those that you dislike; it’s worked out for me pretty well so far. And also, I think it’s good if you don’t go out of your way to impress someone…because then you or whoever else looks like you’re/he’s trying too hard and that’s kind of lame. So, (yeah, people give this advice alot too, but really) be yourself, and  you’ll fin d your own niche. People aren’t always going to like you, me, or that other guy. That’s just how life is.

Emily

On this episode:  NO CHRIS.  Emily, Gopi, and Ryan talk about disclosure; when to tell someone about what’s going on in your life, be it about a disorder or otherwise.  They talk about when to tell someone, how to tell someone, and how to know who to trust.   They don’t have any concrete answers, but offer some things you might want to think about. As well, they revisit some of the ideas of past guests on the topic of disclosure

Listen Now:

 Standard Podcasts: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (123)

Hey everyone,

How is everything going? I hope everyone is enjoying their summer break even though it’s still a little chilly out here in the Sunny (read sarcastically) Midwest.

On this week’s show, we did a show on disclosure. Emily, Ryan, and I discussed the different questions and concerns we had regarding when to tell someone about your depression or bipolar disorder. Disclosure entails how much information to tell, who to tell, and when to tell. We didn’t have a clear-cut answer for you guys, but WE DID say that you should tell someone who you trust. Telling someone about your problems helps relieve some of the stress you hold in while worrying.

The reason I am talking about disclosure today is this weekend my sister’s friend’s fiancé had a drug problem and the day before his wedding he overdosed on cocaine.  When we talk about disclosure, we don’t just limit it to depression and bipolar disorder. You should find someone you trust to disclose any information to. Telling someone your problems helps you; it is all about self-help!

I hope you guys take this into consideration and please let us know about any questions or concerns you may have. Enjoy the rest of the week guys!

Gopi

On this episode, we talk about the ins and outs of procrastination.  The bad habit of procrastination is devastating to many people and can be a stressful trigger for many people already dealing with mood disorders.  We go over some facts and theory about this specter.  Also, we talk about just a few ideas on what might help you to get started addressing your own procrastinating ways.

Listen Now:

 Standard Podcasts: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (130)

Hey there, It’s that summertime that’s hitting everywhere now.  Summer is an interesting time.  Everyone’s planning vacations, kids are getting out of school for summer, the really stand up college folks are starting their summer classes to get ahead, people are moving out of their apartments more around that time, and on and on.  It’s just a  time of change.

It’s ironic that it’s six months earlier around January 1st, then, that people start making resolutions for the year.   Not that there isn’t a lot going on then too, but the change in the air of summer just seems to much more palpable.

Perhaps it has something to do with the sunny, warm, relaxing nature that is so often associated with the season.  Flowers in full bloom, beach trips, fun with friends; there are a ton of different things going on that all point to growth and vitality.  Maybe under such rosy conditions, the world calls for us not to think too hard about things.  After all, why think about the future or doing things better at all?  Things are rosy.

But I’d suggest that, indeed, summer is the perfect time to review one’s patterns in life.  It is a perfect time to recommit one’s self to living a more scheduled structured life that fights against the onset of depression or the exacerbation of cyclic bipolar disorders. Think about it.  Conditions are perfect.   Need to get into a good exercise program?  You’ll feel a lot more like doing that in the warm weather than the freezing cold.  Need to refocus on planning for the coming year?  A lot of people are getting out of school with a little time on their hands perfect for planning.  And on and on.

In addition, the summer offers an often unique set of challenges that are practice for staying committed to one’s own health.  For instance, the summer is a time when many people fall into the habit of not going to sleep at a good time, since there’s often no early class in the mornings or new friends demand that you go out with them at night.  As well, new changes in time commitments often cause people to fall into a pattern of aimlessness in how they manage their time.    And woah, the parties that often happen.  It’s a microcosm of the pitfalls of all life wrapped up in one season.

But this is no time to slack.  It’s an exciting time to put your commitment to your own health into practice.   It’s a great time reaffirm that you are in control of your own life and your health by doing what you know is best for you.  It’s a great time to reassess how your decisions related to health are doing and figure out what else you might be able to do to get further down the road to good health.

Remember, you can never reach the point where there is absolutely nothing you can do to get better.  That goes for everyone.  Nobody is perfect, but we can try to always get better.   And as I always say, if you focus on taking control of your health, in the end, you’ll feel better than if you hadn’t taken control of your health and just ignored doing what you can to get better.  That’s just the way it is.

Good luck out there.

Chris

Aloha, listeners!

So, the other day, I’m at work and it’s getting to be around lunch time, so I want food. I didn’t bring any lunch with m like I should, because money is always an issue in college. Thus, my options were limited to being hungry, getting McDonald’s, or getting Subway.

