Will the Awakening Joy online course work for this somewhat down guy?
January 4, 2015 6:21 PM Subscribe
I am a middle-aged single man setting out on the road from long-term unemployment due to bipolar. Thankfully no mania since 2005, but persistent blah feelings and low motivation. Has anyone here got experience with the online Awakening Joy course, and be able to advise if it's worth a shot for me?
I am considering taking the online Awakening Joy course after enjoying the audio book of the same name. However it does cost $250 which makes me hesitate as although I could afford it, I worry it might not offer substantial added value over the book. My other concern is that as low motivation is often an issue for me, I might not put in all the work needed to get full value from the course. Can anyone on the green who's taken it comment on the benefits they got and if the work felt difficult to complete or was rewarding in itself and thus easy to motivate yourself to do?
I am considering taking the online Awakening Joy course after enjoying the audio book of the same name. However it does cost $250 which makes me hesitate as although I could afford it, I worry it might not offer substantial added value over the book. My other concern is that as low motivation is often an issue for me, I might not put in all the work needed to get full value from the course. Can anyone on the green who's taken it comment on the benefits they got and if the work felt difficult to complete or was rewarding in itself and thus easy to motivate yourself to do?
Best answer: I haven't done it, but I've heard good reports about mindfulness stuff generally from other people with mental health trouble. In reading your question, the key thing I'd be looking at--you say long-term unemployment, and then you say you can afford $250. Do you mean "I have $250 in the bank" or "I have $250 that I could blow"? I find structure very helpful for me and I can see potential value. If nobody chimes in with personal experience--which is obviously better, I'm not trying to preempt it--I'd consider how you'll feel if you spend $250 and it turns out to be a bust. Would you spend $250 on a gadget or a weekend trip right now? If not, I'd try to find more mindfulness resources online for free, I think there's a fair amount of info out there. But my experience with other subjects is that when possible, structured courses work better when you're feeling blah than things you have to put together yourself, so there's that.
posted by Sequence at 6:52 PM on January 4, 2015
posted by Sequence at 6:52 PM on January 4, 2015
Best answer: I haven't taken the course but FWIW, I can tell you that James Baraz is great. A weekly class he gave in Berkeley was my first introduction to mindfulness meditation. He was down-to-earth, unpretentious, humorous and humane, and most importantly something about his teaching style somehow inspired me (despite my normally absolute zero self-discipline) to actually sit for half an hour a day for the duration of the class.
posted by hoist with his own pet aardvark at 7:10 PM on January 4, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by hoist with his own pet aardvark at 7:10 PM on January 4, 2015 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I too can vouch for James and a number of the other teachers. Don't overlook the fact that there are scholarshIps for the online program.
posted by janey47 at 8:57 PM on January 4, 2015
posted by janey47 at 8:57 PM on January 4, 2015
Best answer: It's wicked easy, per se, to treat the mania. But the blah and depression is hard, because the drugs and treatments are really hard to get into the depression without causing mania (as I am sure you know).
FYI to OP, large doses of high EPA omega 3 supplements have been found to alleviate depression and don't cause mania.
You should also get your vitamin D, B12, and iron levels checked as deficiencies in these nutrients cause symptoms similar to depression. I read something recently about how anemia is super high and underdiagnosed in the UK, so don't rely on your doctors to suggest testing for these things as apparently it's not something they're on top of there.
While fixing nutritional deficiencies isn't a cure for bipolar, doing so still helps alleviate depression since some of your depression symptoms might not be from your bipolar disorder.
So, bringing it back to the topic of your question, I advise checking on and treating any underlying deficiencies that could be affecting your mood, motivation, and energy levels before starting on this or any other course. I flunked almost all my classes when I had undiagnosed anemia despite trying really hard because my brain just wasn't getting enough oxygen to learn new things effectively.
posted by Jacqueline at 12:49 AM on January 5, 2015 [3 favorites]
FYI to OP, large doses of high EPA omega 3 supplements have been found to alleviate depression and don't cause mania.
You should also get your vitamin D, B12, and iron levels checked as deficiencies in these nutrients cause symptoms similar to depression. I read something recently about how anemia is super high and underdiagnosed in the UK, so don't rely on your doctors to suggest testing for these things as apparently it's not something they're on top of there.
While fixing nutritional deficiencies isn't a cure for bipolar, doing so still helps alleviate depression since some of your depression symptoms might not be from your bipolar disorder.
So, bringing it back to the topic of your question, I advise checking on and treating any underlying deficiencies that could be affecting your mood, motivation, and energy levels before starting on this or any other course. I flunked almost all my classes when I had undiagnosed anemia despite trying really hard because my brain just wasn't getting enough oxygen to learn new things effectively.
posted by Jacqueline at 12:49 AM on January 5, 2015 [3 favorites]
Response by poster: Thanks for every response I appreciated them all. I didn't know about the scholarships so have enquired about that. I will also look into the vitamin deficiency as I am so rarely out getting sunlight I wouldn't be at all surprised if that was an issue.
posted by AuroraSky at 10:01 AM on January 5, 2015
posted by AuroraSky at 10:01 AM on January 5, 2015
Response by poster: I got an e-mail back and it turns out right in the registration process there's a link for those who can't manage $250, no coupons or scholarships required. There was an option to pay $100 and I'm sure the class will be worth that, in the e-mail reply they did offer to look at an even lower fee if requested but I didn't want to take advantage, it's the same money as I spend going to 4 movies and I feel will benefit me more. Just passing the info along in case anyone else was interested. I'm excited about starting the course though some parts seem quite Californian to my British ears - no I won't be signing up to send daily e-mails to a "Joy buddy" sharing what I felt grateful for! :)
posted by AuroraSky at 4:11 AM on January 6, 2015
posted by AuroraSky at 4:11 AM on January 6, 2015
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I guess what I would tell you is, yes, you could buy into this program, but as you intuit, it might not sustain you in the long term.
What might sustain you in the long term is getting into a group. I don't mean a group of depressives, per se, but just a group of people with hobbies that you might be into. Hiking. Art. Building things out of toothpicks. Rocks (my personal hobby, I like gems as well, and geology).
I know where you are coming from and I feel you. I hope you get into something outside of yourself and with other people that makes you feel good.
posted by Marie Mon Dieu at 6:52 PM on January 4, 2015 [1 favorite]