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.

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BP or personality flaws

sossie
sossie
Things you don't like about yourself, do you attribute them to being BP or do you think they are just personality flaws?

Everybody on the planet has flaws in their personality, inability to deal with a certain problem, or even react in a way that isn't the best.

So at what point do we look at the things we do and see them as the illness or something flawed with us and is something we change.

It seems that most people want to point the finger to the illness when in fact it isn't that, it is just who they would be whether they had BP or not.

This kid I know doesn't have BP but instead has aspergers. I know that a lot of what is wrong with him is the aspergers, but he is extremely nosy and asks a lot of questions. His grandma who raises him and his mother are the same way and they don't have aspergers. I told my dad that is just his personality, if he didn't have that issue then he would still be nosy and ask way to many questions.

Thoughts?
deleted_user
deleted_user
It is hard to define exactly. If I were to judge myself, I see that there is a fine line between my disorder and just life itself. I have told people about my disorder for who now, they attribute all I do to my disorder.
The kid with the disoreder you describe is just plain nosy I feel. His parents lack boundaries and this may be the perfect opportunity for you to tell them so.
Boundaries. I am learning all about them now. We have to protect our space.
deleted_user
deleted_user
It's all about behavior and things we need to change with in ourselves
deleted_user
deleted_user
the only things i can blame on my illness is my depression, it's taken me a long time to accept that it's not my fault that i get depressed it's just chemicals, and its not a flaw within me, i can't help it. but other faults about me, such as my impatience, snappiness, stubbornness and criticalness, etc and laods more, are just me and thats just who i am and who i always will be unless i want to change it, i'm not hurting anyone if i put my toe out of line i will surely pull it back in quickly enough. i hope. :D x
sossie
sossie
I feel the same way William. I think that majority of our actions are things we do because we are imperfect. I am not saying this for everyone, because I know that there are some that suffer from psychosis and hallucinations.

I have issues with being bitchy and sometimes down right hateful. I know that this isn't BP related but just a serious flaw that needs to be corrected.
deleted_user
deleted_user
Interesting question always....It is hard to distinguish for me. I do know it is a chemical imbalance that affects my behavior at times. To improve my odds of more balanced behavior I use the tools available to me like meds and therapy.

This does not mean I don't take responsibility for my actions. If I mess up, bp or not, I need to make amends with whatever is appropriate whether it be an apology or better coping skills etc. to prevent said behavior in the future.

We do the best we can with what we know at the time. When we know better, we do better.
aprilraven
aprilraven
I see what you're saying and agree. I think you know the difference if you're always that way or if you're only that way when you're up/down. In my opinion, the first is your personality and the second is your bp.
deleted_user
deleted_user
Again with the external/internal self-evaluation on my part, lol - it doesn't Always explain things, but since I have now experienced both mania and depression in a White-room setting, I have No doubts about that;

However, many "symptoms" I can also chalk up to - as you say - simple personality "aberrations".

:?
Community LeaderSunCloudJD
SunCloudJD
I think if it's BP then it's when we're cycling one way or another... be it simply the disorder or situational... I also believe we can have things in place to work on what is wrong... much of what I see on here at times is personality..x
sossie
sossie
yeah jan a lot of what I see on here is the personality. I wasn't talking about anybody here, well expect for me.
DivineSilence
DivineSilence
If it is with me all the time then it is inherent in my personality... if it is behavior or thought patterns that only appear when manic (or depressed) then it is the Bipolar.
deleted_user
deleted_user
I love blaming all my personality faults on bipolar disorder, and my alcoholism (of course). It is the perfect scape goat.
deleted_user
deleted_user
Keeping my mouth shut as have talked til I am blue (like smurf) in the face about this but we shall be discussing this once again on the way home as just came up with another point to prove my point - God please let my coherency last a few more hours
Community LeaderSunCloudJD
SunCloudJD
What's up Weeds... are you okay sweetie??.. myself as well Soss lol..x
olenka1
olenka1
I know that if I'm a certain way a majority of the time then it's just my personality. If I'm behaving or thinking in a different way to that majority then it's bp.
veryblue
veryblue
they had me in a group therapy( srt- social rhythm therapy ) that was to help you define what was you and what was bp but I stopped after 3 months I didn't see the point at the time ,one guy who finished committed suicide I'm sorry to say
most people stopped before 6 weeks
looking back it might help determine when you need a med tweek but that's about it I think
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