[st0psign]

I'm a college student and continuously have to tell my professors that I have bipolar disorder to get accommodations met so I can pass my classes, be it extra time to take exams or extra time to finish a course, and I absolutely hate doing it. just wondering if anyone else has had to do similar things or if you tell people you have it in general.

[pirilin]

Consider yourself lucky. What I had was a ruler. A good smack in the front of my head.

No. Unless someone else brings up a good point to talk about it and I feel comfortable. I had a friend ask why "I became so badass" but my behavior (sex, drugs) was because I was manic. He had been a neighbor for 15 years or so, so I was okay with letting him know. I missed a couple weeks of school because of a psychotic episode and my professors just know I was in the hospital, nothing more.

[Woolly Bugger]

Originally Posted by st0psign

I'm a college student and continuously have to tell my professors that I have bipolar disorder to get accommodations met so I can pass my classes, be it extra time to take exams or extra time to finish a course, and I absolutely hate doing it. just wondering if anyone else has had to do similar things or if you tell people you have it in general.

I'm not sure about this, but you might qualify for a 504 plan. This will establish your disability and will identify the accommodations needed to help you succeed. If you do get one, all you will have to do is hand a copy to your professors, and they will most likely comply.

I wasn't diagnosed with BP until *after* I finished my master's. If I had known I was BP, I probably would have requested accommodations.

But no, I don't really tell anyone... except for those who need to know. Usually those people are doctors of some kind. Also, my Dx is pretty recent, so I haven't even had the opportunities to tell anyone. (I was Dx'd in August 2015 and given BP meds, but the diagnosis wasn't made official until December 2015 when I did a full neuropsych eval with a psychologist.)

[gina_re]

Yup. I tell those that need to know. I don't really feel the need to hide it since I'm somewhat successful. So it's like I can have bipolar but still function enough to support myself.

[MusicLover82]

I had to get special accommodations in college, too. Funny thing is, with my Master's, I didn't need any special accommodations. You learn how to handle your illness with time. Best wishes!

[Keegan2015]

My family knows because they were the ones who forced me to begin seeking treatment in the first place, but apart from that only a couple of my very close friends (who I've known since childhood) know about my diagnosis.

There have been a few occasions where I've considered telling a couple of my coworkers about it (for some reason the topic of BP has come up during our lunchbreak more than once) but I decided against it and I think that was the wise and prudent decision.

PS: I don't think you necessarily need to say that you're asking for accommodations specifically because of BP. You probably just need to get a doctor's note stating that you have a mental health condition that requires you to need extra time or whatever.

[MusicLover82]

Btw, in the future, you may want to only tell people if it is absolutely necessary or they have become a VERY close friend that you can trust. That's how I am with telling people. There is too much stigma attached to being "bipolar" and many people do not understand. Let them get to know you first.

[smallwonderer]

I didn't know until I was a professor at a school I would *not* have chosen if I knew my diagnosis. Looking back I am positive I was BP2 but I do not see where it ever interrupted my schooling. I wish it had because there are definitely no accommodations in this job for mental illness. Accommodations for students, however, are getting much better.

My family, partner, and ex-boss all know because I was hospitalized under pretty extreme circumstances two years ago. I think it's natural for your family and your partner to know. As for the ex-boss (who I have posted about on here), I think about it all the time about whether it would be better if he didn't know (not that I had a choice), but I honestly need someone who knows my professional life and my personal struggles, I just don't really want to enlarge the list of people who fall into that category. For instance, a mentor of mine at my current job was in my office last week asking me repeatedly "What are you going to be the best in the world at in 3-5 years?" (for tenure) and honestly I wanted to say "I can only answer that question when I'm hypo!" It makes me feel like people are talking to a different person when they talk to a person who they don't know is ill. I wish I had more people to talk to who knew I was BP, but there's too much stigma.

[Crazy Hitch]

No ... I haven't even told my boyfriend ...

Yes. I tell everyone.

[Icare dixit]

Wasn't there a thread just like this one?