To let you all know, I don’t make decisions very easily and choosing between McDonald’s and Subway became the difficult decision of the moment. I weighed the pros and I weighed the cons—McDonald’s is tasty and unhealthy, and Subway doesn’t put enough ingredients on and is healthy (depending on what you get).

After choosing Subway, eating it, going home, sleeping, waking up, and then thinking about a blog topic, I realized this is a perfect example of life. We make choices constantly, most of the time subconsciously, and they affect the way our day goes, who we see, what we say, and how we act. My decision to go to Subway consequently did all of these things. I was no longer able to say to someone, “I had McDonald’s for lunch.” I also missed the chance to run into a friend at McDonald’s, though I also allowed for the chance to run into one at Subway.

This all may seem trivial, and kind of silly, but it’s true. If you are suffering with depression, you don’t even want to make daily choices, but in reality that is a choice—you chose to not choose. What are the results? Sometimes you are stuck in bed all day, you don’t run into friends, you don’t get the chance to talk to people, and you don’t get the chance to actively deal with your illness. If you are suffering from Bipolar Disorder, you may be making the wrong choices. What happens when you decide to go over to a friend’s house or dorm and you know they drink a lot? You take away the options of hanging with other friends who don’t drink, and increasing the likelihood you will drink, dealing with your disorder in a negative way.

Whatever the situation, I now realize that even simple decisions are affecting my life in pretty significant ways. Like this morning I chose to sleep in a little extra, giving myself less time to do what needs to be done.

Cheers, Ryan

Hey you guys how’s it going? Hope everyone’s summer break or last fewweeks of classes is going well.

So, I wanted to talk about something a friend of mine brought up a month back. She stated that people who suffer from depression choose to be in that state; however, she also mentioned that they should want to get better if they wanted to come out of the depressive state of mind.

As we’ve previously discussed the first comment is FALSE, but I believe the second comment has some truth to it. Depression drains your energy, hope, and drive, making it difficult to do what you need to make feel better; but the key to recovery is to start small and build from there— ie. self-help.

Self-help consists of taking action and setting goals; but just the thought of getting up to do something may seem intimidating at first. Getting up to see friends and exercising may seem impossible but start small and stay focused. Start with a few small goals and try to find some friends or family members that can help you carry them out and build on them.

Here a few self-help tips about building relationships I found online:

1. Talk to one person about your feelings.

2. Help someone else by volunteering.

3. Have lunch with a friend.

4. Ask a loved one to check in with you regularly.

5. Accompany someone to the movies.

6. Call or email a friend.

7. Go for a walk with a buddy.

8. Schedule a weekly dinner.

9. Join a club.

10. Confide in a counselor or therapist.

These are just some tips I found, so try to find some that can work for you. Remember to start with small goals and then build on them.

The key thing to remember is to take care of yourself and enjoy things you like. Take care everyone and hopefully we will hear back from you.

Howdy all!

Chris and I just finished recording an episode on Procrastination, which will be episode 47 (be sure to catch it), and it got me thinking: It’s been a long while since I’ve done a blog. I could lie to you all and say I didn’t have time and things just began to pile up with school and the MCAT coming up, but let’s be honest—it only takes about 10 minutes to sit down and write. So, I sit here reflecting, much like Gopi (not to as great an extent, though), on how I let procrastination turn an easy 10 minute task into a learning experience.

Procrastinating is an easy thing to do. For me it can take a simple half hour TV show that gets me derailed from what I am supposed to be doing, and let me tell you I caught a couple of them not writing this blog. I also find myself making up excuses like I need to clean my room in order to study. To be honest with you, my room is usually a mess and when I don’t have anything to do it doesn’t make my priority list. So, why do I do it?

Simple anwser: I don’t know. It seems to happen to everyone, especially the people I know at school. Everyone puts off big papers, big projects, and simple homework assignments until it’s almost too late to even get them done. This makes for a hectic time around the end of the year, and with it comes a whole bunch of complaining. I complain, my roommates complain, my neighbors complain, my classmates complain, and it always centers on two things: One, I shouldn’t have done this, what was I thinking?! And two, what was this teacher thinking. He/She assigned too much, this is outrageous to ask me to do, and what is the point of having me doing this anyway?

What does this equal? A WHOLE LOT OF STRESS and it’s all unnecessary. After I go through a hectic period that is caused by my procrastination, I vow to myself that I will be on top of things next time, and not go through this again. What actually happens, though, is Sportscenter is on and is far more appealing than starting to study for the MCAT, and I once again get stressed out.

