How often

How often does the thought 'I am bipolar' go through your head?

100's of times a day.

When I'm not in a mood episode, not very often. Regularly enough, but not so often that it's debilitating.

I mean, if I want a life I need to remember I'm bipolar and prone to doing stupid things. The more I remember I do stupid things, the less stupid things I do.

But I don't hate myself for it.

I don't put myself down for it. Unfortunately there are constant reminders of being bp esp when I'm in a depressive episode. Those are the hardest times for me because it gets really painful. I definitely try not to feel sorry for myself cause that gets me nowhere. Even tho I'm medicated I still have episodes. It's all in how you look at it. I just ride the wave whether it be a hypomanic state or depressive I just have to go through it. I.have no other choice cause even tho it's tough I know that life is still worth living.

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"i'm depressed" or "i'm normal" or "i'm manic" go through my head, never bipolar

With this current depression, and checking this forum so often every day, I am constantly aware of my bipolar.

Quite rarely actually, to me it would be tantamount to thinking my eyes are brown.

To me it mostly just is...

When it needs accommodations sometimes when I take my meds.

Lately it's multiple times a day. Twice a day when i take meds, and a few more times when i check this forum, and then whenever i have a patient who has bipolar and random other times. When i'm not checking this forum it's less frequent.

I think it's better to say i "have" bipolar than i "am" bipolar, because it's not the only thing i am. You wouldn't say i am cancer or i am diabetes, so i don't think it should be different. It might seem nitpicky, but i think it's an important distinction. It's only psych diagnoses than are phrased that way to define a person, and only the most stigmatized ones - you say i am an addict, a schizophrenic, or a borderline, but i have depression or anxiety. Interesting isn't it? I'm trying to change the language i refer to myself with because i am more than just bipolar.

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I like the way you put this. It makes perfect sense!

I agree this is a good distinction to make. To say "I'm bipolar" seems to all-encompassing in describing oneself.

I don't mind saying I am bipolar. I agree with the statement that it's not ALL that I am, but I am a man, and that's not all I am, and I am 140 lbs, and that's not all I am, and right now I am cold, but that's not all I am.

language is tricky. I am bipolar. I don't mind saying it. The trick is to just not over-identify with it. My entire life isn't about my gender, or my weight, and neither is it about my bipolar disorder.

It's a balancing act, just like everything else. Every person has their individual sweet spot between "I am bipolar" and "I have bipolar". You just have to find the point on the spectrum where you dislike your situation the least.

At least a couple times a day. I think of it as part of being mindful of my current state of mind.

That's exactly how I think about it. I am more than bipolar. I have it but it doesn't define me.

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All day, every day

I think that it is because, generally, we are an "I am" society
I am short
I am blonde
I am a mechanic
I am a dog lover
...etc

I have Bipolar ......not..... I am Bipolar

I dont think of it often to be honest .. I can come here on PC and read about everyones struggle but it doesnt make me overly think about my situation

When I was first diagnosed, it was all I thought about. I'd be walking around with "I'm bipolar" going through my head at random times. But when I'm in remission, I only think about it twice a day, when I take my meds. It varies the rest of the time, depending on what's going on in my brain.....it's worse when I'm depressed.....but I'm not obsessed with it anymore.

Way too much! I wish I could forget it, and just live life.

When I'm in a stable mood I don't think about it that much. When I got first diagnosed it was in my head a lot. It took awhile for the shock of everything to go away.

When I'm super depressed I start to think about it a little bit. But I mainly just think about how I wish I didn't have to deal with the pain anymore

Then there's times where I think I'm completely f**ked up, crazy, and I start to think about it a little

So over all not that much. It's mostly just thinking of how I'm tired of dealing with everything.

Depends on my state of mind as well I guess. That and when I take my meds (Like others have said haha)