Bipolar Disorder Support Group
Bipolar disorder is not just a single disorder, but a category of mood disorders marked by periods of abnormally high energy and euphoria, often accompanied by bouts of clinical depression. This is the place to talk about your experience with bipolar disorder, learn from others' experiences, and find support.
Shame. I always feel a great deal of shame and guilt from this disease. You can be tried, convicted, and punished without accepting the underlying sin. But shame, that is altogether different, you must accept that sin. I read that others that are of the opinion that there is no shame in bipolar. But I lie here still inconvenienced, I will do these actions again. I know this, how can I not feel remorse for the future acts that I will commit. Most of my mania actions are benign and rather stupid; some are not.
The counter-argument is like a heart condition you should be held blameless for your next heart attack because this is out of control and you are seeking help from a cardiac surgeon. Mania requires volution in my mind. I may be careless with the consequences, but this is still me acting within my agency to commit these acts. Should I not be held liable? And with that liability and my foreknowledge of committing future acts, should not feel shame? Liability and criminality may follow in the future if I can't find a way to break this cycle.
So the question - can I escape my shame?
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Hey All...I hope that you have a lovely, peaceful beginning of your weekI have a bunch of chores that need doing but may put them off til tomorrow and just hang out with my landlord/roomie todayWhat about you?...Anything special going on?Have a great day and take good care of you!!..Xo
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Once again I've had a fever today. I'm not going to the hospital because that's a huge waste of time but I did schedule a dr appointment for Wednesday afternoon.
It’s just something we learn to live with
Maybe my road includes the burden of guilt and shame.
BiPolar Disorder or any form of Mental Illness is a Disease just like any Medical Illness, its a Chemical Imbalance in the Brain, you have no control, no more control than the Heart Condition you reference....you have nothing to be guilty of or have shame for. Treating your symptoms, seeing your Dr.'s, managing your BiPolar, learning coping skills is working towards Stability and decreasing future Episodes....you don't know what the future brings and you don't load guilt and shame on yourself for future acts you don't even know will happen.
Like Kisses I'm a former cutter also, I also have several suicide attempts to my credit. 10 years of Stability, I don't dread over what in the past, if I did I'd never leave my bed....I look toward the future and focus on the present.
I'm not ashamed of the scars I have, I do wear them like battle wounds and I don't really care what other people think. I don't feel any shame or guilt over them or my 30 years of being BiPolar and the journey it's put me through....I've worked too hard, too long for that.
At some point you have to make a choice to be okay with the fact that you live with this Disease, that you deal with symptoms of it and that you're doing what you can to manage it. Nobodies road includes guilt and shame....that's what you were shown in a very inaccurate and stigmatized Military world.
I truly believe that if you work with your therapist on stopping the stigma it can be a wonderful gift to you thus also be a wonderful gift to those who love you
Feeling guilt and shame all of the time is toxic and will only hold you back from finding stability
Trying to 'not' have this illness/disorder because of stigma will never serve you well because you do have it
The greatest gift I gave myself was to embrace having BP because it lead me to educating myself.... finding out all that I believe I needed to in order to help myself...…
Reading, journaling, gratitude, prayer, exercise etc
working with it instead of against it with my healthcare professionals
Peer support was one of the greatest things because these people really got it and some had, had the disorder for a long time
Look up peer support in your area
We have a treatable disorder.... we may get sick from time to time..... I, for the most part know now when I'm having symptoms before they get too bad
You could really be a positive roll model for others who may suffer after you ya know.....Others who want to treat themselves badly or feel self hatred due to having an illness is a terrible feeling to have as you know
Big hug Thor.... I would work on the stigma and maybe fake it til you make it
When a friend of mine starts ruminating she says aloud "I'll take a blessing from the universe instead'..... and she says it till she stops the thought
A mindfulness class may really help you as well and they're often not very expensive....xo
Looked for a peer group in my area and nothing for 50 miles.