How to respond to jerk that says I'm not bipolar

Well, I got sort of attacked. A friend of my fiances said that I wasn't bipolar because I wasn't depressed for long periods or manic for long periods of time, it was something else because my mood changes quicker than that.

I mean he was VERY persistent, saying my doc was stupid and I should quit my meds, that I should know deep down inside I wasn't bipolar. This man admits he bases this on one psych class he took in college.

I told my caseworker that someone said I wasn't bipolar and he immediately said I was rapid cycling with psychosis. He reassured me I was diagnosed right and was on the right meds.

Anyway, how do I approach this man again? I was told he thinks he is right all thew time and doesn't accept when someone says he is wrong.

I agree with Pfrog. You can also caustically suggest to the gentleman to use his knowledge in making decisions for his own sake and stay clear of you. Finally, you can ask him if he has ever covered in his one class what rapid cycling BP is, and if not, send him back to get more coursework under his belt. But seriously, I agree with Pfrog.

Not all bipolars are the same. WE don't just fall into line with the criteria in whichever book they are looking at. If you need to interact with him again on this subject, tell him that what he has studied sounds like the "classic form" of bipolar and that if he is interested in really learning about it, he should look for information regarding the bipolar spectrum. Some people get it in there heads it can only be one way when we all know it is far from the truth.

Ask him if he has a doctorate next time and then tell him to mind his own business! Hugs

amen to that!

I can't really ignore him, he is also my landlady's boyfriend, we got a deal on this house from them because he is my fiance's friend.

I've argued with him on stuff before too, like when he was telling us that diabetics can't eat fruit at all, which is not true according to what I read later.

Take pegasus' advice, then change the subject. People like him should be given minimal opportunity to voice their 'strong opinions' for obvious reasons AND (they're arseholes)

Ughh I hate it when people say that kind of ****, they think they have a clue when really they're being hurtful. I once worked up the guts to tell my friend about my BPII dx, and she laughed and said , "No, you are not BP, BP people are like *really crazy*". It was so hurtful, so I did just like Pegasus and Trippin say, I changed the subject (which was fairly easy because she really does prefer to talk about herself).

If you get into it with this guy again, you could tell him he's being hurtful, because he may have no idea about that and he wants to be a know it all.

Anyway we are here to support you!

There is nothing more dangerous than a little knowledge.

Frankly, this turd isn't worth the anxiety he causes you, I don't care who he is. His word isn't the Gospel, especially since he knows so little about any of this. Try to avoid him as much as possible, but when you can't, don't let him push your buttons. He does that because he's as emotionally mature as a third-grade playground bully---he's waiting for you to react.

Believe me, he doesn't deserve to rent whatever free space is left in your head after dealing with your schizoaffective-bipolar combination....Next time he tries to start an argument, consider the source and walk away. Eventually he'll get the hint and move on to easier prey.

5 year olds comments (like your fiancee's friend) are met with five year old responses.

Your dr.'s stupid, is a 5 year old comment. It would be met with "No, your doctor's stupid!" and walk away. usually it disarms people and they drop the subject. Try it if anything their reaction is comic relief.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!

You really can't change the mind of people like that. Don't aggravate yourself trying to convince him otherwise. Who cares what he thinks. Really. In the grand scheme of things, he's just a misinformed person who is argumentative. So he doesn't believe your diagnosis is correct; don't give him the satisfaction of thinking you care what he thinks. Whenever I run into someone like that, I usually just smile and say "You could be right," then change the topic. I'm not saying they ARE right (and in my head I'm probably thinking they are an idiot) but they can be smug and all proud of themselves and move on to something else. It's hard for them to argue if they think they've "won."

Smile.

I've dealt with it too but, for other reasons. Superficially, I have a decent life. I function, work full time, educated, married...whatever. I told someone who doesn't know me well about the diagnosis because it just happpened to come up in conversation.

Well, I was told off because this person used to volunteer in a group home set up for those with severe mental health issues. Bipolar disorder is "serious" and people "actually" take medication for it. Really serious? They do take meds? Where can I get some of that?????

First, I responded by telling this person not all "mentally ill" people are disabled. Then I was called ignorant.

What?!

Just ignore him. It's a shame that he is so opinionated; it would be great to educate someone about ultra rapid cycling, but he doesn't sound as if he would be receptive. Ultra-rapid cycling is a real form of bipolar, but it hasn't made its way into the intro psych texts yet.

My gynecologist refuses to believe that I'm bipolar. It's because she also treats my mom, who is in deep denial over my dx. When I went to see the doc after I was diagnosed, she ordered a thyroid test and told me that lots of people have "difficulty adjusting to college life" and that that doesn't make me bipolar. Funny how I've had symptoms seven years before starting college...grr..

Cocoa, I can really relate! Sometimes being "high-functioning" (I'm still not high functioning by my standards, regardless of what anyone else says) can be a curse. No one believes that you are in pain if you manage to look fine on the outside.

YES! I know all too well that the downfall of being high functioning is people don't believe you suffer. Sometimes I wished I would just crack wide open, so that someone would notice, and take me seriously. People think bp automatically means constant emotional lunacy.

I HATE these words, HIGH FUNCTIONING!!!

LOL yeah good answer! 5 yr old is right. One time my nephew was walking RIGHT BEHIND ME when I leaned over to get something off the steps leading upstairs at mom's, and he said, "Auntie Hankster, you have a chubby butt!" He was just telling the truth about what was staring him right in the face, right? I said, "Oh, uh... thank you for sharing that with me!" Another good 5 yr old's answer.

You could also point out to him that he is out of date with his (certainly rusty) one course. Tell him to go read up on stuff.

Laugh hysterically and walk away.

love this idea!

Actually the funny part is he claims that he himself is bipolar but he doesn't take meds because he always sees the glass half full and can get through it. But this his own diagnosis, lol.

You don't

why do people feel need to talk their health (physical and mental) with laypeople and are suprised that they don't understand...

I mean, no offense, but if you get into such topics... you are gonna hear stupid things you don't want to hear. So either don't discuss, or don't care. You don't need to educate people about your condition.

(i think this goes to any topics in general... many things you simply don't have to discuss, if it's creating more ill feelings than it is helping).