Heretic this has always been my bug bear. People first before illness/condition. I have bipolar , should not be I am bipolar. The disability community have a huge people first campaign running for years. My son is a boy with down syndrome he is Not a down syndrome boy!!! Thanks for posting this . A small thing but an important thing to me ( if not to others )

I never really thought of it that way before.

You are right, I never say, I am high blood pressure.

But we always say, I am diabetic.

Will have to think some more on this one.

I'm Bipolar. It's just easier to say. No one else has to call me Bipolar if they don't want to. And I won't call anyone else Bipolar if it offends them.
If I had cancer, it would be appropriate to me to say I am cancerous, but it wouldn't hit my ears right, so I wouldn't.
My son is Autistic. To others, he has autism, with a small 'a'.
I don't offend easy and I try very hard not to offend!!!
How about 'beepers'? Is that offensive?! I think that one sounds kind of cute!!!!

I honestly don't know what I say. I think I say I have but I'm not sure. I may say I am borderline because BPD is a personality disorder, but I don't think I say I am bipolar. I could be totally wrong though because I don't pay attention to things like that.

CarlaBent - I think the term beepers is cute too and find no offense in it. Thanks for helping me to lighten up. Hugs

I am Bi Polar but its not the only thing I am . Its just comes out of my mouth that way doesnt mean anything .

ANd I am a beeper !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I figure I've been Bipolar since my days in the womb...so BP has shaped my perspective and take on life.

So it's easy for me to say
I AM BIPOLAR

I wouldn't presume to speak for anyone else. That said, I have no prejudice against another's right to name themselves as they see fit. I am Bipolar and choose to call myself Bipolar because I cannot change it. The fight is for my lifetime and is incurable.

I have had cancer---and survived. I was uneducated----changed that too. But the Bipolar Disorder is forever.

Everyone chooses.

I'm not Cancer I am an Aquarius.

I am an Aries

God of War...and a master poet of love sonnets
I suppose even my Astrological sign was Bipolar
")

Dancing yes Aries is the Bipolar sign.....)

Maybe I should change my thinking. Maybe I should label myself as an incurable disease. Tell everybody it's what I am - a disease - and let it completely define me. But I know I am not my body - I simply have a body, and the body I have has an illness. The illness is not me.

im me and i have bipolar disorder

what about libra ?

Heretic

No one is disputing what you chose to call yourself..it's merely a label anyway...we each just feel comfortable with what suits our own personality best.

I am
I have
Say what feels best for you.

For me, to say I am, is easier.seems to fit better for me

I know you're right dancingd, it just gets me down, I guess because I get called bipolar, when I'd never get called by the name of another illness.

In my life people are trying to say my illness is who I am and I guess in a small way I am trying to fight against that here, in this forum.

I probably just need a hug *sigh*