I read about the pilot study on a forum. I probably won’t participate, because a fellow South African said that the video meetings made it difficult. And Tom Wootton is anti meds, which always seems idiotic to me, considering the physical ramifications. And i am a curmudgeon. Let me know what it’s like if you do it, or if you already did the pilot.
http://www.bipolaradvantage.com/tufts.php
“Tufts University has already completed a pilot study of our Bipolar IN Order Live Online Education Program and they are now looking for 750 participants for a full study. The full live online course is anonymous and free (usually $399.95) for those who participate in the study including a year of weekly support meetings and the online forum.
The pilot study has already proven the effectiveness of the program and we are confident that we can help you produce the same results for free during the study. Tufts said we get better results than any other option and you can help us prove it in your own life. Please visit our home page for a description of the program that we will be using in the study.
The study starts in January and we are gathering those who are interested in preparation for the launch. Please sign up right away and the researchers will contact you when it is time to start.”
Read this alternative viewpoint too.
“Buddha I believe would take medication for a chronic condition”
I’ve just watched the introductory video. Oh, but how wonderful it would be to live symptom free and enjoy your life instead of being forever vigilant for too effusive a mood or too depressive a thought! I’ve signed up, but they’re only picking 750. If I get on the trial, I’ll let you know. Anything has to be better than this!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Looking forward to hearing your thoughts :)
LikeLike
Ps, I really love where your study/research takes you. Think I need a different set of search parameters on my computer; or I could simply go where you go!! hehehe
LikeLiked by 1 person
I tried to submit my info, but I kept getting an error message. I hope it did go through, I’d love to participate. Thank you for the heads up
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love that you are a skeptical curmudgeon. Meds are necessary for me. Period.
LikeLike
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/bipolar-advantage/201206/why-i-am-against-bipolar-meds
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks. Interesting reading. Wootten message sounds somewhat dangerous to me. Bipolar illness (and it IS a brain disorder!) can make understanding nuances difficult. I liked Nassir Ghaemi, MD, MPH’s response to Wootten’s article at http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/mood-swings/201304/hating-bipolar-meds-the-illness-persists
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks lots
LikeLiked by 1 person
I didn’t realize that Tom was anti-meds, which turns me off 1000%! I have his second book which I began reading and lost interest a while ago. “Bipolar In Order” sounded feel-good,but I don’t feel drawn to re-reading it. I might change my mind down the line….
I saw him speak at the local library a few years ago after his second book came out. He lives in the Bay Area relatively near me, and as I got to the library at the same time he did, I saw him arrive at his talk in a fancy sports car & an expensive-looking suit.
I attended his talk when I had just started taking Geodon. To my total shock the Geodon had actually started to lift my severe bipolar depression, only to stop working a couple weeks later. Geodon also seemed to have triggered the horrifying condition I still suffer from today called derealization-depersonalizarion disorder.
In that library room with this author, I still felt so hopeful about Geodon. It came time for Q&A and I asked him “What do you think of Geodon? which I admit was a dumb question. I was giddy that it was working and I wanted him to say, “Oh yeah, I know some people it has really helped.” Of course he gave me a non-answer, i.e. “I can’t answer to any one particular medication-blah blah blah”. But he didn’t let on that he was anti-meds either.
WhenI first read the announcement of the Tufts study, the cynical side of me thought that Tom lobbied very, very hard and/or had a major connection to land the study so that he could make $ and sell more books. However, if the study helps people then who am I to damn it? I’d be okay with that unless participants are told not to take medications. I feel that any program that does such a thing is incredibly unethical.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I didn’t see anything blatantly anti meds till this:
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/bipolar-advantage/201207/bipolar-in-order-is-not-remission
But I didn’t read prope r ly till this:
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/bipolar-advantage/201206/why-i-am-against-bipolar-meds
Sorry for the misinformation :(
… really sorry geodon triggered ddd for you :(
LikeLiked by 1 person
You never have to apologize to me! You rock!
Thx for the links. The guy just rubbed me the wrong way in person with his smooth “vibe”, but I know he helps people too.
Thanks also for what you wrote about Geodon!!! :(
LikeLiked by 1 person
Aw thank you too. I watched the intro video and was reminded too much of televangelism. Bleurghhhhh.
LikeLiked by 1 person
muuuuaaaah! Methinks he needs to generate that televangelical-style pizzazz to keep up his snazzy sports car, the sleek Silicon Valley clothes and (I’m sure) a swanky Mill Valley pad…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ahhhh yeah … snake oil salesman, you think?
LikeLiked by 1 person