My Support Forums - View Single Post - having a hard time accepting my diagnosis

ultramar · Oct 25, 2013, 09:37 PM

It sounds like you're doing so well, and I'm happy for you!

As far as what happened in the past when you were abroad, as you say, the medication has helped, so try not to worry about it happening again --now that you've had some time stable, you can maybe have more confidence in yourself that you can handle what life throws your way. And going abroad can be such a wonderful experience, I wouldn't give it up.

I think most people do not understand mental illnesses in general, and I don't think bipolar disorder is necessarily so unique in this sense. And those who have been diagnosed with a mental illness are not alone is this misunderstanding either: most people don't know much about diabetes, or what it is like to have it, despite the fact that it's so pervasive (in the U.S.). Those who are not poor likely do not understand very well what it is like to be in this situation. Those who are single may have a hard time understanding what it is like for those who are married with children. And there is stigma all over the place about all kinds of things.

I think like anything else about ourselves and our situations, we choose what to share with others (and which others) depending on various factors: the closeness of the relationship, the trust, if you think they may be supportive, if there's some practical reason at all to share it, etc. Bipolar Disorder certainly isn't the only thing many others don't understand about me. I really don't expect people to. That's why god invented therapists -and also the few trusted others we truly let into our lives and our hearts and souls.

And it might be helpful to not think in terms of forever. Who knows, maybe you'll be able to get off meds one day. Maybe therapy will help you with coping with certain things that will help you with your mood, maybe therapy will help you with ways of thinking of things that will also help you with your mood. You may be able to put this behind you someday --the possibility at least exists.