S42.E01: Feels Like a Rollercoaster

[Jtrain]

So far, after one episode the only one I for sure can't stand is Maryanne. She annoyed the hell out of me, with her over exaggerated crying her eyes out when Jackson got removed. She acted like Jeff just told everyone Jackson got eaten by a freaking shark. I don't mind Tori, she will at least be amusing to watch for a while. So far, cast is more likable than last year. 

[MsTree]

11 hours ago, tvfanatic13 said:

Table of... one, apparently. Not a fan of Maryann. She seems very immature and emotional. 

I'll have the seat right next to you. She's way too over-the-top. The show shouldn't have to revolve around her hysterical crying over someone she knew for a whole 2 days. 🙄

[SVNBob]

On 3/9/2022 at 10:42 PM, Lantern7 said:

Was Shot In The Dark played the one time last season?

Yes, just the once.  At the first vote after the merge as the final coda of the whole Mergatory/Erika changes time saga.  Sydney also failed her Shot.

18 hours ago, meatball77 said:

I was thinking the mental breakdown of Kathy on Fans vs Favorites that they didn't want.

Ding!  This was definitely a factor.  As I recall, Kathy said in post-game interviews that she was freaking out so much from not having her meds that she considered lopping off fingers with the machete in order to get medevaced.  While she didn't go through with that, I'm sure that was at least a partial factor in this case.

 

17 hours ago, Lady Calypso said:

Or, better yet, just ensure that everyone has their medications on the island and not have them feel like they have to wean off of them for five-six weeks for a game.

 

15 hours ago, Cotypubby said:

That made me wonder. Are players not allowed to be on any kind of medication during Survivor? Do they get any kind of basic medical/hygiene supplies?

They do.  There is a never-shown but occasionally mentioned in interviews first-aid kit at each camp with basic medical supplies; band-aids, OTC pain killers, and the like, and feminine hygiene products.  (And condoms, just in case...).  And if contestants have simple regular prescribed medication they need to take (and have disclosed to TPTB), like asthma inhalers or an aspirin regimen, for example, those are included in the kits.  But a heavily controlled medication like lithium?  One that requires regular blood testing (as noted elsewhere in the thread) that TPTB don't have the facilities for (as Peachy noted); that would not likely be in the kit.

That's why Jackson was trying to wean himself off the lithium before the show, instead of going cold turkey like Kathy did.  But it seems like he miscalculated, which was mistake #2.  Mistake #1 was not revealing he was taking lithium in the first place.  (If he'd done that, and told them about his plan to wean off before the season. they may have had an alternate in place, and/or a spot for him on S43 instead.)

 

15 hours ago, Taeolas said:

It's a bit interesting, last season both teams took the water challenge instead of the triangle challenge. This time, both teams took the triangle challenge. It does make me wonder if there was some subtle (or not so subtle) pressure on what challenge to do.

Well they definitely changed the rules for both those challenges.  In S41, the water carrying was done by 2 people and they had to fill 2 barrels total.  They halved both the people and the barrels for this season.  And I think they only had one guess for the triangles in S41, instead of two.  Those changes may have made the switch in challenges more appealing.

 

13 hours ago, survivinmt said:

I would think the way to solve the triangle puzzle is to draw it out on the ultimate whiteboard - the sand -- and label all the intersections with numbers or letters and then start listing them. Have a few people do it and keep comparing notes.

Absolutely this.  They also could have used the chalkboard provided for the final guesses, or even tried using the chalk on the puzzle canvas itself.  There were more tools available to help with the puzzle than there appeared to be at first glance.

[DrBriCa]

10 minutes ago, SVNBob said:

16 hours ago, Cotypubby said:

That made me wonder. Are players not allowed to be on any kind of medication during Survivor? Do they get any kind of basic medical/hygiene supplies?

They do.  There is a never-shown but occasionally mentioned in interviews first-aid kit at each camp with basic medical supplies; band-aids, OTC pain killers, and the like, and feminine hygiene products.  (And condoms, just in case...).  And if contestants have simple regular prescribed medication they need to take (and have disclosed to TPTB), like asthma inhalers or an aspirin regimen, for example, those are included in the kits.  But a heavily controlled medication like lithium?  One that requires regular blood testing (as noted elsewhere in the thread) that TPTB don't have the facilities for (as Peachy noted); that would not likely be in the kit.

That's why Jackson was trying to wean himself off the lithium before the show, instead of going cold turkey like Kathy did.  But it seems like he miscalculated, which was mistake #2.  Mistake #1 was not revealing he was taking lithium in the first place.  (If he'd done that, and told them about his plan to wean off before the season. they may have had an alternate in place, and/or a spot for him on S43 instead.)

