[PippaIsAlone]

Are people understanding when they know you have Bipolar? I think not, because only rarely does anyone actually cut me some slack, like my friends get so angry when I refuse to go out with them because I feel depressed, and my family blames EVERYTHING on this illness. Whenever I tell someone that they're being unstable they say "Look who's talking". And that really gets to me I never wanted people to gind out but they did, and now I can't do anything without them blaming it on this bipolar! Arg all because my mom, siblings, and 2 friends had to tell the world so they could get some sympathy, "I'm friends with a bipolar person" or "My daughter is bipolar and it's really hard on me" OMG I'm so angry :| I just... Argh!!!

[BipolaRNurse]

Since my diagnosis, I've found that most of my family and friends were sort of relieved---it's like the dx solved a mystery, explaining my mercurial nature and my spending habits and my general irresponsibility. Even my boss, who claims he doesn't know much of anything about bipolar, knows I can only handle so much and he's willing to accommodate me in any way he can.

OTOH, there is that minority of folks who make light of my feelings, dismissing them as "oh, that's just you being bipolar again" when I may very well have a legitimate gripe or an emotional reaction that would be considered normal if I were NOT bipolar. That gets old really quickly, and I've managed to quietly drop most of these people from my life. Who needs 'em? Dealing with this disorder is tough enough....no need to hang around with folks who only make it tougher through their negativity and their lack of understanding.

[Victoria'smom]

My friends are really understanding. If I say "I'm sick" they'll ask "how so?". My parents and siblings are not. However my dad oddly enough is very understanding to his employees that have BP.

people don't understand anything....with mental illness
...they underhand everything....

we have to make them feel better about how sick we are..

tricky

[BlackPup]

My friends are mostly understanding but I don't know how they would go if I had another deep depression like my last one.... I've been mostly stable since I moved here, just a little mild depression.

[anon61514]

I only really have close friends - and they're all understanding. My family however - I told them earlier this year (not my dad though, he 'doesn't believe in' psychology/psychiatry) and my mom basically said "Well I don't understand but if you think you need to take medication and stuff to help with what you feel then I understand".

She did some reading up on the subject and told me that she can't really identify with the feelings - my sister said the same.

So they weren't NOT supportive, but it wasn't exactly a big "WE'RE ALWAYS HERE FOR YOU - WE'RE YOUR FAMILY" moment either.

I am not bipolar. My friend told me about himself and was worried I wouldn't want to be near him. He was wrong. He often says that he doesn't know why I would waste my time with him. Well time is all we really have and it's my choice to use it where I see fit. As we spend more and more of this precious time, he is starting to see that I have my own moments of despair and I have an unusual way of working it out. So I asked him recently, "What separates me from you in our brain chemistry?? He had a puzzled look on his face..I said, so, we are wired differently, your brain needs meds to make it function and mines needs to be away from the so called normal people. He says I'm crazy and wouldn't change a thing about me. My nephew recently said he admired my ability to see the whole picture about life. I live in pictures. I live in music. I rely on them to take me into places where I breathe easily. I look to the good of the day even when its a bad one. If I can make another person smile without trying, it makes me more balanced. My friend is one of few who reads me well. He has this innate ability to make me feel happy even when I'm trying to be supportive during his sadness or mood change. We have a little phrase we use when one of us does something for the other. "How much you love me"?? we ask, and the answer is always simply, "I love you really big" using gestures and smiles...Our toasts are always fun too...He says, "Heres to you, heres to me, and heres to the others".....I love him so much...........