MatthewV Posted March 3, 2016 Report Share Posted March 3, 2016 I am bipolar, a rather ambiguous term as each person who claims to be is influenced differently. For me, I am generally depressed at the start of January, March, May, July, September, November and function faster at the start of the other 6 months. Cyclomania is what this subset is called. In areas of work where consistency is valued, it is horrible. So far it works very well with pottery. During the euphoric state, I make pottery. I throw frequently because this is when my work is excellent. During the slower time, I do tedious tasks and glazing. -- I have also said that being obsessive-compulsive is good for pottery. Especially when glazing work. Keeping surfaces clean and working in controlled ways makes fine finished work. And you get to wash hands every few minutes! -- Do other people use disorders to make pottery? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
What? Posted March 3, 2016 Report Share Posted March 3, 2016 Yep sure do. Not naming any disorders here. Clay is no substitute for proper treatment. A bag of clay is less than a doctors copay though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeeU Posted March 4, 2016 Report Share Posted March 4, 2016 Ummm...in my world, the disorders use me, and I just say "thank you". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marko Posted March 4, 2016 Report Share Posted March 4, 2016 I haven't been diagnosed, yet. hmm. But I have days that really depress me. Oh, wait, I was thinking about politics. Anyway, when I feel bad, I do not argue, I take it easy, procrastinate or nap. The latter helps. I also meditate. I think rest and less stress is best. I wish you well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted March 4, 2016 Report Share Posted March 4, 2016 I do not think they have a name for it yet-I call it studio potter I'm hoping they are doing double blind case studies now on this. so far the only meds are more clay work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldlady Posted March 4, 2016 Report Share Posted March 4, 2016 if there is no clay, a book is a substitute. anything to keep reality away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcia Selsor Posted March 4, 2016 Report Share Posted March 4, 2016 Working in clay really provides focus, and it makes me very happy..even failures. Failures offer challenge for problem solving.Professional help is really the best care, but I think clay is excellent preoccupation or occupation. Marcia "Pottery is at once the simplest and the most difficult of all arts. It is the simplest because it is the most elemental; it is the most difficult because it is the most abstract." -Herbert Read Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
What? Posted March 4, 2016 Report Share Posted March 4, 2016 I don't suffer from insanity; I enjoy every minute of it! Saw that on a bumper sticker a long time ago and it's stuck with me since. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babs Posted March 4, 2016 Report Share Posted March 4, 2016 But it isn't enjoyable, it can be managed but there is a lot of sheer angst. Glad you have found a way of working with this Mathew, and being smart enough to know what to tackle. Driven or totally focused, that is hard enough to live with, by the look on my poor partner's face some times.......Pendulum swings for both of us ,it's just when both up or down that is truly difficult. Put very thickly , unmindfully, glazed pots on a new shelf last week, won't share the picture, that "canvas" is facing the wall, literally, until I get energy again. Self study is a must. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Min Posted March 5, 2016 Report Share Posted March 5, 2016 Kudos to you Mathew for being brave enough to talk publicly about your mental health. I have a niece who has Bipolar, she’s been to hell and back several times. One of those unfortunate souls who can’t seem to find medications that work for her despite trying anything and everything available. Countless hours of psychiatry sessions, hospitalizations, self harming, dropped out of uni and on and on. Tough road to go down, hopefully mental health will continue to be more openly talked about, you never know who is lurking out there and your post might help someone out. I’m glad you have come to terms with how to work with your diagnosis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glazenerd Posted March 5, 2016 Report Share Posted March 5, 2016 Everyone has their own opinions and ideas of what a "hero" is. When I see people dealing with challenges, or coming out the other side of a major tragedy with determination: I put them in the hero column. Standing up when everything in your heart, soul, and mind wants to sit down; takes courage and strength. nerd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MatthewV Posted March 5, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2016 So another common problem with bipolar people is finishing things. With flowing thoughts the concept of maintaining a feeling to the end is very hard. In my own life I have many incomplete things. Projects forgotten. Goals left unfinished. It happens in clay, too. They go away quietly and are easy to forget. So in pottery, there also is something magical about going from unfinished and glazed to completely done. There are no opportunities to "almost" finish a piece and still have it "done". It happens all in one step. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No Longer Member Posted August 23, 2016 Report Share Posted August 23, 2016 All of my artist friends are cracked in some way. It's kind'a like an egg, you can't get the good stuff out unless it's broken. ...think about it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.