I agree. Jackson should've been upfront about the lithium. If he knew that lithium was an automatic dealbreaker to getting a casting call, he should've weaned off it with his doctor before even applying for the season (with a comfortable buffer period to make sure any mood symptoms didn't rebound). As much as he tried to downplay it as a "sleep and anxiety" aide, he clearly still wanted to experience its beneficial effects for as long as possible considering how he planned the taper to go right up until filming.

And I do think he downplayed the reasons for being on lithium, as it is rarely prescribed as much these days due to the burdens of regular blood testing and the potentially severe side effects & toxicity. Bear in mind that he also is likely on hormone therapy for his transition, and many doctors would be leery of interactions between the various meds. For a doctor (and patient) to continue with lithium for years, there would have had to been a major mood episode in the past. Definitely agree with pulling him, especially once he was having complaints of prolonged dizziness so soon into the game.

It'll be interesting to see if he returns sometime. There would definitely be trust issues for production to want to take the risk with someone who has lied once already, but I imagine he had such a favorable edit that he could get a second chance if safely off of the medication.

Also agree with the posters who were surprised that medical didn't provide Daniel with a shoulder sling (or advise him to fashion one if need be). All that rowing and pulling in the 2 challenges must have been brutal. But kudos to him for pulling through!

[himela]

13 hours ago, tvfanatic13 said:

Table of... one, apparently. Not a fan of Maryann. She seems very immature and emotional. 

I can't find someone who says "I don't care about the million, I want the title of sole survivor to show other kids like me out there that they don't have to change anything on them" immature. Quite the opposite.

[Melina22]

2 hours ago, SVNBob said:

That's why Jackson was trying to wean himself off the lithium before the show, instead of going cold turkey like Kathy

What kind of medication was Kathy on? I didn't know that this was why she left. 

[ProfCrash]

I am ok with them leaving the lithium to sleep issues even though I know it is BS. Lithium is used for some pretty hard diagnoses and that might not be something Jackson wanted to reveal. I suspect that they allowed him to skip most of the interviews for that very reason, everyone would be asking about why he was using lithium and he didn't want to answer. 

Withholding that information was not a good choice on his part. I have no clue how it managed to slip by the medical staff because you would think that it would have shown up in bloodwork. 

I suspect that his real concern was that whatever it is he takes the Lithium for is something that might be a deal breaker on Survivor because of the erratic behavior of past contestants, I am thinking of Brandon and Kathy. It could be that there are mental illnesses that Survivor has decided are a bridge too far and risky so if you disclose those, you are removed from the contestant pool. 

[laurakaye]

On 3/9/2022 at 11:12 PM, cdnalor said:

I think Daniel of the dislocated shoulder looks and sounds so much like comedian Albert Brooks, he could almost be his twin. 

Same!  There was a close-up shot of him tilting his head and I was like, wait - why am I suddenly watching Broadcast News?!

 

On 3/9/2022 at 11:34 PM, knitorpurl said:

Was Jeff posing while the one guy gushed about his excitement during the opening beach scene? So odd.

Jeff sure was posing.  I kind of get it - he's trying to be the cool hip figure instead of the scary authority figure...maybe?  Whatever he's doing, it's jarring.  I prefer my Probst angry and dismissive, not funny Uncle Jeff.

 

On 3/9/2022 at 11:47 PM, Melina22 said:

On RHAP, a doctor said that lithium can be toxic if the person taking it becomes dehydrated and/ or doesn't eat, two things that are almost certain to happen on Survivor. Plus apparently Jackson had been feeling really dizzy. They couldn't risk it. 

There was a "blink and you'll miss it" moment where one of Jackson's tribemates told him to drink more water, because it's not normal to be so dizzy for so long.  I assumed it would come back up later, but certainly not in the way that it did.

 

23 hours ago, peachmangosteen said:

I liked Drea (sp?) a lot and I agree that she looks familiar. It's gonna drive me nuts until I figure out who she looks like!

When I saw her, I immediately thought of Sydney from Kaoh Rong.

 

21 hours ago, Lamima said:

Ugh...not a fan of the sappy back stories. Also HATE all the dumb twists. I prefer the hard core old school Survivor. 

US Survivor is turning into Aussie Survivor.  Other than the basic framework of how the game is played, they are two completely different shows, IMO.  I still want old-school, no-frills, no advantages Survivor but I've given up on ever seeing that again, sadly.

As for the fake blood?  I had created a story in my head - I was like, tell them that you had to climb a rope ladder that was coated in mud and it was slippery so you slid down and the rope fibers scratched your chest - and there were like a million mud-covered knots you had to untie!  That makes sense!  And then it never came up?  At all?  So all that theater for nothing?  Weird.

