Is this really how people see bipolar??

I can't count the number of times I've had someone ask "Do you really have bipolar? You seem so normal." or my favorite "Bipolar? REALLY??? You don't seem crazy."

Just got through having a chat with a lady I work with. She said her husband hit her and then said you know how it is he's bipolar and can't help it.

Needless to say I gave her a quick education on bipolar and we had about an hour long talk. But really where do people get this crap??????????

Oh don't even listen to their nonsense Rain

It's hard NOT to I know.

But I'm done with stereotyping / judgment / misinformed opinions from uneducated professionals

I'm just "me".

Don't dwell to much on this.

How about when someone does something and people say "he went all bipolar!"
Grrrr

EWWWWW Yes I hate that!!

It's an easy insult for someone to throw back when you get mad at them because it makes you feel like you're mistaken for being mad (which, hello!!! is a perfectly normal human emotion to have!) instead of them owning up to being wrong or causing you to get mad.
I will (and have) jump someone's @$$ for using it that way too.

Once I was going though the commitment court, the judge kept rifling though my chart and said, but you don't seem crazy. And this is who they put in charge of a mentally ill persons freedom! Someone who doesn't have a clue.

The word, unfortunately, is "stigma."

Fight it where you can! For all mental illnesses.

I have had several friends argue with me. 'No you are not."

Try to look at it as a compliment. Maybe you are good at managing it?

I am not a "mean" bipolar... I have mood swings. Most people that know me, think they are silly and yes it makes me irritated to hear comments such as you did. Now, I have only been a tat bit psychotic twice and dont remember a lot from those episodes.

I believe there is an ugly stigma, that the general society likes to believe now. And then like to stigmatize certain behavior such as true bipolar for this. Lots of uneducated medical professionals out there thinking they are qualified to diagnose psychiatry and MI related illnesses. These professionals are part to blame for over prescribing meds to the public within the past 15 years... therefore, making most of the society believe one outburst of anger is bipolar. All emotions are natural.

This would be my take on why the word bipolar is so stigmatized. Not an easy illness to make fun of. Hugs

I do present much better than I actually ever feel. Being fake was a much needed survival mechanism from my childhood.

Their opinion is of no significance

I have had the opposite conversation with a guy at work.

"Hey dude, you bipolar or something?"

"Yup"

"Holy ****, I'm sorry, I hope I didn't offend you"

*Laughing* "No, but now you know"

He has actually now become one of my accountability partners, he will let me know when I am off, and if I say something out of the way to him, he doesn't take it other than I'm more upset at myself for not keeping track of my moods.

This girl at work said the you don't seem crazy to me when I told her. I think that is just the go to thing to say when they are trying not to offend you. I guess it feels awkward to them to find out or something.

When I hear misconceptions of mental health, I always correct it. Can't tell how many people I've educated on the differences between bipolar 2, bipolar 1, and bipolar 1 w/ psychosis.

Most people seem to think that everyone with bipolar is psychotic. Stigma is so stupid.

Most of the time, I'm RIGHT OUT THERE with admitting I'm bipolar just because I'm under good control (mostly) with my meds and I love fighting the stigma. Not all bipolar people are immoral and waves swords about on roofs.....

A sensible response from a sensible person Topher.

Yeah, I read my bipolar books and do the chats on Saturday nights in the open in front of my co-workers. I don't care if they know. Maybe the next time they say you don't seem crazy, I will reply 'yeah it takes a lot of work to stay balanced. I need the right medicines, need to sleep the same amount every day, and need to keep any chemicals I put into my body to a bare minimum.' Or something like that.

I do too, Raindrop. We cope. Right? When I go ballistic, people freak out. I do it very rarely.

My kids and family can not cope with it and I get zero support.

So... it is up to me.

And teaching people when we can.

I've only told a few people. None of the people at work know...ESPECIALLY not my passive aggressive fake @$$ boss!! Which is going to be really weird and hard to explain when one day {soon} I show up with a note from my doctor as to why I have a service dog....I'm not looking forward to that day. I don't want to have to explain THAT one to all the questions that are going to come. Oy.....

The "You seem so normal." and "You don't seem crazy." don't really bother me. I take it in the spirit that I hope they intended it. It was the lady last night thinking that bipolar people can't help being abusive that stuck in my craw.

My mania presents as extreme rage. I get none of the warm fuzzy on top of the world feelings that most get. I just get mad and EVERYTHING peeves me off. And yet I've never laid a finger on anyone, except in self defense.

I am with you completely. ^

I have only hit in self-defense.( I was physically abused by my father.) I never even spanked my kids.