I tell everyone, when talking about problems. So among friends, mostly.

[Trippin2.0]

Yes, no big deal for me, everyone knows, I have not made any effort to hide it.


I figure the more normalized it is, the quicker stigma will die. I didn't want my nieces and daughter growing up ashamed of me, so that's why I've made no attempt to hide.


I even told my new employer up front, during my interview.

Not because I wear it as a badge or anything though, (I actually considered not saying anything) but it's because I have therapy on Thursdays and wanted that time freed up and agreed to from the get go.


Honesty didn't shoot me in the foot, I still got the job.

[BastetsMuse]

Originally Posted by st0psign

I'm a college student and continuously have to tell my professors that I have bipolar disorder to get accommodations met so I can pass my classes, be it extra time to take exams or extra time to finish a course, and I absolutely hate doing it. just wondering if anyone else has had to do similar things or if you tell people you have it in general.

Generally, I tell people that I have it. This approach has gotten me a lot of rejection over the years, but the good people in my life hang in there with me.

I fought for accomodations in one job and then surrendered and quit it. After that I had three other jobs until my pdoc convinced me to apply for disability, which took a year to get.

As you learn to manage your bipolar, you'll actually need fewer accomodations - that's a general rule. You might have to make compromises about what you can do, though.

[annielovesbacon]

I've debated telling my profs so that they can help or understand when I'm struggling in a class. I haven't yet though.

Only on a very limited basis, mainly because it isn't something that comes up for the most part. My family knows, a few coworkers who needed to know are aware, a few friends know mainly because they also struggle with mental health issues so it has come up as something we share and can support each other with. Otherwise, I consider it a health issue and I don't generally go around telling everyone about health issues; I don't particularly see this as any different.

[ComfortablyNumb5]

Originally Posted by st0psign

I'm a college student and continuously have to tell my professors that I have bipolar disorder to get accommodations met so I can pass my classes, be it extra time to take exams or extra time to finish a course, and I absolutely hate doing it. just wondering if anyone else has had to do similar things or if you tell people you have it in general.

I try and keep it to myself when it comes to work or school. Unfortunately the times I did tell others, it bit me in the ***. There's still a bad stigma these days and i wish more than anything I could be more open about it.

In the past, I told people without thinking. Impulsive. Feeling "ashamed" seems to not make logical sense. But society has a difference in opinion sometimes. Fact. So I would probably not advise people to tell others. This includes myself. However I suspect I will find myself in a situation where I do it again. Should I? No. I'm not a role model or poster child of wellness for which to elect myself spokesperson. Do I hope I can someday be a role model of sorts? You betcha. But I just need to keep taking baby steps. I'm stuck for various reasons, but it will get better.

So to tell or not to tell? Wait a minute, am I suddenly gay and in the military?

[SingDanceRunLife]

In college I only told a few professors and my closest friends. Now however, I post about it regularly on Facebook, so anyone who pays any attention to my FB posts knows, and I want it that way because I'm trying to educate the masses and break the stigma.

i usually do, and their are 2 reasons why

1 is, that i don't hide my mental illness from people- their's enough MI stigma as it is, without being afraid to talk about your own condition

and 2. if something were to happen, then people have been informed in advance

[Row Jimmy]

I've only told one friend that I am BP.

No one at work knows. My p-doc says "it's none of their damn business". I love that guy.

Many people in my family know, but not all of them.

[GoldenSnitch]

I've told some people. My immediate family knows. Not sure if I'm glad I told or not. My mom didn't react too positively.

I've told a couple of my close friends. Again, reactions varied. And I've let one friend go because of it but I'm feeling good about that because the friendship wasn't good for me anyway. One friend that I told has been going through some rough depression himself so it's nice to have someone who gets the mental illness part of things.

My boss knows. She is kind of a friend as well as a boss so I told her. Plus there are times she needs to know what is going on.

Everyone else I don't tell. I'm open about my anxiety but I feel like I have a harder time being that way with my bp.

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