[Taeolas]

That was probably what the producers were intending; for the Oar group to come up with a story for what they had to do to free the oars, and filming the tribes reacting to the story (and/or picking it apart) would give them a story arc for the first episode. (Since all these elements have to be set up before; you can't go back and refilm it to fill more time later).

In the end, they had enough content (especially with Jackson's medical elimination and the dislocated shoulder story arc) that they didn't need to fill more time with the fake oar-challenge story. 

[iMonrey]

Quote

Okay, I'll be the asshole here. Maryann it's not that you were a "weirdo" in high school it's that you're ANNOYING.

One can be both. Maryanne is clearly going to be polarizing. I'm sort of torn because I can appreciate the enthusiasm but the reaction to learning Jackson was being pulled was over the top. What matters more to me is what kind of player she is. And I'm still waiting to find out. Personality and strategy are very different things. If it turns out she has no game I'll probably tolerate her personality less.

Quote

It could be that there are mental illnesses that Survivor has decided are a bridge too far and risky so if you disclose those, you are removed from the contestant pool. 

Yeah they usually send those people right over to Big Brother.

[SnapHappy]

Zach probably thought he was going to be the new Cochran. 

Maryanne overestimates people being interested in her being "weird".  

Edited March 11, 2022 by SnapHappy

[SnapHappy]

2 hours ago, laurakaye said:

As for the fake blood?  I had created a story in my head - I was like, tell them that you had to climb a rope ladder that was coated in mud and it was slippery so you slid down and the rope fibers scratched your chest - and there were like a million mud-covered knots you had to untie!  That makes sense!  And then it never came up?  At all?  So all that theater for nothing?  Weird.

Good scenario.  Mine was that they had to low-crawl on their bellies, through the mud, underneath a scratchy, rope grid and got kinda shredded & a bit bloodied up.  *LOL*

[watch2much]

On 3/10/2022 at 4:57 AM, Nashville said:

In many ways the discussion on this thread validates Jackson’s statements/concerns  about how use of mental health medications are frequently stigmatized; people hear “lithium” and immediately make the leap “oh, he must be bipolar”.  Bipolar disorder is not the only condition for which lithium might currently be prescribed, though; lithium is also used in the treatment of clinical depression - and given the context of someone providing full-time care to a terminally ill parent over an extended period of time? I’d personally be surprised - and concerned - about anybody who didn’t experience at least some periods of clinical depression in such a situation.

In terms of Jackson’s apparent initial nondisclosure to the show’s medical staff…?  I’m going to withhold judgment for the time being, simply because there are way too many unknown factors.  We know Jackson’s mother first took ill sometime within the 8-1/2 year time window when he was already in the process of his transition, but we don’t know:

• How long it took her from initial diagnosis to devolve to the point where she needed full-time, around-the-clock care.
• How long Jackson had to basically abandon his normal life to be his mother’s caregiver.
• How long ago she passed away.
• When Jackson was first prescribed lithium medication.
• How long Jackson took it full-dose, how long Jackson had been weaning himself off it, or what dosage he was down to.
• Whether the provider who initially put Jackson on lithium was involved in the weaning process, or if Jackson was (with his wife’s help) winging it solo.
• Whether the Survivor medical staff had seen specific test results which gave them pause, or if they were simply acting out of an abundance of caution.
• Etc., etc.

Not trying to slam anybody here for expressing their opinions - just trying to relate alternate interpretations and considerations.

 

Believe me when I say I am already NOT a big Tori fan at all - but Tori’s CBS bio states “Occupation: Therapist” and Tori herself specifically stated (rather emphatically) she was a therapist - so barring any evidence to the contrary, I guess we have to take her at her word.

Unless, maybe… think there’s any chance when Tori describes herself as a “therapist”, she means like a massage therapist or something…?  😁

well, as a pharmacist who worked in psychiatry, lithium is rarely used for anything but bipolar disorder and even then it's not always the first choice because of the potential for toxicity if one becomes dehydrated, etc. and the need for blood level monitoring.  as for depression, most doctors would use many other medications before they would give it for depression--I never saw it prescribed for depression.  It was always for bipolar disorder.  but so what if he has bipolar disorder?  that's the mindset that needs to be addressed.