It’s something I can’t shake, sometimes I am better than others, but procrastination usually pokes into my life at some point and I am left scrambling to get things done.

After doing the show, however, there are several things I can do. I will do my best to implement them and let you all know how it goes!

Cheers, Ryan

This is the full interview we did with Lizzie Simon, author of Detour: My Bipolar Roadtrip In 4-D. This version is less edited and twice as long as the one that we featured on our last show. In this version, Lizzie expands on a number of topics including the nature of American society to responsibility in youth, drug companies, and being careful on who to trust to disclose one’s disorder to.

Listen Now:

 Standard Podcasts: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (167)

On this episode, we talk about the slippery concept of personal responsibility and try to nail down just what people mean when they use the word.  We even trip up Ryan when we talk about his taking responsibility for not getting to the gym.

Also, we talk to noted author Lizzie Simon, whose famous book, Detour: My Bipolar Roadtrip in 4D, features her interviews with a lot of people that have dealt with bipolar disorder and been successful in life.  (note: this is an edited 10 minute version of her interview.  Her full 20 minute interview will be posted by itself next week).

Shira stops by from the tech corner to talk about checking your own responsibility at a site.

Listen Now:

 Standard Podcasts: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (141)

Hey you guys, how’s it going? So, I finally finished up my last semester and it feels great! I can really get used to not getting up at 6am.

The last week of my semester was pretty brutal because I procrastinated ona lot of things I knew I had to get done. I had:

2 lab presentations

4 finals

1 final lab report

….all due within a week and a half.

Obviously,waiting until the last minute was not a smart idea, trust me! I guess I had some trouble staying motivated; I didn’t avoid procrastination and it led to a lot of stress because of the time crunch. But like I promised, I tried using one of the stress tips I gave in a previous blog—meditation. I clearly remember, Monday morning I was so stressed out from all the last minute studying and writing that I had to take ten minutes to just sit and relax. I sat on the ground, took deep breaths, and cleared my head. It sounds silly, but it helped me regain focus.

My point is, people: do not procrastinate! You may think to yourself, “Hey, I have plenty of time,” but after saying that to yourself for 4 days, there really isn’t that much time left. The best advice I can give is: try to make a schedule and follow it! As you all know I love to write things down and use an agenda, but like any college student I “slipped”.

Procrastination got the best of me; trust me it was not a good feeling.

Please listen to me and just try to write things down and follow them. After I realized I was running out of time, my “game plan” definitely saved me. Invest in an agenda…lol!

Gopi

Hey everyone, hope all is well. It has been a while since I’ve written something since I am finishing up my last semester and it has been pretty hectic. Anyways I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the nice weather, finally!

I wanted to discuss a topic that we will be doing a show on later: how to have fun with out going out drinking and partying. I know this may sound a little hypocritical of me, but there are many other ways that high school and college students can have fun, trust me!

I have not gone out to a party in about a month, but I’ve still been able to have fun while going out to dinner, going to the movies, hanging out with my girl-friends, and hanging out with my family. The reason why I am bringing this up is that as we previously mentioned, it is important for those of you who are suffering from bipolar disorder and or depression to stick to a regimented style of living.

Chris, Ryan, Emily, and I harp on this idea all the time, but this time I am stressing that having fun can consist of many other things instead of drinking and partying. My friends call or text me every Friday night to see what club I am going to, if I say I’m not going out they usually try to persuade me to go out. I just say no because I have other things to do.

My point is that, in college, many kids will try to pressure you to do things, but you need to decide what is right for you! Please let us know if you have any questions because as I mentioned earlier we are going to record a show on this and we can answer any questions you may have.

Well I must get back to studying for my P Chem Final…not fun!!! Take care and please let us know about any questions and concerns you may have.

Gopi

We’ve gotten some really good feedback on the teen round tables, and we’re happy to say that very soon we’ll be bringing you even more of them with a whole new group of people.  Again, one set will be from high school and one set will be from college.  It will be interesting to see how the new batch of round tables’ responses match up with the past round tables.

As well, we’ve updated our sound equipment, so the sound will be much better on our upcoming teen round tables.  We hope to roll it out for you in about a month.  In the meantime, we’ll be finishing up our last teen round table sets, finishing with a show on our overall impressions of the whole experience.  After that show, we’ll release both round tables in their relative entirety, with only minor edits for time.  So, you’ll get to hear the round tables uninterrupted, as well as some of the stuff that didn’t make it to air originally.  Good stuff!

We’re excited to be moving forward at Flipswitch and hope you are too.  Let us know what you’d like to hear or what you’d like us to cover.  We list to ALL of your suggestions.

Excitement!!!!!

The Flpswitch Team!

Chris, Ryan, Gopi, Emily