A City of Heroes

[Daimyoshi]

/em standing ovation

Being clinically depressive myself--and unable to medicate conventionally because every anti-depressant I have tried flatlines my creative ability--I know how hard it is to function under conditions like this, much less write something this upbeat.

Do try limit yourself from cutting pieces of your body to send to the man [or woman to be fair] that you love. A man wouldn't get it and I have it good authority that it never worked when attempted before.

That said the tale of 300 [or 1300] is fitting I think.

Actually we are many Legions based on the petition.

NOT THIS DAY!

[Luna Eclypse]

It might.  Talk to your doctor if this bothers you.  I use a combination of herbs and supplements that keeps things somewhat at bay, and the rest of the time I tough it out with the help of watching comedy, but that's not for everyone.  You might actually respond better to some of the old antidepressants, before SSRIs.  My editor at DAW does.  But like I said, talk to your doctor if this bothers you.

I'm in the same boat as him. Ever since I started Paxil years ago, I've pretty much dropped all artistic endeavors I've ever cared about. Once in a blue moon, I'll sit down and sketch something like I used to but the feeling is very much gone. By the way, hello, VV and everyone else. First post on these forums but I've been reading everything that's going on.

[StarRanger4]

It might.  Talk to your doctor if this bothers you.  I use a combination of herbs and supplements that keeps things somewhat at bay, and the rest of the time I tough it out with the help of watching comedy, but that's not for everyone.  You might actually respond better to some of the old antidepressants, before SSRIs.  My editor at DAW does.  But like I said, talk to your doctor if this bothers you.

I was on several other, older Trycyclic styles before I was put on Paxil.  I dont respond to them as well as I do paxil. I'm a friggin SSRI poser child!

So, it comes down to is this dimming of my creativity worth the loss of the other benifits Paxil gives me?

Since I dont make my living as a writer of fiction; I would have to say no.  Its just something to be aware of, you know?

[Luna Eclypse]

So, it comes down to is this dimming of my creativity worth the loss of the other benifits Paxil gives me?

Since I dont make my living as a writer of fiction; I would have to say no.  Its just something to be aware of, you know?

Same here. After a while on Paxil, my artistic urges dropped off and I pretty much abandoned everything I had been working on. But it wasn't my source of income so I felt it was a positive that Paxil would help me to function better at work and it did. I'm starting to find out that I can still muster up some creative juices occasionally, I just have to try harder now. Traditional avenues of drawing/painting & writing are typically fruitless for me though, I'm finding that it's more easy to focus on something digital with creative tools like Photoshop, City of Heroes, or Minecraft.

[downix]

I was on several other, older Trycyclic styles before I was put on Paxil.  I dont respond to them as well as I do paxil. I'm a friggin SSRI poser child!

So, it comes down to is this dimming of my creativity worth the loss of the other benifits Paxil gives me?

Since I dont make my living as a writer of fiction; I would have to say no.  Its just something to be aware of, you know?

Having ADHD I have seen similar with our meds. Only in our support community we talk about suppliment options to help overcome the creative lethargy. Just a thought to look into.

[DrakeGrimm]

I'm going to be all tacky and bump my own thread, because I feel people need to have a visible, positive reminder that they are not alone, and that we are still fighting.

[Victoria Victrix]

DAMN RIGHT we are!

I just put on my Dominator Heels of Pain!

[Blitzwing]

As someone who was diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome(a.k.a., High Functioning Autism) in 2000(despite being 28 at the time), and who, in part because of this, is prone to wild mood swings of which I have little to no control over('Aspies' have 2 emotional settings: off and FULL BLAST), I can offer -some- advice....

Paxil had some effect on me, but wasn't enough...we then tried Buspar(spelling?), which also had little effect...; a 3rd attempt combined the 2...and it worked...-too- well...my emotions all but totally shut down...we dropped this combination shortly thereafter, and, with a little help from friends and family, and a VERY knowledgeable doctor(who is the editor-in-chief of Exceptional Parent magazine), I've made big steps in dealing with things!

It's by no means beaten, but I've learned how to suppress a lot of the problems, or at least offset them....

...and yes, City of Heroes has done an IMMENSE amount of good for me, enabling me to do one of the things I do best...tell a story...I got to bring an original character I'd been writing about for 7 years, as of 2004, to 'life'...the AE system had, of course, been a god-send....

So, of course it hit me like a hammer that fateful day when I saw the news...I'd been hoping I could make a comeback, but real-life kept getting in the way('stupid real-life...you go SQUISH, now!')....

But rest assured...even if I can't get back in-game...I'll find a way to support the cause....

[DrakeGrimm]

The biggest thing to remember is that no matter how disheartened you are...we are all part of the City of Heroes family. No one can ever take that way. Ever.

[zoser]

Thank you very much for your amazing post, Drake - and thank you to everyone who responded. I just woke up and found myself reading some not very encouraging things when I came across this thread. Now I feel much better, having been reminded that I am indeed in the company of heroes.

No matter what happens in the end, it is a privilege to stand side by side with you guys taking a stand against a few short-sighted suits who seem determined to destroy a city that has real monetary value and - more importantly - means the world to us!

I will continue to stand with the friends I made in my seven years and keep shouting at the wall to bring it down. We are heroes, this is what we do!

Zos

[Atlantea]

DAMN RIGHT we are!

I just put on my Dominator Heels of Pain!

LOL!!!

(glances) Wait... you look serious about that... *Edges slowly away from VV*
:o

[Atlantea]

Oh - and just because it was "Talk like a Pirate Day" and I was perusing the quote pages for the POC movies at IMDB - I found this little gem that works for us:

Elizabeth Swann: I understand the burden you bear, but I fear that cause is lost.

