If they don't got it, they don't get it.

To the world I am one huge character flaw.

We are not character flaws.....we're just full of characters. Depression- the sad isolated Character that they look at and are glad they're not there. Anxiety- the wierd Character that makes them scared and run away. Mania- the hyper Character that makes them look at what we've done and go "What the h*ll is that?"
We are full of Characters....they have but one character...

1 dimensional folk simply cannot begin to fathom us multi-dimensionals... Its easier to call us flawed than to admit to their ineptness... ha! Is that even a word? Idk, but its fitting.

either, ineptness or ineptitude, both work and a very good use of the word.

They are just jealous of how we are full of characters and they only one boring character. Haha.

Thank you for the reassurance my vocab is usually quite good, but my brain's running away with me tonight and I'm just going with it... So not too sure if I make enough sense all of the time

I dunno, some of them don't get it until they do. Some people take longer for things to click before they understand. Some might never.

Some of us bipolars here, we get bipolar but we dont get normals, sometimes we do. Or any other something that is different.

Chacter flaw? What's that? People who think this way need compassion, and encouragement to see truth.

I actually hate the term bipolars and normals. We are all humans, and none of us really know what's fully going on in another. I always see this stuff on here. But the normals I know are mostly quite complex.

Where are you guys meeting these people??? Ok just kidding.

Back to what you were doing

Cute "Anika". See.....I followed every bit of that just fine..ha ha ha! I actually do get the "normals". They are very selfish and just want to ignore the the things that are going on in this world that they don't want to deal with. Such as, the homeless shelter, free clinic, and food pantry I voluteer at. If they saw this part of the world, and had half a d*mn heart they would help more. And if they don't want to see what's going on there, they sure as h*ll aren't going to care to understand what's going on with us.

I prefrer eunoia over normal. Personally I think that I have Bipolar Disorder not am Bipolar Disorder. I know it is semantics, I guess I listened to too much Chomsky.

Ya I get that, but they dont all live this way. And bipolars are not all helpfull or empathic. To me and this is just my opinion, that is a human problem that has spread into every race, group, or category, or sub category.

I cant actually say that because I have been homeless, mentally ill, abused and have been helped by many 'normals'. Im not eeven sure there are normals.

Anyways I wasn't arguing, just saying I do think normal people can get it, if they want too.

Not sure what you mean by...... Cute 'Anika' tho?

Just giggling about the "Back to what you were doing" because of how we can follow so many tracks and still get back where we were. Like, we make circles all the time.

I understand what your saying about being helped by the "normals". I guess we were just focusing on the majority who place a stigma on us and turn away mumbbling to themselves that were just crazy. And yeah your right about Bipolars not helping; we can seem selfish at times, but we don't want to be. Guess you set me straight on this time.

I'm sorry about the rough times in your life and I'm greatful that someone was there to help you. Without you here some of these people would still be lost.

I get it haha, I thought you were saying I was a normal somehow. :0. I thought gee I might defend them sometimes but thats taking to far. Haha

And thank you! Very nice of you.

I wish I was igorant, stubborn in my beliefs, unwilling to see others sides of things when they don't fit within my own. Then I would be normal. I would be well rounded and happy. I would then be unwilling to let anything squash my happiness.

I would have happiness.

I would have a well rounded life.

I would have friends.

I would say "screw anything and anyone that threatened that" and be ok with it.

But that is not me

Dan, do you think it's possible to well round yourself, be open minded, caring, compassionate, and not let anything squash your happiness all at the same time? Without of coarse saying "screw anyone and everything".

I'm just asking cause I do think we can do it. When I fled my abusive marriage with my children, I remember the one thing I kept telling myself. I kept it as a bit of a mantra " I will not compromise my happiness". At the time I did need something like that to give me strength to do what I needed to do. But even after it was all said and done, it's something I have continued to hold onto. When I start to slip I will remind myself of that.

Don't want to see anyone think that happiness is unachievable for themselves, even in a very messed up world.

Anika... No I do not feel that happiness is in the equation. I have been thinking a lot about that lately. It's not 'mood swings'. For me Bipolar disorder means having severe emotional problems. It means having Social problems and even Behavioral problems.

I have been this way since I was nine. I have always been the freak, the outcast. I have learned to live that way. I may be feeling better now, but those scars will always be there and I can't just change who I have become now. I am 33 and will always have emotional, behavioral and social problems. So happiness? moments I would say, moments away from being who I really am.

And anyways.. who am I to be caring?

People that are caring are people that have their crap together enough to help others. Caring means that you will and can help if others need you to. So who am I to put myself into that position anyways?

Thanks Dan,

I do like to understand where someone is coming from. I am 33 too, will be 34 in a few months . I see the wrinkles coming already. I also suffered with bipolar through early childhood. I had psychosis by 11... I think me and you can probably both understand each other on the impact Bipolar makes on you when you are so young.

You know I didn't use to have any happiness in my life, and I don't mean like just feeling happy, smiling, whatever. I mean inner peace, a calmness, content, A place inside my self that I can draw on even when life gets hard. It does wax and wane, but I can always come back to it. Now anyways, wasn't always like that tho.. farthest thing from it actually.

But for you, I do hope that you kind find some peace one day. Trust me.. I don't say this like I think it's easy. It's not, and I know that. But I can still hope for it, right?

It's very hard to see good people like yourself suffer, and in pain. It isn't fair. I just hope you can find that bit of peace and happiness one day, because you deserve to feel that.

People can still care, even if they are not in a place where they can help at that moment. I haven't always been in a position where I can help others, but it didn't mean I didn't care. Our ability to help others or inability doesn't cancel out what we feel in hearts.

caring is like having hope. Anika... hope hurts. I'm tired of hurting.

that's a great quote... i've actually just put that up on my facebook

Hey now, I have the "bipolar disorder" label and I don't really care what goes in there. In my experience, whether mentally ill or not, many people wind up in such places because they made poor choices.

In fact, having been through some nasty personal hells allows me to be a lot less caring. I don't give in to whiny bs and blaming mental illness for most people. Why? I got through it and only because I didn't have a choice. I've pushed for people to lose their jobs despite them calling up crying about "personal issues" blah, blah, blah. If I can go to work and function while "psychotic", others better too. Depression isn't an excuse (though in my substance use days...it worked well with a supervisor.)

"Bipolar" showed me that most people simply need to suck it up.

I have to disagree with sucking it up. Some people just can not suck it up. I tried for 7 long devestating years before I gave up my career and went on disability. The end of that 7 years caused me threee hospializations and 10 days in jail. I just simply couldnt suck it up anymore....

Trippin, your vocab has always been tremendous!

Awwww thanks for the complement Hammy