A conversation with Sarah Wilson // Wed. 11 May // 7pm AEST

what’s the worst thing someone can say to you or suggest that you do (eg meditation when i’m in an anxiety attack will NEVER work…it makes things worse for me).

What can someone say (meaning well) that will just see your panic attack get worse?

i dont know if its the worst thing.. but being told to 'just stop worrying/thinking about it'

Depression and Anxiety at the same time is being sucked into a hole, in the dark, but with all your nightmares chasing you, so you run around and around the bottom of the hole but never get away from anything.

@Sarah108 his totally favourite hobby in the world -- photography

he would love not to work ever and do photography everyday

@Sarah108, it's been a long journey to this point with creative flow and has included many times when it was definitely not flowing at all and heightened my anxiety. But since I stopped pursuing it as a 'career' for money, I have found that I am able to engage much more freely and productively with it. I'm not saying I don't experience some anxiety with it, usually before or after the act. But there are defininitely a lot of times now when it flows in the most marvellous way. The past 9 years have been the most rewarding times of my life with it. I'm 53 and have been involved in creative activities since childhood.

Time has absolutely flown this evening and it's been fantastic to have so many members here sharing their stories. There is only 10 minutes to go now but tonight will be slightly different in that we'll be keeping the topic open for more responses over the next day or so.

Sarah has asked some very thought-provoking questions and so it would be great if members pop back here to add their thoughts.

@Sarah108 are there any other questions that you'd like people to go away and think about?

I can answer from my experiences helping people with bipolar as a voluteer, mostly people that live overseas.

I think that because people are afraid to experience the "bipolar Life" they often shut down and this can indeed prevent "the Inward Journey". I feel that society contributes to this with the Western idea of "madness" and mental illness.

The reality is that many scientists, not so much here in Australia but mostly overseas, like America and Europe, are beginning to see bipolar as a superior set of intelligences that is only second to the intelligence of those who experience synaesthesia. Bipolar is a sign of evolutionary intelligence because, as evidence shows, madness and high intelligence or genius, go together, this has been proved scientifically.

Rather than help people that have bipolar understand and use their gift, we do a lot of harm to people with bipolar because, I suppose, the western world needs human robots that conform to the norms. People with bipolar need to explore and find freedom to try new things and challenge the system.

My anxiety is primarily related to PTSD these days. After having been through assaults including DV I get very triggered, hypervigilant and short of breath, when ever there is conflict around me (e.g. my neighbours) or near me (e.g. recent house guests) even if I'm not involved in it. I also get social anxiety where I don't even want to go to the shops sometimes. But life goes on and these moments pass and that's what I tell myself when they are happening. And I do mindfulness breathing. The hypervigilance I don't have a solution for yet.