I hate that term. I much prefer the older term, manic depressive. I haven't heard any manic depressive jokes going around, but Bipolar, ha! there are dozens of them. the word is used too much to describe obvious non bipolar people. anytime someone gets emotional... it's "don't be bipolar, man"...

But no one screws with the term manic depressive. Maybe that's cuz no one will put down a person who is depressed? it's kinda like the old military combat condition that used to be called 'shell shock'. Now that's a blunt name for a condition. It held meaning. SHELL SHOCK! It portrays a serious condition! But now, now it's been wussified down to ptsd. a phrase that is easily thrown around with no real BAM behind it.

Now, I know that PTSD is much more than a condition that is caused by military combat. I bet even some of the members here have it for trauma... but that's exactly my point. Shell shock has been so generalized that it has just disappeared. I feel that my condition is being generalized by being called bipolar that it too will just disappear, and any understanding of it along with it.

Bipolar carries with it a stigma, and a huge one. But Manic Depressive? That carries a strong meaning with it, something portrayed as serious and needing research to understand. The name Bipolar has turned into a joke with society, meaning moody.

ugh... vent over