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venusss · Mar 13, 2012, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AniManiac

Yep. I agree.

When I refer to people with bipolar disorder in general, I try to nearly always say "people with bipolar" or "people who have bipolar" in deference to those who'd take offense if I say "bipolars" (which for the purposes of writing is just more concise and to the point, but whatever.)

In my experience the people who prefer "have" are much more uptight about the whole thing. That's just a general observation and could be off, however. No offense intended to anyone here.

well, I think it largerly depends on the context.

I hate when people say "bipolars do this and that" as if we had the same computer program installed into us. It is as offensive as saying "Black do this and Jews do that", because it is dehumanizing and stereotyping.

But for a person, their background is part of their identity and not really in negative way. After all, even though we don't say "I am cancer" (but maybe in some language this expression actually exists, not sure), having cancer forms your experience and impacts you profoundly.

Bit OT... but I never understood why some people get offended to question "what are you depressed about?" and argument that you don't ask people "what are you diabetic about". But what shall then we say to a "I am depresed"?. If I told my friend I am depressed and they instead of asking why started to babbling about serotine and dopamine and neurons, I'd smack them (my friend who is a psychology student actually once did this, but well, I am sympathetic to professional deformation...).