Din't you think we 'do' life better than others?

Life might not always be better than for others, well, surely not BUT we get so much more practice than others, don't you think? Having to work twice as hard to keep it together or maintain normal or deal with episodes?
Aren't we actively doing life where others are just living?
Just a thought?

Hoards of people our there struggle with all kinds of issues, some related to MI, some not. Many, many people struggle on a daily basis, and feel that they need to work harder than others just to keep it together. I don't think there's anything special about BP that makes it different in this general sense. There are things specific to BP, but I don't think it means that it involves more suffering or struggle or work (or active living, though not sure what this means) than other MI or other types of challenges.

Working in a hospital where I work with people with severe physical, mental and social (financial, housing, food, abuse) issues, helps to give me perspective. I can't see this stuff every day and believe that I have it worse than others, many with very different issues than my own, but certainly no less challenging.

I know you haven't mentioned being interested in this, but I'll just put out there that I think it might give you some perspective if you check out some other forums on PC. For example, the Depression forum, or Anxiety, PTSD, Schizophrenia and psychosis, Chronic Pain, Addictions, etc., etc. I think it gives a pretty good idea as to just how much people struggle to make it through day to day, to maintain stability, to continue to want to live, to maintain work and relationships and family.

Many times I have read entries about people's beliefs that bipolar somehow makes us better in some way than people without it. Frequent ones are the presence of creativity and intelligence. We are not better than others without bipolar. Sometimes it seems like, to me, that the writers are either (hypo)manic or have a great need to justify themselves. As I read these entries I think about the times when I am depressed and can't concentrate, have no energy to "do" life, feel dull mentally and have no desire to do things I usually enjoy. Mania is no better. Yes, I do more things but I usually go from one thing to the next without finishing any of them. My thinking is disturbed as my mind rushes from one topic to another, losing track of what I just thought. My ability to make decisions is impaired as I buy a dozen v-neck long sleeve shirts at $25 each in different colors and think it is a good idea.

No, I don't think bipolar makes or helps us do life better.

I try not to compare lives or others. Struggles and problems can't be compared... and if you must compare them then compare them by the effect they leave, not that reason they came to be.

Apples and oranges. That doesn't mean of corse that one can't relate to others because relating to others is a very important thing!

Sometimes, I think if only they could be me for an hour and I could be them then we can understand how each others brains work. But we can't

I think that life is life, can't compare

Wow, interesting, all of it. By 'we' I meant all of us on this site. Surely also the people with other real struggles that Ultmar pointed out. I started by saying that life is surely not better for us than for others, I can't imagine my sister having a suicide plan ready or my husband loosing his cool at work or staying in bed for days. I think I 'do' these things better than they would or could because I have had so much practice. Us, we, all of us that are still here, through it all, do it good!
I am surely not hypo at the moment, never any more cause of the meds, was just trying to admire my ability to come out ok on the other side of what seemed impossible, again!
Ps. I sometimes think I'd give a limb not to have BP and then surely I'd do that good as well? I see what you mean, one struggle equals another x

I have BP and a chronic pain condition . I would gladly keep BP if the pain would leave. but it won't so I just trudge along. I feel as tho I have more empathy towards other people BP or not.

Since I was diagnosed late 3 years ago Im 46 now ..I think I have had a much more colorful life because of my unknown BP .

This forum right here is were I built myself back up form the crumbled mess I was a few years ago .. People offered me support when they themselves were a mess .

I don't compare my situation to others struggle .. Life can and should be a struggle whether your BP or not . Anyone that is breezing through life with out a hiccup is in lala land , how can you enjoy simple things when everything is perfect and easy .. you can not, nor does an easy life exist.

Every struggle I have just makes me stronger in my own eyes ..

Sometimes my life has been more interesting, but others it has been much more dull than someone who is comparatively unhindered. Sometimes I have been stronger than others for what I've dealt with, but sometimes I have grown lazy because I don't want to have another thing piled on top of my plate.

I'm no better or worse than anyone else, either as an individual or for any of the components that comprise my individuality. I'm just another person walking the Earth. We're all different -- there's no way of scaling one person's experience as fuller or emptier than someone else's.