that is some kind of outside influence.?

I see it as part of my personality and feel an essential part of me has been taken away.

[Squaw]

I would have to say disorder since it involves medication..I haven't always acted or felt bipolar from the beginning, I was only diagnosed in my early 20's, and still believe the situation I was in caused the disorder to begin with, just my honest opinion...

[Victoria'smom]

It's part of me.

[~Christina]

Bipolar is just something I live alongside with. I've always had it so I don' know what its like to not have it with me.

[HALLIEBETH87]

Its something I live with. Its not me!

[Blitter2014]

Bipolar is something I live with. It's like adding a spice to a meal....sometimes it enhances, sometimes it detracts

Sorry I reading somewhere that people who feel that bipolar is an intrinsic part of them have a poorer treatment prognosis than those who see it as a disease or disorder. The personality peoplle were less likely to be compliant and therefore more likely to have more relapse and difficulty finding drugs to suit them. I must say that it applies to me. I think I read it in Kay Redfield Jameson book.

Originally Posted by ~Christina

Bipolar is just something I live alongside with. I've always had it so I don' know what its like to not have it with me.

When you were first treated did you feel something intrinsic was taken from you or was it a feeling of relief.?

[~Christina]

Well , I was officially diagnosed at age 43 .. 47 now , We traced mine back to the age of 6 , So it has been a part of my life , I got married had a kid , worked, lived my life ups and downs , thought everyone had a racing mind like me and had to navigate life. No big deal,, I maxed out many a credit cards , and just picked myself up and went about my life.

Im not even mad I have Bipolar , Its just part of my life.

I personally could care less what Kay Redfield Jameson book's spouts out about. I have my own personally unique soup of Bipolar... I do get annoyed when people refer to her as a Doctor as in medical , that she is not . she has a doctorate , so not the same thing , But hey shes made many many lumps of large cash!

Bipolar is just a situation you have to deal with, everyone has to deal with something in there life I just don't let my Bipolar become some Gigantic monster , It is what it is and go about my life best as I can. Bipolar can suck of course but can also help you reach out to others to offer support.

any how , my personal opinion

[Crazy Hitch]

I can't separate them as two different entities.

The definition of personality:

Psychology.
the sum total of the physical, mental, emotional, and social characteristics of an individual.
the organized pattern of behavioral characteristics of the individual.

[Yoda]

Difficult to say. Probably lean more towards disorder because the extremes of my mania and depression have interfered with my quality of life (since menopause particularly) but I think I went undiagnosed for years and was often manic/hypomanic and would normally work 80-100 hours/week (up to 124 hours in a single week) not because of financial need but because I was obsessed with my job as a critical care nurse. I was the only nurse who spent her lunch breaks in the medical library. That part of me might have been more personality though because when I recently asked my nurse manager for a job reference to return to work she said I had always had a thirst for knowledge. Which I do. If I had many more years to live (and lots of money for tuition) I would go back to school and study cosmology. The Sciences fascinate me.

So it is hard to say exactly because even if it is "disorder" I have learned ways to deal with it (mostly).

I call myself a night person but the DSM says I have a delayed sleep phase disorder. Is it really a disorder when I can work 12-16 hours a night (used to anyhow) and excel at my job? The disorder part is when I would have to revert to "day mode" and be alert and ready to teach ACLS classes at 8am on the weekends. I loved the teaching but being there in the day was a struggle. They did finally let me start offering some "mini" ACLS classes during the night shift for the night shift nurses but they had to do the 8am thing too if they wanted official certification.

Anyway I like Hooligan's answer.

I am me and my meds help adjust parts of me to a more desirable being but still, I am me. What Hooligan said...

[hellboy]

It's an illness that affects my thoughts, emotions, and behavior. When unstable the illness can both influence or even take over my personality. But my personality is distinctly different from the behavioral symptoms caused by the bipolar.

Hellboy

[notALICE]

I found out late too (41) & can trace back the patterns from childhood. It's a disorder that needs to be treated but since it's neurological/such a part of my thinking I find it impossible to separate personality, sense of self.

