>From:    melissa palmer <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Re: Enthusiastic woman at petco
>
>Not a flame...What does bipolar have to do with anything??  My son has
>bipolar and I am confused about what it has to do with someone excited
>about pets.  I have major depression/anxiety disorder/post tramatic
>stress.  I don't just run out and adopt a bunch of animals.....Mental
>illness doesn't always something crazy behind every action in life.
 
My daughter is also bipolar and I have noticed that when the *manic* kicks
in she is less likely to consider the long-term effects of her decisions.
She becomes very enthusiastic, her enthusiasm leading to diminished
judgement and decisions that she would never make had her mood-swing not
been peaking.  Most of the time, when the meds are working, my daughter
who is very intelligent makes the sensible decisions dictated by
reasonable self-interest.  It was the enthusiasm, accompanied by the
desire to adopt a bunch of animals that made me question the behavior of
the woman at Petco.  Experience makes me wary of exaggerated enthusiasm,
combined with intemperate behavior--as you pointed out, "(you) don't just
run out and adopt a bunch of animals."
 
Thanks for not flaming,
Carol
[Posted in FML issue 3725]