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.
I was rather stupid this morning and judged my nephew and the family with our problems and I had to delete a post on FB.
My questions in two separate parts::
How do we avoid the shame that society gives us about mental illness and how do we keep an open mind?
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IN GENERAL: What is the key to open mindedness?
I would appreciate some non-troll very intelligent folks to answer these questions and provoke some thought to help me become a bit more enlightened.
Thanks.
My questions in two separate parts::
How do we avoid the shame that society gives us about mental illness and how do we keep an open mind?
____________________________________________________
IN GENERAL: What is the key to open mindedness?
I would appreciate some non-troll very intelligent folks to answer these questions and provoke some thought to help me become a bit more enlightened.
Thanks.
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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.
I think it can be easier to get angry sometimes on social networks because we don't actually see a person... I don't get into any really deep discussions on FB ... I would just maybe make a pact with yourself that if you have anything to say to a person in an angry way it won't be online... I think if you actually talk to the person it will often be de escalated as once tone of voice and the actual discussion is going on there may not be any reason to be upset
I'm too old to care about what society in general thinks about mental illness... "If you don't happen to like me pass me by"...xo
By not accepting that shame. Shame is not something you can really give to someone. You can try and shame me but if I don't accept that "gift" then I am not shamed.
What is "society"? I guess it's just the concensus. If the 25% of people who have or have had MI reject that shame then that shame evapourates. You then only have to convince 3 other people each and the whole of society is transformed.
"how do we keep an open mind? "
That is not something that can be taught. Only learnt by experience or by having your beleifs constantly challenged.
Maybe a starting point would be not to try and dictate who and in what terms people reply.
Maybe someone who is "stupid" has a good answer.
Maybe a troll has wise words.
Yes, the public needs to be more aware....but while they are Not, we're just going to Have to pick up the ball and do the best we Can with it.
There are times in the life of a bipolar when we Cannot think clearly enough to forgive ourselves, or the other person(s), etc when things happen. We cannot seem to Think about options of better behavior on our part in those moments....but we Can think about them, "some of the time".
So here we are, having made a bad situation worse by having problem families in the first place, then mouthing off about it in public.
(1) Now we have a chance to Recognize that other, non-bipolar people do that Too, and so it's Not just about the illness. Even though people may Say it is. (because other people DO mouth off about everything and think with their butts)
(2) And what we have done might have been Really rude, or thoughtless, but it's NOT unforgivable. Even though people may Say it is.
So guess what? We now have two Very good reasons to forgive Ourselves. That's a start.
(3) Then, we have a chance to recognize that we feel a LOT better when we forgive other people. And don't hold On to the stupid things they do.
All the blame and anger we carry around when we are mad at other people is Heavy, and tiring, and make our hair fall out, and our skin wrinkle, etc etc (seriously) So it's Healthier to say, "Well, damn. I screwed That up, and so did They, and, well, I'll just go have a cookie and a run in the park and a good cry and as soon as I've calmed down I'll Forgive them so I won't be so miserable about it."
Huggggs - I hope you can find some way not to Let this drag you down; it only sucks for a while - I promise.