[Dos3512]

How did you come to accept your bipolar diagnosis? Im having a really hard time.

[BipolaRNurse]

Originally Posted by Dos3512

How did you come to accept your bipolar diagnosis? Im having a really hard time.

I know all too well how hard it is, and you have all my sympathies.

I fought my own diagnosis tooth and nail, and grieved for months over the loss of the person I'd thought I was. It took a lot of support, prayer, medication, and heartbreak for me to understand that I could try to wish away the diagnosis all I liked, but it didn't change the fact that it was true and it was real and I had to deal with it.

This acceptance will come in time. Take the time you need to allow yourself to mourn, talk to people you trust, and allow events to unfold as they will. It doesn't mean you have to take your illness lying down, or allow it to consume you; indeed, there are many, many things you can do to battle the disorder and regain control over your life. But in the end, it will all work out better after you learn to accept what is, and put away thoughts of what cannot be.

[Setso]

I always knew something was odd about me
Was hoping i was a Jedi, but nah just bilolar.

But life's sure has been interesting like a Jedi! Kinda i guess

Man I really want chocolate
Yeah I'm ADHD too


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[missbelle]

My daughter who is 31 still is not accepting of it. She self medicates with drugs and alcohol. I think she would rather be an alcoholic then bi-polar.......She has read a couple books as a teen but still sees it as maybe a weakness which it definately is not. Sometimes though I wonder if she doesn't seek treatment because her meds would interfere with her drinking. Tis a shame....

Being bi-polar is like being a diabetic or having asthma. Its an illness that is NOT our fault at all. We just get it.......its not a weakness, we can not fix it by ourselves, its not a character defect no more then being a diabetic. When you realize its not your fault, and that its really an illness maybe you will come to accept! Just remember you are not the bi-polar disorder...you simply have a chemical imbalance, and thats it...nothing more!!

You are a vibrant energized human being with tons to give and tons to contribute. You have a life. You are not your bi-polar disorder no more then being diabetic makes them. It is one facet of you, and you are not defined by it.

[BipolaRNurse]

I guess I'm the lucky one here......I'm diabetic, alcoholic, asthmatic, AND bipolar. Sure hope I never need long-term care, 'cause no facility in its right mind will take a look at my diagnoses and actually admit me. LOL!!!

[Eliza Jane]

Originally Posted by Dos3512

How did you come to accept your bipolar diagnosis? Im having a really hard time.

We might be more helpful if you shared what aspects of the diagnosis are hard for you to accept. Do you worry what it means for your future? Do you feel it does fit? Something else?

Best,
EJ

[Rennerenner]

It feels like every day I have moments where I think "I'm just making this up / It's all in my head / I'm just unable to cope with life / I could snap out of it if I stopped thinking about it / I'm reading too much into my emotions and tricking myself, etc.

I don't know, I over think everything, including over thinking things, so I'm constantly doubting and reaffirming and doubting again. :-/

[~Christina]

I don't really worry about accepting " Bipolar" anymore , I stress more over the variety of symptoms I have instead.. But regardless I " try" to stay as positive as possible. Somedays I'm more positive than others is all LOL .

[Blue Poppy]

I have been diagnosed within the last year. As time goes on trying to find the right medication combo, I am becoming increasingly frustrated with the diagnosis. I am questioning it. I felt better on regular anti-depressants. This mood stabilizer makes me feel dull and it is giving me acne. I have to go back on birth control because of the mood stabilizers. It is like a cruel, sick joke.

Sorry for my rant, I am not the right person to talk to today. So angry about this............

[eloquentdisaster]

It took a lot of time for me. It took my family and close friends accepting it, it took a lot of therapy visits, it took seeing my improvement on meds and in therapy... For me the acceptance came gradually. I came to believe I was Bipolar, to trust the mental health professionals, I slowly became able to distinguish me from the symptoms. The last part I still struggle with. I don't know that I will come to a point where I'll just know what is the symptoms and what is me... but it gets easier.
Hang in there.

Time? I think it takes time, like a grieving process, you make some gains, and sometimes a few steps backwards, but eventually you come out on the other side, hopefully.

And acceptance of ones self. Everyone with any illness has to go through this as well, cancer, HIV, auto-immune disease. I think what makes it especially tricky is the stigma attached to it. If you can look past the stigma, and the false messages associated with it about who you are and what it means. Then I think you will find yourself a lot closer to acceptance.

[Victoria'smom]

I've accepted that I have serious problems but I've had a hard time accepting any dx. I think before you accept the dx you have to accept your treatment plan. Which is unique for each of us. Mine involves medication, therapy, exercise and dietary changes. Most of us have several dx's which mean a complex treatment plan.

You've lost someone close to you, your ideal you, give yourself time.

[faerie_moon_x]

Well, I had felt "off" or "different" or something like that since I was a really little girl. I always felt like something was wrong with me. I was depressed as a child, and had high anxiety, and all kinds of issues mentally and emotionally. So by the time I was 31 and got my diagnosis, it was more of "thank goodness I have a normal something that has a name and I'm not just some random freak of nature."

Finding forums has helped me learn I'm not a freak of nature, especially this forum. There are lots of people who have lots of similar issues I've had all my life. And all those people also have bipolar. It's like finding out I belonged to this huge community of people my whole life and didn't even know it. It's actually more of a relief than anything.

[hamster-bamster]

Originally Posted by morethingswrong

I don't really worry about accepting " Bipolar" anymore , I stress more over the variety of symptoms I have instead.. But regardless I " try" to stay as positive as possible. Somedays I'm more positive than others is all LOL .

I am like that, too. I have long accepted the dx. That is not a problem. I worry about symptoms. Right now it is lack of sleep and anxiety, so that is what I stress over. And too trying to stay positive.

[hamster-bamster]

Originally Posted by Miguel'smom

You've lost someone close to you, your ideal you, give yourself time.

wow... well said