If he was weaning himself off, toxic levels may not have been the only concern.he said he only had a "couple more doses". however, the half life of lithium could be over a day, so for all of it to be out of his body would take about a week...but longer depending on how long he was on it. I can't think of a worse case scenario for lithium toxicity than being on Survivor given the dehydration and malnutrition. we had to counsel patients about working outside on a hot day and the need for gatorade, or if they got a stomach bug what they should do about their doses. In addition to that, even if the level wasn't the problem,  my guess was they were  also concerned the stress, etc. would trigger a manic episode and having seen patients in full blown manic states it's dangerous and can take considerable time to get under control. had a patient once who was told by the local Scientology place he didn't need to take his meds.  it took almost two weeks to get him back in control.

as for jumping to conclusions....the problem is not what a medicine is for...it's that there's a stigma that treatment for a mental health condition should be thought of any differently from someone treating blood pressure or any other conditions.  in this case, the condition is a disorder of the brain and the medications are used to correct that.  no one should be stigmatized for having a mental health condition.

as for Tori....interesting that last season with had a pastor who was anything but Christian like, and this season we have a counselor who seems to have a mean streak.  Zach was doing her a favor telling her about her name being mentioned. he started that puzzle way behind the others.  but she says as he was leaving "good job on the puzzle".  lots of empathy there. I would have preferred her to leave over zach.

I felt so sorry for the team with zach and romeo with that challenge.  they were really at a disadvantage.

Edited March 11, 2022 by watch2much
add

[Tango64]

Seems like every contestant is now described as a superfan. I'd love to see a season where they dig up people who have never seen Survivor but are intrigued by the concept. Like the original season or two. Then you'd have people figuring out how to play the game on the fly, instead of coming in with preconceived strategies and knowing all the history and fine details of what they should and shouldn't do.

I can dream...

[bankerchick]

14 hours ago, ZeeEnnui said:

As for Jackson, I feel for him but not disclosing his medical situation -- even if he totally had it under control and is fine -- isn't going to fly with the CBS legal team. BUT I do think it's bullshit that they pulled a "wait and see." It was so obvious that Jeffy and the producers wanted to have a teachable moment with a transgender man on the show. It's gross, cynical, and unfair to Jackson. 

It's also exactly why he applied and why he was chosen.  I'm sure TPTB used the 'wait and see' because they were desperate for it to work out so they could drag this out for the whole season.  Personally, I may be an awful person because I don't care about anyone's personal story, whether it's sexuality, illness, race, whatever.  I tune in to be entertained, not preached to, and I'm not interested in any teachable moments during a stupid game show.

[eel21788]

4 hours ago, laurakaye said:

US Survivor is turning into Aussie Survivor.

Is it also filmed in Fiji?

[eel21788]

6 hours ago, ProfCrash said:

I am ok with them leaving the lithium to sleep issues even though I know it is BS. Lithium is used for some pretty hard diagnoses and that might not be something Jackson wanted to reveal. I suspect that they allowed him to skip most of the interviews for that very reason, everyone would be asking about why he was using lithium and he didn't want to answer. 

I'm fine with him having no desire to make his illness public; however, it does make him a huge hypocrite.

He said he wanted to end the stigma of mental illness by talking about it. He could accomplish that in two ways: total disclosure about all of it, or say nothing until the end, then announcing even people who are bipolar can handle this. Instead, he chose the middle path of telling half-truths and selective disclosure. Pick a lane and stick with it!

6 hours ago, ProfCrash said:

Withholding that information was not a good choice on his part. I have no clue how it managed to slip by the medical staff because you would think that it would have shown up in bloodwork. 

There is no way "routine" blood tests would include a lithium level. That would be like checking a dilantin level on every contestant just to see if someone had a seizure disorder he "forgot" to disclose. I think they trust their contestants more than that.

[RedbirdNelly]

I thought it was cute that they showed Maryann childhood photos and she's there with the biggest smile on her face. So, the big smile thing is just who she is. I can see how she may get to be annoying but for now I think she is sweet.

Rocksroy is one of those people who lacks the ability to be thoughtful in what he says. You can have thoughts about poor work ethic, we should do it this way, sandy shoes bug me, but you obviously need to self-edit before saying that outloud. Looks like he has zero skills in that department.

I was neutral on Zach vs Tori but ok with it being Zach. He seemed like another Cochran type and I'm ok not getting more of those. 

[Cornhusker12]

1 hour ago, Tango64 said:

Seems like every contestant is now described as a superfan. I'd love to see a season where they dig up people who have never seen Survivor but are intrigued by the concept. Like the original season or two. Then you'd have people figuring out how to play the game on the fly, instead of coming in with preconceived strategies and knowing all the history and fine details of what they should and shouldn't do.

I can dream...

This is spot on! And beyond that, the main type of superfan they bring on nowadays is the "wow I was just on my couch watching my hero Jeff Probst and now I'm in the outdoors for the first time in my life!" type.

