You can sit with us

10/18/23 • 34 min

In this conversation we chat with Chris about how the experience of bipolar can feel but also how we can learn and grow from it. Chris talks about the importance of inclusion and connection, having a ‘vibe tribe’ and dropping judgement when caring for people who are having a rough time.

This episode mentions “The Road Less Travelled” By M. Scott Peck

Come and listen with:
Lucy (She/Her) – A big fan of pickleball, ice cream and storytelling

Rachel (She/Her) – Social Worker, Dialogical Practitioner, mad footy fan and wildly passionate about transforming the culture of mental health services to be person-led and human rights informed.

Incredible artwork @sharleencu_art

EPISODE TRANSCRIPT –You can sit with us

[00:00:01] Lucy: This podcast has conversations around different mental health experiences that may be distressing for some people. If that doesn’t feel like something you want to explore today, you might want to visit another podcast and come back to us another time.

[00:00:14] Rachel: discovery college acknowledges the traditional owners of country throughout Australia and recognises their continuing connection to lands, waters and community. We pay our respects to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to the elders, past and present. They have never ceded sovereignty.

[00:00:32] Lucy: In this podcast, we share stories that help us learn from each other, connect us and inspire growth. We want to acknowledge that this way of being, of coming together to share knowledge and stories, is a tradition that has already existed on this land for hundreds of thousands of years as a part of the culture of First Nations people.

[00:00:51] Rachel: discovery college acknowledges the views shared in this podcast are about mental health experiences, but are not a substitute for professional mental health advice and support. The views in this podcast are not the views of Alfred Health, but are the views of the individuals we’ve had conversations with.

[00:01:07] Lucy: The stories we share on this podcast aren’t just stories, but memories of the people who have bravely shared their experiences with us. Remember to take care of yourself as you listen, as well as to take care of the stories that you hear.

[00:01:33] Rachel: Extremely Human is a conversation about the profound experience of extreme states. When we speak about extreme states, we want to explore a more humanistic way to understand people’s experiences that aren’t always shared by others.

[00:01:47] Lucy: Each extreme state holds different meaning for each person, including those related to psychosis, depression, grief and addiction. As we chat with a variety of humans, we explore the important question how can we respond to distress with greater compassion and humanity?

[00:02:05] Rachel: Welcome back to the extremely human podcast titled you can sit with us. In this conversation, we chat with Chris about how the experiences of bipolar can feel, but also how we can learn and grow from them. Chris talks about the importance of inclusion and connection, having a vibe tribe and dropping judgment when caring for people who are having a rough time.

Chris, welcome. We have been asking everybody the same question at the start of each episode. It is, can you tell us a disproportionate reaction you or someone you know has had to something?

[00:02:53] Chris: Thank you so much, Rachel and Lucy. I’m actually so excited to be here. I’m definitely able to give an answer to that question. I remember once I was dancing in the cafe with my mum, just having a bit of a boogie, just a bit of a Saturday morning, just a little bit of a I don’t know, it wasn’t even that out there, actually. It was just moving my arms and stuff. And then my Mum was like, you can’t you can’t dance in public. And this was just after one of my episodes where I was almost hospitalised for bipolar disorder, like having an episode. And then I was just like because I was in that state of mind where I was just like, F you all. I was just like, no, you’re going to watch me now. And I think I did it even harder at the time. And I was just like moving around even more and stuff and did a few spins because I love to do a few spins. And then she got angry at me and then she stormed off. And then I went up to her afterwards and I said, Mum, I was just dancing, you got to just be a bit more light hearted.

And I was getting better. But I think it was just hard for her because I don’t know, my mom is a great mum, beautiful, but can be overprotective and worry about what other people think.

[00:04:11] Lucy: I feel like mums always cop it as...

This episode mentions “The Road Less Travelled” By M. Scott Peck

Come and listen with:
Lucy (She/Her) – A big fan of pickleball, ice cream and storytelling

Incredible artwork @sharleencu_art

EPISODE TRANSCRIPT –You can sit with us

Chris, welcome. We have been asking everybody the same question at the start of each episode. It is, can you tell us a disproportionate reaction you or someone you know has had to something?

