Now I’m not saying EVERYONE feels embarrassed or ashamed about having bipolar. And seriously, wouldn’t it be awesome if one day NOBODY felt that way? I know that would be my ideal world!
However, if I had to take a wild guess, I’d say there are good percentage of us who have felt this way at some point in time during our illness. I know I did when I first found out I was bipolar. (As I explained in detail earlier this week … click here if you didn’t get a chance to read it.)
But what I really want to know is why YOU feel/felt this way. Is it one tiny reason, or a big fat bulk of complication? Have you been able to over come it? Do you think you ever will? Do you want to?
OR
Have you always been accepting of your illness? Did you just say, “Meh” as you shrugged your shoulders after you were diagnosed? If so, how!?!!? Share the wisdom, yo!
Do you have a question that needs answering? Click here to submit...
Shari
March 5, 2011
4:57 pm
I guess I always have been ashamed because I can’t control what happens to me when it’s out of control. My behavior is odd. And, plain and simple, mental illness has a stigma and they think you are nuts a lot of the time. Plus, people don’t really understand it.
Am I ashamed now? Nope and I tell people freely. I could care less what they think. My illness is no different than the next door neighbor’s diabetes diagnosis. So I share and write and move on.
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Marybeth
March 5, 2011
4:59 pm
Shari, If I could like your comment (like on facebook) I totally would like 5 times! Well said
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Rod
March 5, 2011
5:13 pm
fear that my family would look down on me as a failure
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Marybeth
March 5, 2011
5:16 pm
Failure is like a cuss word to me. So I totally understand that. However, you can’t be a failure at something like an illness. ACTUALLY, I bet you totally succeed at the bipolar thing! (That was a bad joke wasn’t it…yeah…I do that sometimes) Regardless… your family better think you’re awesome or I’ll come kick their butts! (I’ll do it … I Um….KINDA know ninja moves … I mean I did watch the Karate Kid…)
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Courtney
March 8, 2011
2:58 pm
I feel weak. People always say that depression is just a “state of mind”, and you just need to pull yourself out of it. I can’t do that without medicine…and when I hear people telling someone to “ditch” their SO because they’re bipolar, I wonder if its best to just let my boyfriend go. My family largely denies anything is wrong, so I don’t have much support except for him, but I don’t want to be a lifelong burden.
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Delontae
April 1, 2011
6:30 am
I look back on my life now only to point out signs of my being bipolar. I was recently diagnosed and currently receiving medication and therapy. When I first discovered I was bipolar I was excited because finally I was right, nothing was wrong with me rather SOMETHING was wrong with me. It put my life in clarity. Not having friends growing up, moving from group to group, intellectually brilliant when I needed to be, disruptive when I shouldn’t be. I was a social outcast and yet I’ve always been articulate and great in front of people. Now here I am embarrassed not for being bipolar but for allowing myself to be controlled by a disease for much of my life. I’ve lost friends, had a medical absence from college this year, etc etc. I’m embarrassed because I’ve always felt stronger then this…my moods spin and I see it, and it would appear I could do nothing about it. The more I read into bipolar the more alarmed I am about the challenges I face. Will I love you today, will I regain concentration for school, will I once again find friends, will I be apart of this world? All of this scares me because my entire life has been for these moments of finding myself, completing college, finding a great girl, and just paving the way for the man I know I’m can be. So yes I am ashamed that my life is in a slump but I understand why and that’s a great start. I do with that people would inform themselves about bipolar if they truly care for me. It’s eerie how identical personal bipolar experiences are, makes me feel normal.
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