# Stephen Fry - a genius and a Manic Depressive!!



## Guest (Sep 27, 2006)

Don't know if any Brits managed to catch this amazingly frank insight into living with Manic Depression (in fact I think it was Part 2 on last night) - Stephen Fry, a national treasure; author, actor, director, commentator, TV host and general all-round total hero gave an incredibly "bare bones" account on what its like living with this exhausting condition.Parts of what he said rang so many bells with me (I don't have manic depression but was hospitalized earlier this year after a suicide attempt and a major depressive incident) - the feeling of place - ie what feels a right and a wrong place, the feelings of being a totally useless **** - despite what everybody else says about you, the manic highs (oh god, DON'T get me near a shopping centre) and terrible feelings of utter exhaustion.Interestingly, he has never (as yet) taken any medication - phew - I'm lucky I have found an anti-d that suits me without making me feel "zombified" but he was actually living out a low peak infront of the cameras which was terrible to witness.Yet, he says he does not want to be anybody else nor "switch off" his condition since he has achieved so much when in his "upwards" peaks.Just wanted to share a little taster of what was an extraordinary insight into this terrible condition.Sue


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## 14498 (Sep 1, 2006)

I to watched that programme and it was brilliant, i have been having a few anxiety attacks lately nothing like manic depression though but am worried that if i dont bring them under control thats the road i might end up going down. It really did open my eyes as Stephen Fry is a true genius, wathching that programme though it did seem to me like you are more likely to be a manic depressive if you have an extraordinarily high IQ as most of the people on there were extremely clever.Anyways I have been feeling a bit better of late and trying to block out all of the negative thougts since seeing a programme called "the boy whose skin fell off". He had an awful condition where if anything touched his skin it literally fell off his body it was that bad that his hands had completely lost all his fingers and so to with his feet. He had to be bandaged every day and was in absolute agony. However with all that he had to go through in life, something i dont think i could have coped with, he still had a smile on his face and enjoyed every day he had on this planet.It really did make me think that if he can get through a day like that then so can i.


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## Screamer (Aug 16, 2005)

Wow, I wish they'd shown it here. It is a terrible illness (for want of a better word to describe it) and I think most of us who suffer from depression and anxiety see a little of this illness in ourselves from time to time.


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## Guest (Nov 17, 2006)

Blimey - this ones an old chesnut - I was surprised nobody (from blighty) had commented on it cos it was so amazing and he's such a frank, honest bloke - a national treasure - god yes, Screams rang a few bells with me I can tell you - I'm so lucky that I've been successfully treated but I'll never, never take my mental health for granted again - you really do have to live for today don't you.Hows you anyway?Sue xxx


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## Screamer (Aug 16, 2005)

Kind of hanging on by a thread the last couple of months (in case you didn't guess from my other post!). But hoping things will improve before too much longer. I tell you, I wouldn't wish this IBS on my absolute worst enemy, it's just too awful even for that! My doctor says I have to learn to chill out a bit (lol) so I guess that'll be the next step for me. He he, I didn't even look at the date you first posted! Just that someone had replied so I chimed in


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