Don't get me wrong, I loved Cochran, I appreciate the "fish out of water" element with those types of superfans, but we rarely see superfans anymore like Rupert or Malcolm or Kim - people who were not only big fans of the show but actually go in with the belief that they have the skills to win the game.

Most people seem pretty likable so far but, I mean this in the most harmless way possible, this is the most awkward/nerdy personalities I've ever seen in one cast haha.

[Angeltoes]

On 3/10/2022 at 2:31 AM, Tdoc72 said:

I too thought Maryanne’s reaction was over the top but she seems very empathetic.

Another eye roller was somebody yelling,"We love you, Jackson!"  Please, you've known each other for less than a week.  I've worked with some of my coworkers for over four years and with some of them we haven't even made it to Friend level.

[jsm1125]

1 hour ago, Cornhusker12 said:

This is spot on! And beyond that, the main type of superfan they bring on nowadays is the "wow I was just on my couch watching my hero Jeff Probst and now I'm in the outdoors for the first time in my life!" type.

Don't get me wrong, I loved Cochran, I appreciate the "fish out of water" element with those types of superfans, but we rarely see superfans anymore like Rupert or Malcolm or Kim - people who were not only big fans of the show but actually go in with the belief that they have the skills to win the game.

Most people seem pretty likable so far but, I mean this in the most harmless way possible, this is the most awkward/nerdy personalities I've ever seen in one cast haha.

Rupert is likely never winning Survivor

[CapeCodLuv]

2 hours ago, Tango64 said:

Seems like every contestant is now described as a superfan. I'd love to see a season where they dig up people who have never seen Survivor but are intrigued by the concept. Like the original season or two. Then you'd have people figuring out how to play the game on the fly, instead of coming in with preconceived strategies and knowing all the history and fine details of what they should and shouldn't do.

I can dream...

Right? My husband has never seen an episode and he's sitting upstairs right now in his boxer shorts watching movies with nothing pending as he is retired. He is fun, personable, can start a fire and is handy around the house. He loves puzzles but is not a puzzle master. He is not an athlete but loves to watch sports, he can swim and is fit enough that he will not die in a challenge.  He would not go in with any per-conceived notions of how to play, or be a villain straight off the bat because they want that edit from watching previous seasons. Also he would be gone for a while which would be great for me...LOL.

All jokes aside, the first seasons of any reality or challenge show are always the best. No one has had time to study the game and they play as their authentic selves. Last season of Survivor was awful, it seemed so many had studied the villain edit and decided it was the way to go. It was painful to watch.

So far I do not have any favorites. The man on Lithium was the right choice to go, I think he waited too long to wean himself off. I hope the best for him, and also question whether or not the show didn't know this and hold it for dramatic purposes. He took someone else's spot.

 

 

[Cornhusker12]

30 minutes ago, jsm1125 said:

Rupert is likely never winning Survivor

Oh absolutely, I'm just saying he originally went in with the confidence that he could survive the elements and win the game. A lot of modern "superfan" contestants are in awe of the entire situation and just feel lucky to be in Jeff's presence. The whole point of casting people like that is the irony of someone knowing so much Survivor trivia but being totally out of their element once they're actually on the show. 

[peachmangosteen]

4 hours ago, Tango64 said:

Seems like every contestant is now described as a superfan.

I know and I absolutely hate it. I can't deal with these superfan, 'student of the game' people any longer dammit!

[nlkm9]

So if someone is on an anti depressant or a blood pressure pill, are they allowed to take it?

[ProfCrash]

Just now, nlkm9 said:

So if someone is on an anti depressant or a blood pressure pill, are they allowed to take it?

Yes. If it can be taken safely with limited food and water. Some meds require more food then contestants get on the show. 

[Lamima]

13 hours ago, laurakaye said:

Same!  There was a close-up shot of him tilting his head and I was like, wait - why am I suddenly watching Broadcast News?!

 

Jeff sure was posing.  I kind of get it - he's trying to be the cool hip figure instead of the scary authority figure...maybe?  Whatever he's doing, it's jarring.  I prefer my Probst angry and dismissive, not funny Uncle Jeff.

 

There was a "blink and you'll miss it" moment where one of Jackson's tribemates told him to drink more water, because it's not normal to be so dizzy for so long.  I assumed it would come back up later, but certainly not in the way that it did.

 

When I saw her, I immediately thought of Sydney from Kaoh Rong.

 

US Survivor is turning into Aussie Survivor.  Other than the basic framework of how the game is played, they are two completely different shows, IMO.  I still want old-school, no-frills, no advantages Survivor but I've given up on ever seeing that again, sadly.