Will Turner: No cause is lost if there is but one fool left to fight for it.

[DrakeGrimm]

Oh - and just because it was "Talk like a Pirate Day" and I was perusing the quote pages for the POC movies at IMDB - I found this little gem that works for us:

...gentlemen...hoist the colours!

[Atlantea]

...gentlemen...hoist the colours!

The wind's at our back, boys! That's all we need!

[Victoria Victrix]

LOL!!!

(glances) Wait... you look serious about that... *Edges slowly away from VV*
:o

Honestly...I am old.  It's more like Rosa Klebb's Sensible Shoes of Pain.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pi4gVq7zsTU

[Vulpy]

I'll be having dinner tonight with a pharmacist who specializes in mental health. By taking the time to type this, I'm about ten times more likely to remember to ask her opinion on the matter.

So here's what someone with years of training and years more experience in the field of psychotherapeutic drugs had to say when I asked about antidepressants squelching creativity.

Of the commonly used antidepressants, she estimated that SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors)--things whose generic names end with "-oxetine," and one or two others--would be the most likely to flatten creative energy. Buproprion, by contrast, might even increase it. But! The biggest thing to remember here is that individual responses vary. Plenty of patients have taken SSRIs without losing any creativity. Some people might feel "creatively sterile" after taking buproprion. The absolute most important thing--and this is what I figured going in to the conversation--is having a good relationship with your healthcare team. Then, you can freely discuss these issues; if one (drug) therapy proves troublesome, another one should be used. Different medications have different side effects in different people, even if those medications come from the same drug class. Modern medicine's bag of tricks is quite deep, and there's probably an agent out there that's right for you.

All of that said, any antidepressant will, to some degree, make the patient feel like a different person. Their mechanism of action involves altering brain function to varying degrees and in varying ways. This can be disconcerting, or it can be a worthwhile tradeoff (as was apparently the case for LunaEclypse). Remember, the goal of all drug therapies is to make sure the pros outweigh the cons. If it isn't a worthwhile tradeoff, then something's gone wrong.

I just have one more corollary, and then I'll stop with the threadjack. I mention it because of V.V.'s supplements, but it's good general advice: tell any pharmacies you find yourself using about your herbal or over-the-counter supplements. Some of them have surprising drug interactions, and not everyone thinks to bring them up unprovoked.

Edited to add: Lest I forget, because I meant to spell it out explicitly: all of the above is about clinical depression. Bipolar disorder, sometimes called "manic depression," is a whole 'nother kettle of fish. If you want more information on that, feel free to contact me privately and I'll see what I can dig up.

[Sailboat]

It's a bit more...offensively oriented than we should use for a model right now, perhaps, but here's a real-life quote I've always admired.

Picture the climax of the Battle of Poitiers, 1356.   The English and French had been fighting, largely hand-to-hand and in heavy armor, for seven hours. 

It is difficult to express how exhausting this must have been -- merely standing around in full armor is tiring (I've done it), let alone expending the massive physical effort of hand-fighting.  And we all know how enervating the effects of adrenalin from even a tense confrontation with an angry person can be -- let alone battle and the fear of imminent death or maiming.

Seven hours in, nearing the end of physical and moral resistance, the Black Prince called for his men to make one final all-out effort.

"Sirs, behold me here! For God's mercy, think on Striking! Advance, Banner, in the name of God and St. George!"

[DrakeGrimm]

I'm going to bump this one, maybe two more times. I'm still seeing some strong negativity in corners, and I want to make sure everybody has a chance to read through some of the posts here and realize that, again, you are not alone. The fight is not over, negotiations between NCSoft and some of the devs is still on-going, and the fact that these negotiations have even lasted this long is a positive thing.

It shows that NCSoft is at least taking a serious look at the offers on the table, and no doubt negotiation is continuing back and forth as new subjects and points of interest are brought up. If they weren't even somewhat interested in passing along the IP, they would have told our boys(and gals) to go away and stop bugging them already. :)

[Victoria Victrix]

I'm going to bump this one, maybe two more times. I'm still seeing some strong negativity in corners, and I want to make sure everybody has a chance to read through some of the posts here and realize that, again, you are not alone. The fight is not over, negotiations between NCSoft and some of the devs is still on-going, and the fact that these negotiations have even lasted this long is a positive thing.

It shows that NCSoft is at least taking a serious look at the offers on the table, and no doubt negotiation is continuing back and forth as new subjects and points of interest are brought up. If they weren't even somewhat interested in passing along the IP, they would have told our boys(and gals) to go away and stop bugging them already. :)

This.

Look, even if Formerly Paragon Studios fails, it will probably be because they are having to go from a standing start and somehow come up with the huge amount of money to rehire, re-equip, AND buy the IP.  That still leaves the door open for someone else to buy the IP.  As far as I can tell, NCSoft is NOT saying "we won't sell."

Or as the punchline to the joke goes, "I already know what kind of girl you are, ma'am, right now we are just establishing the price." 

[StarRanger4]

I'm going to bump this one, maybe two more times. I'm still seeing some strong negativity in corners, and I want to make sure everybody has a chance to read through some of the posts here and realize that, again, you are not alone. The fight is not over, negotiations between NCSoft and some of the devs is still on-going, and the fact that these negotiations have even lasted this long is a positive thing.

totally True Drake.  I'm tired, I'm discouraged.  But its not over yet.  Win, loose or draw we keep fighting till that fat lady sings.

in fact, Don Quioxte sort of sums up my feelings at the moment:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfHnzYEHAow