Enit92 Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 Have any of you ever toured with a mental illness? If so, what helped you through the summer? My first two summers of drum corps were really awful, I had hallucinations, disorganized thoughts, mood swings, paranoia, etc. I took a summer off and I finally got diagnosed and medicated so I'm doing much better. I'm wondering if any of you have advice for touring with mental illnesses. Any tips or thoughts will be appreciated! (: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 Probably similar to how you've had to live day to day at home, but speak with your Dr.(s) and find out what they suggest about gettig through a DCI type year. Obviously the corps must know so any designated medical personnel who are with the corps from camps through tour will learn what to do and have access to any meds needed. You must not continue any rehearsing if you begin to have issues. Make sure you have an honest/trustworthy friend to "watch your stuff" if your health goes bad. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 I'm wondering about the effects of the stress on the body and excess sweating and drinking fluids during the day. Have a family member on anti-seizure meds and was told the effects of some meds could be lost thru urination. So she shouldn't drink excess water or take blood pressure pills with diaretics (water pill) or she might wizz out part of her dose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 (edited) a) Talk with, and adhere to, the advice of your personal doctor; b) If cleared by your own doctor to perform with a corps, only chose a corps which tours with an MD or RN who is legally allowed to administer medication and can constantly monitor your situation. c) Remember that your responsibility is ‘not to just yourself’, you must place your situation in the context of how it could possibly negatively affect others. Edited October 31, 2013 by Stu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Boo Posted November 1, 2013 Share Posted November 1, 2013 I thrived on the creative stress of being in a drum corps and college at the same time, even when I had to take summer school my second of three years in the corps due to credits lost when I transferred schools. It was a bit stressful to march my last season after I graduated, doing job interviews between shows. As for disorganized thoughts, I had a recurring thing where I would wake up in the middle of the night in a gymnasium, stare at the rafters and try to remember where I was. That was strangely discomforting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted November 1, 2013 Share Posted November 1, 2013 I thrived on the creative stress of being in a drum corps and college at the same time, even when I had to take summer school my second of three years in the corps due to credits lost when I transferred schools. It was a bit stressful to march my last season after I graduated, doing job interviews between shows. As for disorganized thoughts, I had a recurring thing where I would wake up in the middle of the night in a gymnasium, stare at the rafters and try to remember where I was. That was strangely discomforting. Especially so as it was just this past summer! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Boo Posted November 1, 2013 Share Posted November 1, 2013 Especially so as it was just this past summer! The cleaning crew at Lucas Oil Stadium just swept around me on the camera platform. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Boo Posted November 1, 2013 Share Posted November 1, 2013 I suspect this isn't getting many responses because mental illness still has somewhat of a societal stigma attached to it. This is unfortunate. When your body is in need of help, you go to a medical professional for diagnosis and perhaps medication. When your brain is in need of help, there are professionals who could help.I never comprehended this until a few years ago when both parents got really sick, went downhill fast and passed away within months of each other, with the overbearing responsibilities of caring for them and my deaf and blind brother knocking me down to the point that I had trouble functioning. (The responsibility of figuring out what would be best for my brother was stressful beyond all imagination.) To deal with the omnipresent black cloud, (and that's exactly what it felt like), I started getting professional help and ended upon medication. It made life bearable again and helped lead me out of the darkness.There are few activities that can help one realize the joy in life like drum corps. That in itself is an awfully good therapy. But sometimes one just needs a little more help. Realizing one needs such help isn't a weakness; it's a strength. I wish more corps members felt comfortable talking about it, as their stories could help others who are dealing with the same issues. By the way, my brother loves his new environment, his group home of other blind people and the weekday learning at the day training center. He's thriving there and is developing quite a personality and sense of humor. I make the long trek to see him once a month and always leave with the feeling that he's now showing me how to live and learn. I wish all dealing with depression could have a glimpse into what I learned, which is, life is full of joy and is worth living, and the dark times always brighten up. It does get better. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IllianaLancerContra Posted November 1, 2013 Share Posted November 1, 2013 I suspect this isn't getting many responses because mental illness still has somewhat of a societal stigma attached to it. This is unfortunate. When your body is in need of help, you go to a medical professional for diagnosis and perhaps medication. When your brain is in need of help, there are professionals who could help. I fully agree with this - if one's kidney or heart has issues or cancer, then it is socially acceptable to discuss; heck look at the number of postings in past on DCP (or RAMD - remember Jason Lowe?) requesting prayers. And I am in no way whatsoever dissing this. But, if it is the organ called the brain involved, then for some reason there is an issue. Diabetes, for example, is a chemical imbalance of insulin need and insulin production/recognition by the body. I strongly suspect (although I do not personally know any) that there are diabetics currently marching (or were last summer, and will next summer). But if it is a chemical imbalance in the behavior part(s) of the brain, we for whatever reason in our society are not ready to react in a similar manner. All this said - if someone w/ said condition wants to march and has the talent, then they should be allowed to march so long as the condition is managed & the medical staff & and other appropriate individuals are aware of the situation and ready to intervene if necessary. I had a student once that had a mental condition; on her own volition she stood in front of the entire class & explained her condition, what could possibly occur, & what should be done if it did occur. That took a lot of courage, IMHO. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted November 1, 2013 Share Posted November 1, 2013 Agree, had an aunt who had "some issues" as they said BITD. Today anyone with her symptoms would probably start testing for chemical imbalance and tryouts of chemical cocktails until the best balance is hit. Back then (60s/70s in a rural part of the country) not much was really done and we all just learned how to (try to) talk her down when she would go on one of her (apparently) paranoid benders. Then at the other extreme is a lady who was profiled in Readers Digest "Best of" issue a few years back. She can't take care of herself but has about 2,000 addresses, names, birth days and birth years memorized. If you're on her list you get a hand made card every year. And that is no BS as my wife and I are both on her list as we know the family. What we don't know is staggering.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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