As for the fake blood?  I had created a story in my head - I was like, tell them that you had to climb a rope ladder that was coated in mud and it was slippery so you slid down and the rope fibers scratched your chest - and there were like a million mud-covered knots you had to untie!  That makes sense!  And then it never came up?  At all?  So all that theater for nothing?  Weird.

If they HAD to use that fake blood I thought what I'd do was put some around my nostrils and drip down the front of me, slightly and say I got a nose bleed. The mud stuff, I'd suggest to pour on ground and roll in. ANd tell them we had to wrestle in mud for something. Or wrangle in mud to get a flag and then we could grab paddles and run.

[Nashville]

4 hours ago, peachmangosteen said:

I know and I absolutely hate it. I can't deal with these superfan, 'student of the game' people any longer dammit!

IKR???  Most of us on this forum would probably safely fall into the ‘superfan’ category - and the one thing all of us do know is, knowing about the game does not mean you know the game.  No two seasons are exactly alike, and being a walking Survivor encyclopedia doesn’t even score you that many points in a round of barroom trivia - much less do you a lot of good in the actual Survivor game setting.

[Cthulhudrew]

On 3/9/2022 at 7:51 PM, North of Eden said:

Jeff never looked worse or more bizarre than his facial expressions when he was talking to Jackson.

Someone's needed to tell Probst's makeup person to dial it back for a couple of seasons now.

[Nashville]

12 hours ago, iMonrey said:

Maryanne is clearly going to be polarizing. I'm sort of torn because I can appreciate the enthusiasm but the reaction to learning Jackson was being pulled was over the top.

No shit.  That sound which came out of Maryanne when Jackson told his tribe he was leaving???  Swear to god I thought someone had snuck up behind her and was trying to harvest a kidney.

 

14 hours ago, laurakaye said:

There was a "blink and you'll miss it" moment where one of Jackson's tribemates told him to drink more water, because it's not normal to be so dizzy for so long.  I assumed it would come back up later, but certainly not in the way that it did.

I caught that foreshadowing scene too, right before Peachy’s boat pulled up on their beach - and it was Lindsay (the dietitian) who said:

All right, Jackson, you want me to fill up your water bottle?  I’m going to be on you about water, heads-up - but all in love, because if you were saying you were dizzy for ten hours, I can’t have you like that.

[coconspirator]

Lithium is too hard on the body, especially the kidneys, to be a sleep medication. Even in the case of bipolar disorder it is often a last resort because modern mood stabilizers don’t require monthly blood draws and aren’t as difficult to stop taking. Jackson must have a very serious bipolar disorder that doesn’t respond to newer meds or he has been on it for a very long time. 

[Nashville]

On 3/11/2022 at 1:19 AM, millennium said:

I don't investigate the players that thoroughly, just go by what I see on the screen.  

Neither do I; I was just going by what was posted in Tori’s thread in this forum - and what I saw on the screen.

[sigmaforce86]

On 3/10/2022 at 11:33 AM, Cotypubby said:

That made me wonder. Are players not allowed to be on any kind of medication during Survivor? Do they get any kind of basic medical/hygiene supplies?

It's allowed if they pass the medical tests so they can safely compete with whatever underlying condition they have and if it's something they can be given at the location.    Thyroid medication would be a good example.    And Tina Wesson took medication for Rheumatoid Arthritis the whole time she was on the show, she said medical would bring each dose and she was allowed just enough of a sip of water to swallow it (so she wouldn't even get an unfair advantage of more hydration than the rest). 

[iMonrey]

Quote

Most of us on this forum would probably safely fall into the ‘superfan’ category - and the one thing all of us do know is, knowing about the game does not mean you know the game.  No two seasons are exactly alike, and being a walking Survivor encyclopedia doesn’t even score you that many points in a round of barroom trivia - much less do you a lot of good in the actual Survivor game setting.

It really doesn't matter anymore if you are a superfan who's watched very season or if you've never seen the show before. There are so many twists and gimmicks and switcheroos even Jeff Probst himself would be unable to strategize his way into the final three if were ever to play. It's all all a crapshoot now.

[fishcakes]

A lot of odd wardrobe choices over the years, but I don't believe we've ever seen a onesie before.

[simplyme]

Folks, please stop assuming what Jackson was taking lithium for. Unless you are his doctor you don't know all the details of his medical past, so assuming he was telling "half-truths" or that he must really be on it for another reason is, well, bogus. (Apologies for how preachy this sounds on re-read, but I can't figure how to rephrase it. Sorry.)

Yes, lithium is occasionally used for depression, anxiety, and as a sleep aid. It does have to be prescribed by and its use carefully monitored by a doctor.

