Meditation as solution?

[Re-O]

Hi everyone.

I have recently switched pdocs and I'm a bit unsettled. I guess the first issue I am having is her collecting information for the past 3 sessions so she can prepare a stratagy... I see her every 2 weeks.

In todays session, I felt like I was inside an infomercial. Buy these books on meditation, suggested course etc. I may be wrong but I honestly think she believes medication can replace my meds. She hasn't touched my meds yet but I also haven't needed a refill. Trouble also is I can't switch to another so I must endure, I think. sigh...

[paul m]

Hello Re-O. I know many people who think meditation is very helpful. I'm not one of them. I have taken coures, read books etc and it doesn't seem to help me.

If I am manic I either get bored really quickly, or I just start to think about my next scheme. If I am depressed all I think about are bad things and if my mood is neutral, I'm back to being bored or thinking life is lousy or daydreaming about subjects best left alone.

Of course, the reason I took those courses and read the books was because I had nothing to lose.

The one small thing I did pick up was how to focus my thoughts a bit better. Personally I found CBT to be a better approach to focusing my thoughts. The course I took in that wasn't perfect for me, again because of the multi faceted problems presented by bipolar.

But then I tend not to work in a structure real well all of the time. Take Care. paul m

[Beatrice]

I find meditation very helpful. There are lots of different kinds and some are not as helpful for me, but it is great. I don't think it can replace meds entirely but in conjunction with other treatments it can be quite helpful. It certainly can help for people who have anxiety issues or trouble sleeping.

The problem I found with it was starting; if I'm up I find it really difficult to focus enough to start, if I'm down I find it difficult to motivate myself to start. However it is worth the effort for me.

[Re-O]

Thanks Paul and Beatrice,

I guess it can't hurt to try it. I am not prepared to give up the relative security I have with meds but who knows, maybe there will come a time when I need less.

Thanks for helping me on this one. I actually see it in a more positive light. Maybe I just don't yet trust my pdoc

[Woody]

Hi Re-O

Coincidence or what. Sunday I was talking to my son. He has ADHD and ODD. On of his struggles is with sleep or better put getting to fall to sleep. Something that I have plenty of trouble with.

In 1983, I purchased this book call "Self Hypnotism". It was published in 1970 when Freud was still the in thing It is kind of funny reading it now knowing today what we do know.

The crocks of the book is this. You put yourself into a meditative state and then you can make suggestion to your subconscious to correct bad habits, improve certain aspects of you life, help relieve pain, etc... At the time I had no idea why but I used it to do a couple of things. First - sleep. Second - relax myself, I was always so much on edge... nervous. Lastly - slow myself down. I did this for years. At one point I stopped because it kept freaking out my now Ex. Looking back at it now, knowing that I am BP it makes sense; rushing thoughts, anxiety, hyper-mania.

Because of other complication I cannot do the meditation thing like I use to, but if you can I encourage you to try it out. Meditation never cured my symptoms but it made them more manageable. Next week I am going to an introductory seminar on meditation in hopes of getting back into it.