[Woolly Bugger]

Here's a definition I found on the internet: A mental illness is a condition that impacts a person's thinking, feeling or mood and may affect his or her ability to relate to others and function on a daily basis.

Does BP qualify? Sometimes I think yes, other times no. I also wonder if a person has been successfully medicated, does he or she still qualify as having a mental illness?

Looking forward to reading your thoughts.

[gina_re]

It sure does. It definitely affects the ability to make me function in life. Interpersonal relationships, school, keeping a job, etc. My moods were out of wack, and I always felt different, like something was wrong with me.
I think if you're medicated you still have that illness, because it is only the medication that is keeping you stable. Otherwise you would go back to the same behaviors.
Before being stable, I would hop from job to job, I'd snap at friends and had some really rocky relationships, both romantic and friendship. I had no idea why, but the diagnosis completely makes sense to me and I have accepted it.

Yes to both. Bipolar IS a mental illness which one DOES have despite being medicated.

This all leaves me to try and gently ask the question: are you wishing to avoid the label of mental illness? Is there a reason why?

[Bobbyj]

I read something awhile back about how there's a theory BP is an evolutionary trait from when people would sleep all winter and then get up and farm/hunt/whatever during the nicer parts of the year. I thiink most mental issues come from some sort of evolution, but are not needed anymore. Our genes have been passed down for soooo long, we have to be good for something though! :P

[Icare dixit]

It sounds more like the human condition.

But many probably like to preserve a seeming integrity, instead of looking for real integrity. They are torn between two extremes, those extremes are very much part of them, but they don't want to acknowledge that, possibly.

I'd say, if you wanna call it an illness, it's primarily a societal illness.

[Icare dixit]

Originally Posted by Bobbyj

I read something awhile back about how there's a theory BP is an evolutionary trait from when people would sleep all winter and then get up and farm/hunt/whatever during the nicer parts of the year. I thiink most mental issues come from some sort of evolution, but are not needed anymore. Our genes have been passed down for soooo long, we have to be good for something though! :P

Or society gets less and less accepting of differences, treating us as ill until we believe it, and "we"'ll die out.

But there will always be people like us, getting more like us for being on the fringe, one of two extremes, which are now still accepted as not ill. Borderline ill.

[newtothis31]

Even though I respond well to my medication, my symptoms haven't gone away completely. I have to work at slowing down my thoughts, avoid making impulsive decisions, and I'm still prone to depression.

[Nammu]

Its my theory that it's not a mental thing at all, but a whole body thing.

[mom2trips+1]

Yes, I think BP is a mental illness; however, I have come to think of it as a neurological illness. If I ever need to tell someone I am ill but it is not a close enough relationship, i tell them I suffer from a "neurological disorder." if you think about it, the medications used ( anti-psychotics, anti-seizure meds, depressiona meds, anxiety meds) all affect certain chemicals in the brain. I think in time, once there is less stigma, psychiatric diseases will be grouped along with neurological diseases. Just my opinion.

[SingDanceRunLife]

Originally Posted by rcat

Yes to both. Bipolar IS a mental illness which one DOES have despite being medicated.

This all leaves me to try and gently ask the question: are you wishing to avoid the label of mental illness? Is there a reason why?

+1

I couldn't say it any better myself.

It is considered a mental illness. I prefer to think of it as an illness. When I am in the throes of depression, I am definitely unwell -- not myself at all. I don't see my bipolar disorder at all as the usual me; it is the ill me and requires intervention -- generally medical in my case -- in order for my condition to improve.

I know some people feel that bipolar disorder is more of who they are and internalize it as more a part of their personality or human condition, but for me, the symptoms I deal with in a bipolar episode are not my norm and are not a part of my true personality and being. Those symptoms become quite severe and make it difficult to function, and for me, those symptoms can be remedied medically when necessary. Fortunately, I have reached a place of stability for the last several years and have not been ill at all. I have a much surer sense of the me without bipolar disorder now, so I am even firmer in my belief that it is an illness for me.

[DesigningWoman]

Lolagrace-

I absolutely agree. The dividing line between mental and physical illness is a throwback to the days of Freud. Now we know about brain chemicals and electric impulses with neurons. There is still much to discover of course, but to me, I don't see the difference between having seizures, depression, or chronic pain. All exist in the human body and all are physical in some way. Dividing out mental illness just adds to the stigma and allows insurance companies to provide separate and less coverage to us.

[st0psign]

absolutely yes, it's crippling for me. I've been an undergrad for 9 years because of it and I'm still not finished yet. not to mention I destroy my personal relationships on quite the regular basis and I'm left alone. now I don't even bother trying to make new ones because I know I'll just wreck them too...

[wiretwister]

one of the posts made me think , "really rare for me" ... if it is indeed a brain chemical thing then it is not a mental illness just a physical illness ... if talk therapy "cures" you then that was probably a mental illness .... JMO

your brain is just an organ ... having it affected physically would be the same as any other organ ... ? just a thought ... be gentle I bruise easily

[Icare dixit]

I think depression has a purpose and is a rather healthy response to anxiety and lack of sufficient stimulation caused by society not being accommodating enough. Reaching our potential in life requires solving a very difficult puzzle, much planning, a very rational mind, working around obstacles and recovering from overexertion. Depression helps with all that.

The pattern where you get two dissociated extremes where memories are lost is really a problem of the mind: psychological. The problem of our brains being wired differently is really society's problem, so we share it with everyone, and society solves it not by being more accommodating, but by changing us. That is not all that bad, because it allows to work on reintegrating the dissociated parts of ourselves, becoming less dependent and becoming part of those parts of society that are most accommodating.

[BastetsMuse]

Originally Posted by Woolly Bugger

Does BP qualify? Sometimes I think yes, other times no. I also wonder if a person has been successfully medicated, does he or she still qualify as having a mental illness?

Looking forward to reading your thoughts.

Yes, BP does qualify because it can affect us every day.

As for being successfully medicated, you still have BP -- like diabetes -- but it's in control.

[bizi]

Originally Posted by mom2trips+1

Yes, I think BP is a mental illness; however, I have come to think of it as a neurological illness. If I ever need to tell someone I am ill but it is not a close enough relationship, i tell them I suffer from a "neurological disorder." if you think about it, the medications used ( anti-psychotics, anti-seizure meds, depressiona meds, anxiety meds) all affect certain chemicals in the brain. I think in time, once there is less stigma, psychiatric diseases will be grouped along with neurological diseases. Just my opinion.

You are spot on!
bizi

i never use the term, "mental illness"

well.. that would be a lie.

when i'm refering to something and i don't want to use the technical term, i say MI, but actually prefer mental condition to illness

MC just never sounded right- so i just say MI for mental illness