22 hours ago, eel21788 said:

He said he wanted to end the stigma of mental illness by talking about it. He could accomplish that in two ways: total disclosure about all of it, or say nothing until the end, then announcing even people who are bipolar can handle this. Instead, he chose the middle path of telling half-truths and selective disclosure. Pick a lane and stick with it!

I don't mean to pick on the poster (and they certainly aren't alone), but based on one article someone linked to earlier in this thread, Jackson was afraid to list lithium on his application because so many people assume it is for bipolar disorder and he feared the stigma. This is rather proving his point.

Jackson's explanation of anti-anxiety and sleep aid may be uncommon, but it's certainly not unheard of. I don't really feel he should need to give the public his personal medical history simply because he took one medication that people know primarily for something else.

Edited March 12, 2022 by simplyme

[simplyme]

 

On 3/11/2022 at 1:58 AM, Nashville said:

On the outside, maybe - but on the inside…?  🙄
I’m pretty certain Tori personally illustrated every pet peeve she listed in her CBS bio in the very first episode.

 

On 3/11/2022 at 2:19 AM, millennium said:

I don't investigate the players that thoroughly, just go by what I see on the screen.  

This exchange made me laugh out loud. I'm apparently a terrible person. Thank you both.

[jsm1125]

One thing I’m not crazy about is when players try to lie to the audience. So Tori saying in a confessional that she was annoyed that people were thinking she was looking for the idol, when that is at least partly what she was doing, was irritating.

[ProfCrash]

11 minutes ago, jsm1125 said:

One thing I’m not crazy about is when players try to lie to the audience. So Tori saying in a confessional that she was annoyed that people were thinking she was looking for the idol, when that is at least partly what she was doing, was irritating.

 

Agree

It wasn’t at least partially, her own interview during that time period said she was looking for the idol and she knew that it was risky. You are not suppose to go off on your own that early in the game because it makes people suspicious. 

I also get publicly protesting that that is what she was doing because owing it does put a target on your back. My problem with her is that her talking heads seem to shift like she was rewriting the narrative as time went on. 

So we have the therapist who is suppose to be great at reading people, whose degrees are from Oral Roberts, a religious college, who is snarky, rewriting history as the show goes, and reveling in screwing people over. Gee, didn’t we see this last season? And nasty in her talking heads and general commentary. 

[nlkm9]

14 hours ago, Cthulhudrew said:

Someone's needed to tell Probst's makeup person to dial it back for a couple of seasons now.

I thought it was a very tight facelift

[JudyObscure]

On 3/11/2022 at 11:55 AM, watch2much said:

It was always for bipolar disorder.  but so what if he has bipolar disorder?  that's the mindset that needs to be addressed.

Exactly.  I've never heard of it being used for anything but bi-polar either.  It just shows how deeply stigmatized mental illness still is.  Jackson was happy to tell the world about his transition in spite of all the extremely personal information about his body  that comes with that information -- but he's ashamed to tell anyone that he has a common mental illness.

I know someone who takes Abilify for schizophrenia and can't so much as mow the lawn or play a game of tennis because the drug reduces the ability to sweat and the core temperature becomes dangerously high.  She feels she must tell all sorts of lies to get around this without telling her diagnosis to her co-workers and friends.  Because she knows that even though she's been around these people all day for ten years, acting just like everyone else, they would freak if they knew.

[Kenzie]

It didn't help that Tori went off looking for Taro but admitted she had no idea what it looked like (she came back with something leafy but not even close.) 

Taro looks like Elephant ears and the edible bulbous root is always found in wet areas. A simple check of Fijian Flora and Fauna on Wikipedia before leaving home is something every player should be doing.

[ProfCrash]

I understand Jackson’s choice to not discuss or tell people about his diagnosis.  A part of me knows that my choice to not continue my treatment for ADHD is because I don’t want to deal with the extra steps and interviews with my security reviews for work. There is extra paper work and the investigators always seem to think you are hiding something and keep asking for the same information in 18 different ways. It makes you feel like crap and it is hard to buy the idea that it is ok to see someone and keep your job. For the record, there are few people who know me who don’t know that I have ADHD and have been treated for depression. I talk about it but they are also more “mainstream” mental illness. Still, some peoples responses are crazy.

I also don’t need to take my medication to do my job and enjoy my life. I know that there is a difference when I take medication and when I don’t but the difference has not impacted relationships, my job, or my health. I took it when I needed to and weened myself off when I thought I didn’t need it. You don’t always need meds. So I get that.

