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.
Has anyone else noticed that once your diagnosis of BP is known suddenly everyone is diagnosing themselves with the same thing? It's a strange thing to want to be...
I was diagnosed bipolar 12 years ago and this has happened over and over, especially with family members. It especially happens whenever something bad or unpleasant occurs. A family member will become upset, which is to be expected, but then start insisting that they must have bipolar as well. It's as if they want some big explanation, something outside of their control, to blame when things don't go their way or they make a mistake.
I don't get it. There are one or two family members that I've seriously wondered about, but ironically, they're never the ones staking a claim on BP.
I mean, I could be wrong. Some may very well share my disorder, but I kinda doubt it. They may have other issues, no denying that, but their actions and personalities aren't consistent with BP. It seems like they want an excuse or, even worse, a reason to be medicated (pill addiction is a big problem in my area).
Is it really so terrible to just be unhappy or to occasionally screw up? I think they misunderstand what it's like to be bipolar. Having a mental disorder doesn't get you "off the hook" when you make a mistake, at least I don't think it does. I accept responsibility for my actions, even when I was a big ol' whack-a-doodle doing crazy shit. And my meds don't get me high or make me forget my woes.
Why would you want to be mentally ill?
I was diagnosed bipolar 12 years ago and this has happened over and over, especially with family members. It especially happens whenever something bad or unpleasant occurs. A family member will become upset, which is to be expected, but then start insisting that they must have bipolar as well. It's as if they want some big explanation, something outside of their control, to blame when things don't go their way or they make a mistake.
I don't get it. There are one or two family members that I've seriously wondered about, but ironically, they're never the ones staking a claim on BP.
I mean, I could be wrong. Some may very well share my disorder, but I kinda doubt it. They may have other issues, no denying that, but their actions and personalities aren't consistent with BP. It seems like they want an excuse or, even worse, a reason to be medicated (pill addiction is a big problem in my area).
Is it really so terrible to just be unhappy or to occasionally screw up? I think they misunderstand what it's like to be bipolar. Having a mental disorder doesn't get you "off the hook" when you make a mistake, at least I don't think it does. I accept responsibility for my actions, even when I was a big ol' whack-a-doodle doing crazy shit. And my meds don't get me high or make me forget my woes.
Why would you want to be mentally ill?
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I find myself going places in the car and not wanting to get out of the car. I come back home and I don't want to get out of the car. I think it's the only time I spend reflecting. Chronic tiredness from Long Covid plus the immunosupressing meds for my Crohn's is slowing me down but everything just seems a massive effort. I am dealing with the paperwork following my father's death but it's not...
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Wow, it's the middle of the week already!Today is our 11 year anniversary, so we're going out to a nice dinner. I'm losing a lot of sleep these days, hence a wonky schedule and uncomfortable feelings. But I know it will pass, eventually.I hope all of you have a peaceful day, and may good things come your way!
I'm sorry. I think that's really sad.
I don't have friends that favor that diagnosis for themselves either. But, I do know of people, hear of people, that seem to jump at the chance to have BP for a diagnosis. I think it is possible that they are struggling with something and they just can quite place what is causing it. Many people, even those of us with BP, have learned behaviors or personality traits that tend to be conflicting in our lives. We think that the easiest way to accept it is to give it a name hoping that will solve a problem of some kind. They don't realize that having the diagnosis doesn't solve a problem, it means working harder to find coping skills and having the courage to open ourselves up to finding "who we really are" so we can live with the disorder and distinguish the differences.
I think it is unfortunate for those who seek the diagnosis for an answer.....if they only "really" knew the difficulties we face that have become a part of our entire lives, they would realize that we would give anything just to have what they are seeking answers for.
xo
"everyone has their ups and downs, if you think you are secretly an Chilean undercover agent trying to steal secrets from the Argentinians by looking for coded messages on Fray Bentos corned beef tines come back to me."
" You definately aren't" or "You definately are"
" I'm sure you can just think your way out of it if you really tried"
"Wanna try my meds?"
I just read a really great article somewhere about someone living with bipolar asking why she can't just be a 'normal' bipolar person and not expected to be an extraordinary genius of some sort. As she said in the article, this illness SUCKS. It's terrible to go through and I wouldn't wish it on anyone.
http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/5393259?utm_hp_ref=tw
Can someone fix this link if it doesn't work?
I actually didn't realize that BP has been in the spotlight in the media. TV shows are glorifying it? .... ok..... and being bipolar suggests being a genius and/or cool? Wish I had known that in high school!! Damn, missed out on that golden ticket! People just thought I was weird lol.
Seriously though, I think my family is just a tad messed up (and by family I'm including extended family members like cousins and such). BP isn't the only diagnosis that flies around. Any illness, be it mental or physical, is apparently contagious... It's pointless to argue really. People believe what they want to believe, even if there isn't a shred of logic or evidence to back them up. For the most part I can ignore these bold and often ridiculous claims, but when it comes to BP I get irritated and sucked into the drama like an idiot.
Oy.
I was constantly told there was "nothing wrong" with me, growing up. If I had gotten help as a teen, sh*t wouldn't have hit the fan as hard as it did in my early 20's - I was dx'd 13 years ago and STILL my parents have issues.
I was adopted and when I met my biological dad's side of the family, holy crap, EVERYONE is. I'm not exaggerating. I think there are like 2 normal siblings and 4 normal cousins. Everyone is nuts. It's sort of like coming home. LOL.
But I hate it when regular people who are having problems decide they're BP because they were sad for an hour and then happy an hour later. Often I get so angry I have to leave the conversation. Like, you have no idea the hell I go through ALL THE TIME. Mom was having dental problems and said she was sooooo depressed over it. It was all I could do not to slap her and say, I should be sympathetic to you? Suck it up like you told me to do for ten years!