Now hear this...we are going to write a pamphlet to retrain doctors how to deal with their bipolar patients.

1. Don't call us "mentally ill." Ill is synonymous with sick and we are not sick in the colloquial version of the term. (eg., You're sick. You need to get some help, you freak.) People use "sick" or "ill" as a term to belittle us when we're feeling uncomfortable in our own skin and truly want to feel better.

2. Don't assume we don't know what you're talking about. Most of us know all of the psychotropic medications better than you do, unless we are recently diagnosed. We know SSRIs, SSNRIs, atypical anti-depressants, anti-psychotics, anti-epilepsy, mood stabilizers, etc. We also typically know what kinds of drugs work for us (or might work for us) and what kinds don't based on extensive previous experience.

3. We know our body better than you do. Just because the drug fact sheet says most people get drowsy so prescribe dose to be taken in evening doesn't mean it might not make some of us hyper or even manic.

4. LISTEN!! I cannot emphasize that enough. If we're having a bad reaction to a drug, don't tell us to wait. Either change the dose, take us off of it, and/or replace it with something else.

Your turn someone else.