My only issue with Jackson is that he didn’t tell Production. That jeopardized, and in the end led to his being pulled, from the show. Was he worried he wouldn’t be cast because of whatever the mental illness? Only he knows. What we all know is his not telling Production led to his being removed and cost someone else a spot. 

If the end result is that we are talking about how people should be able to discuss mental health issues and medication openly without reprisal, then good. People need to be more understanding of invisible illnesses. People shouldn’t be worried about jobs and social life because they are honest with their mental health. 

[watch2much]

1 hour ago, simplyme said:

Folks, please stop assuming what Jackson was taking lithium for. Unless you are his doctor you don't know all the details of his medical past, so assuming he was telling "half-truths" or that he must really be on it for another reason is, well, bogus. (Apologies for how preachy this sounds on re-read, but I can't figure how to rephrase it. Sorry.)

Yes, lithium is occasionally used for depression, anxiety, and as a sleep aid. It does have to be prescribed by and its use carefully monitored by a doctor.

I don't mean to pick on the poster (and they certainly aren't alone), but based on one article someone linked to earlier in this thread, Jackson was afraid to list lithium on his application because so many people assume it is for bipolar disorder and he feared the stigma. This is rather proving his point.

Jackson's explanation of anti-anxiety and sleep aid may be uncommon, but it's certainly not unheard of. I don't really feel he should need to give the public his personal medical history simply because he took one medication that people know primarily for something else.

well, all I can say is that as a board certified psychiatric pharmacist with over 30 years experience, I have never seen it prescribed for anything but bipolar but maybe elsewhere it is. however, the manic phase of bipolar causes anxiety and inability to sleep, so saying that's what one is taking it for would not be untrue.  It's just not a first line drug for a patient complaining of anxiety and sleep problems, because the therapeutic level is close to toxic level and anything that causes dehydration can quickly make someone toxic. many famous people are bipolar, Jane Pauley, TedTurner, Mariah Carey to name a few. 

I don't cast aspersions on Jackson's character for his mental state or how he wants to portray it.  However,  he's a healthcare worker and his wife is a nurse.  he should have know the problems with lithium...and apparently did since he decided to fess up to it right before going.  I get it.  he wanted to  play survivor, but if there was any environment less harmful for a person taking lithium, I don't know what it would be.

[Lantern7]

I forgot one good bit about new seasons . . . Erik Reichenbach riffing off episodes. Here’s what he put out for the premiere.

ETA: Natch, I can’t get the link embedded. Here’s the recap; truth be told, I don’t read those. I just look for Erik’s stuff.

Edited March 12, 2022 by Lantern7

[simplyme]

5 hours ago, watch2much said:

well, all I can say is that as a board certified psychiatric pharmacist with over 30 years experience, I have never seen it prescribed for anything but bipolar but maybe elsewhere it is. however, the manic phase of bipolar causes anxiety and inability to sleep, so saying that's what one is taking it for would not be untrue. 

My understanding is that it is occasionally prescribed for intense depressions with sleep deprivation, particularly in cases like Jackson described (averaging 2-3 hours a night for an extended period of time), often after numerous other sleep aids and medications have been tried and failed.

I know a few people who were on lithium at various points. As you said, they were for bipolar disorder except for one that was for depression and sleep issues. (That was in Pennsylvania.) That's why this is so believable to me. And probably why I'm being such a pain that Jackson not be pigeonholed. 😝

5 hours ago, ProfCrash said:

If the end result is that we are talking about how people should be able to discuss mental health issues and medication openly without reprisal, then good. People need to be more understanding of invisible illnesses. People shouldn’t be worried about jobs and social life because they are honest with their mental health. 

I can't find a "Woot, Woot!" hands-in-the-air emoticon, but this deserves it.

Edited March 13, 2022 by simplyme
Added PA

[eel21788]

9 hours ago, watch2much said:

 many famous people are bipolar, Jane Pauley, TedTurner, Mariah Carey to name a few. 

Patty Duke

[Nashville]

14 hours ago, simplyme said:

This exchange made me laugh out loud. I'm apparently a terrible person. Thank you both.

Getting a laugh is 90% of my reason for doing anything on these boards, so - cool.  😆

[Sarahsmile416]

On 3/10/2022 at 8:46 AM, meatball77 said:

I was thinking the mental breakdown of Kathy on Fans vs Favorites that they didn't want.

I was thinking more of Shane and quitting cigarettes cold turkey, but maybe not the best example 

[Whimsy]

The episode threads are for talking about this episode ONLY. Posting links to sites about lithium, and other off-topic posts about lithium and mental health are not on topic- Unless it’s specifically related to what was shown on the screen.  Further off-topic posts will be removed.