[hellboy]

Originally Posted by notALICE

I found out late too (41) & can trace back the patterns from childhood. It's a disorder that needs to be treated but since it's neurological/such a part of my thinking I find it impossible to separate personality, sense of self.

Mine has been lifelong as well and it can be very difficult to distinguish between the two.

Hellboy

[prepsychmel]

I see Bipolar as a part of my personality. Some of my quirks and such, I know come from the bipolar disorder. I embrace it, though.

[Trippin2.0]

It's an intrinsic part of me, I've never been any other kind of me, not that I know of anyway...


I dwell on it just about as much as I dwell on my eye color...


That's not to say I don't acknowledge it ever, I've adapted to it, and I still continue to adapt as it morphs, ebbs and flows...

As for the "untreated bipolar" remark, Drs only acknowledge 1 mode of treatment, and are probably focused on people who are in denial. I'm neither in treatment nor refusing treatment, I've actually been treating myself pretty well these past few years.



I guess I just refuse to regard it as my personal boogeyman, it just is, I just am, and we've both always just been.

[Goldcrest]

Sometimes I see it as part of my personality and sometimes as a disorder. Maybe it's both.
It's the depression that really kills me, though I am always amazed at the stupid things I do when manic. Then what about psychosis? How do you split that between personality and disorder?

[Crazy Hitch]

Originally Posted by Goldcrest

Sometimes I see it as part of my personality and sometimes as a disorder. Maybe it's both.
It's the depression that really kills me, though I am always amazed at the stupid things I do when manic. Then what about psychosis? How do you split that between personality and disorder?

Psychosis would fall under the "mental" part of the personality definition - as in thoughts; not as in being looney

[notALICE]

My older daughter self treats - she's vegan, daily exercise, lots of sun & healthy activities. My other daughter is an artist, not medicated, and seems to do well by helping others, staying involved, and being creative. Both of them are doing well & happy. 3rd daughter in denial & all over the place. They are all aware that if they ever need it medication & therapy are options. My sons & I cannot go without medication though. At least at this point. Ok - kinda off subject but... I love their personalities

Disorder. I just want to stay as stable as possible with as few symptoms as possible.

[wing]

How can a disease of the brain not affect personality? Personality comes from the sum of parts of the brain, not other parts of the body. Yeah, I have a disorder, but having it affects my self-image, so how can my personality shine thru? IMO, all mental illness has a personality component. During those rare occasions when I feel stable, my "true" personality approaches authentic. The rest of the time, the effects of bipolar are interfering with my ability to be myself.

I put little stock in Kay Jamieson. She has every support system available, and every advantage in life. I can't relate to that after having the family I've got (not talking about it), losing my career and not having made a fortune telling my story because it isn't full of wonderful endings. She gives false hopes to alot of us who are still suffering and unable to overcome the obstacles bipolar puts in our paths without the support system she has set up. I'd rather read about someone who hasn't had a charmed life that happens to include bipolar.

[venusss]

Originally Posted by Bipolarartist

Sorry I reading somewhere that people who feel that bipolar is an intrinsic part of them have a poorer treatment prognosis than those who see it as a disease or disorder. The personality peoplle were less likely to be compliant and therefore more likely to have more relapse and difficulty finding drugs to suit them. I must say that it applies to me. I think I read it in Kay Redfield Jameson book.

Well, I don't see it as a disease. I don't take drugs for it. But I manage to live quite well despite it. And then there is people who declare themselves "ill", are very compliant with their prescriptions (and "you never have a life" predictions)... but they aren't doing as well.

What is treatment prognosis? Why does it matter? How about recovery prognosis? In my observation, this one is much higher with people who don't follow the illness model. And yeah, some of them aren't compliant... but they seem to be doing quite well.

[Creative1onder]

If Bipolar was to do with personality then it wouln't affect different kinds of people. Bipolar is an illness.

[Creative1onder]

I'm not having help with my illness and i'm not coping well with my life with it. I do believe know from my experiences over years that its def an illness involving suicidal periods.

[tallulahxoxo]

I'm a Sagittarius and everyone calls me a free spirit so I feel like it's a part of me.