I was given the advice by someone who has had bipolar longer than me "Don't make a career our of apologizing - rather reaffirm your love".

In other words, you don't need to be always saying sorry, as all that does it put you down and make you feel lousy about yourself. Having said that, if it is a big thing that you have done and it deserves an apology, then I think one should apologize. But its all to easy to start saying sorry for all the small stuff we do each day. It can get to the point where you are saying sorry more than anything else to a person. "Sorry I didn't talk to you for longer, sorry I wasn't listening properly, sorry that I seemed to ignore you....." If I have done something clearly wrong, like loose my cool, swear, or otherwise be rude, and I would expect someone else to apologize if the roles were reversed, then I apologize. It's the right thing to do.

But for all the smaller stuff which can be put down to a bad day or a potential misunderstanding, saying sorry all the time can really have a bad effect on your own self confidence and make you feel like shutting yourself up indoors in apadded cell. Thats when I try to not always be saying sorry. Rather, when you can, especially if you care about the person you may have offended, or the person is a constant in your life, re confirm your love for that person by telling them how much you appreciate their patience or understanding, or how much you love them being in your life. Let them know you know you appreciate them putting up with when you are, well being bipolar you. Build them up, and that builds you up at the same time.

For me,I thought it was good advice. Saying sorry for putting your foot in it once and a while is like expecting someone with a broken leg to say sorry for not being able to walk properly - you wouldnt expect them to, its unreasonable. But for some reason, with the stigmas that go along with mental illness, comes the need for acceptance, and I think that is the reason why we are sometimes too quick to say sorry, becuase at times its more about being accepted than needing to say sorry for the small insignificant thing we have done