And I was getting better. But I think it was just hard for her because I don’t know, my mom is a great mum, beautiful, but can be overprotective and worry about what other people think.

[00:04:11] Lucy: I feel like mums always cop it as...

Previous Episode

Stability in the storm

In this episode, we chat with our guest who describes how it feels to experience psychosis. We talk about what they found helpful and not so helpful while being in that state and what life after psychosis has looked like in their life. We touch on the different ways phenomena like psychosis can transform people and how we can better care for people going through psychosis.

Come and listen with:
Lucy (She/Her) – A big fan of pickleball, ice cream and storytelling

Incredible artwork @sharleencu_art

EPISODE TRANSCRIPT – Stability in the storm

[00:00:01] LUCY

This podcast has conversations around different mental health experiences that may be distressing for some people. If that doesn’t feel like something you want to explore today, you might want to visit another podcast and come back to us another time.

[00:00:14] RACHEL

discovery college acknowledges the traditional owners of country throughout Australia and recognises their continuing connection to lands, waters and community. We pay our respects to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to the elders, past and present. They have never ceded sovereignty.

[00:00:32] LUCY

In this podcast, we share stories that help us learn from each other, connect us and inspire growth. We want to acknowledge that this way of being, of coming together to share knowledge and stories, is a tradition that has already existed on this land for hundreds of thousands of years as a part of the culture of First Nations people.

[00:00:51] RACHEL

discovery college acknowledges the views shared in this podcast are about mental health experiences, but are not a substitute for professional mental health advice and support. The views in this podcast are not the views of Alfred Health, but are the views of the individuals we’ve had conversations with.

[00:01:07] LUCY

The stories we share on this podcast aren’t just stories, but memories of the people who have bravely shared their experiences with us. Remember to take care of yourself as you listen, as well as to take care of the stories that you hear.

[00:01:33] RACHEL

Extremely Human is a conversation about the profound experience of extreme states. When we speak about extreme states, we want to explore a more humanistic way to understand people’s experiences that aren’t always shared by others.

[00:01:47] LUCY

Each extreme state holds different meaning for each person, including those related to psychosis, depression, grief and addiction. As we chat with a variety of humans, we explore the important question, how can we respond to distress with greater compassion and humanity?

Welcome back to the extremely human podcast. In this episode, we chat with our guest, who describes how it feels to experience psychosis. We talk about what they found helpful and not so helpful while being in that state, and what life after psychosis has looked like in their life. We touch on the different ways phenomena like psychosis can transform people and how we can better care for people going through psychosis.

[00:02:40] LUCY

Here we are, back in the studio.

[00:02:42] GUEST

Thanks for having me.

[00:02:43] RACHEL

Oh, we’re so lucky to have you with us. I can’t wait for this conversation.

[00:02:47] LUCY

Me too.

We want to kick off the conversation first just by asking have you or anyone you know had a disproportionate reaction to anything?

[00:02:59] GUEST

I have a very close friend who convinced herself that she had Botulism when she made olives from her olive tree and assumed that they’d been contaminated in the process. So when she tried an olive, there was numbing of her face and tingling and she just goes, oh, my God, Botulism, and rushed to the ED, who sent her home without the diagnosis. And then she was like, no, this is like, definitely botulism. Went back to the Ed and demanded to be seen again. She could have actually had Botulism, so it was sort of fair enough. But it was also just likelihood of it having Botulism from the olives was actually quite small.

[00:03:49] LUCY

Just a lick of the olive.

[00:03:51] GUEST

Just a lick of the olive and, like, numb face.

[00:03:55] LUCY

What actually is Botulism?

[00:03:59] GUEST

I think it’s a poisoning that happens through contaminated food and water.

[00:04:03]LUCY

Right, okay. So what was the numbing of her face?

[00:04:08] GUEST

I think it’s a ...

Next Episode

Is this really radical?

Paul helps to bust some myths about common misconceptions in the medical world. Paul speaks about the value of humanizing people’s experience rather than medicalising it and how including people’s loved ones in their care can make a real difference.