Bipolar Support Group

* typo,"!" should be a ?

I feel/think there is still a lot of stigma, misunderstanding and ignorance from much of the world when it comes to mental illness. I think this is improving but it still has a ways to go.

Anyway when I was younger-especially when I was in highschool I triend to hide my disease, I thought of it at some sort of horrible thing and that I should be ashamed of it-I know that might sound irrational but that's how I thought at the time. Now I still don't tell everyone but I have told some friends. I've never told an employer-I don't want sympathy, pity or special treatment. When I told the friends I have told so far none of them really cared, they already knew I was different and they hung out with me any way-many of us aren't considered "normal" so it didn't surprise them to much.

Still, I don't feel comfortable telling everyone-definately not right away-I know some people will see me differently if they know I'm bipolar-I wouldn't blame them but I would prefer to avoid that situation.

Post edited by: Medic8719, at: 11/02/2010 12:26 AM

I hide it sometimes, I've only told my closest family members and my best friend, I did tell my husband when we first met though. I feel that people who do not know me very well don't need to know. That's one of the intimate parts of me that I only share with people I trust.

More people in my department know than people in my extended family. It's the psychology department, so I think it's somewhat of a different scenario. It doesn't change how they act towards me, unless you count them asking which psychiatrist in town would be best for them, a friend, or a loved one.

I don't hide it but I downplay my symptoms a bit. I haven't told any of my friends about my diagnosis but I will tell them that I have different energy times. If I am depressed, I will say I am having a low energy day and if I am hypo manic I will say I am having a high energy day. It is just more acceptable that way.

At first I was very 'cagey' about sharing my illness with others, but now that my meds are doing their job I've found that I've become surprisingly open. There are times when it isn't as easy to be so open, of course, but I feel better when people I know are aware of my illness.

Yes I do hide it, and I put people on a need to know basis, if I don't feel you need to know I am not going to tell you. I don't want anyone's pity or anyone to look down on me for what I am and that is Bipolar.

no i dont hide my illiness im me and i feel you like me for me. bipolar and all.

Post edited by: maxie123, at: 11/02/2010 08:03 AM

i normally dont hide it tho there have been times i regreted telling people for u can defentlly tell when people dont understand.a need to know basis is usually best i find.

Majority of the people i know know that i have bipolar. There have been numerous times after ive chosen to reveal this to someone, ive regreted telling them and dwelled and obsessed over it, i don't know why, maybe it was fear of them rejecting me.

There have been other times i chosen not to tell certain people.

It is sad that people can not except Mental Illness as any other illness and that you don't wish to have it. I have found people do treat you very different including medical staff. I f I tell them I just suffer from Depression then that seems to be O.K. and everyone goes through that but if I tell them I am Bipolar then I feel like I get treated like they almost have to be cautious of what I do. I don't know how to explain it but I do feel like I am treated very different. So for me it is eaisier to just say depression. But it is sad that people cannot look to see that this is a condition just like any other condition that can be controlled and does not make you crazy just because it is there!

HopeandFaith