Bi-Polar Stereotypes

Im sory I don't mean to be ignorant but what she said was really stupid. She obviously doesn't get what bipolar is. Sory this topic hits close to home for me becasue I come from a family who doesn't belive in it unless its to benifit them. I would just sort of talk with her about it.

I told a coworker the other day that I'm bipolar. Her eyes got big, and she took a half step backwards and incredulously asked if I was serious. "I would never have thought that of you," she said, "You seem so normal and down-to earth."

That instant, I regretted telling her, because she obviously did not understand what bipolar really is, and now I feel like she's afraid of me...

Sadly, it isn't the first time that I've gotten that reaction... not at all. I think most people expect a "bipolar" individual to be extremely moody minute-to-minute and prone to fits of rage. How untrue that is... People think I'm "normal" until I mention it to them, and 95% of the time, they're SHOCKED to learn that I'm bipolar because I don't fit the stereotype in their heads.

All mental illnesses are so stigmatized, and unfortunately, I think the only way people come to really understand and appreciate them for what they actually are is if they or someone very close to them is diagnosed and dealing with a mental illness.

I want to continue to be open about it, but I get tired of shocking people. It makes me sad.

Stereotypes really piss me off! I hate when people automatically think that if you're Bipolar you're crazy and capable of anything. I think that the news media helps to fuel this belief. I see some of the stories about people with Bipolar on the news and I get so mad! Do they have to tell that the person who commited a crime is Bipolar? To me, this gives everyone an excuse.

I agree with what you posted Medicated and I'm sorry you had that response from a co-worker. I have been open about my diagnosis at work, and I have found that since I have been back to work I have been treated differently (I was on an 8 month leave in 2007/2008). It is annoying and I often feel sad about it, but I love my career and I won't let some ignorant twits make me give that up!

In some ways I don't blame people for having these ridiculous stereotypes in their head because often all that gets reported in the media is the extreme situations that many of us haven't experienced and/or haven't experience since becoming med compliant, abstaining from drugs, alcohol etc. Most of the time we all just live average lives.

I don't think one needs to be open about their diagnosis to make a difference. One can just speak up when someone makes an inappropriate comment about mental illness. I actually wrote a blog entry about this topic.