[pirilin]

Every time I attend a NAMI meeting I struggle to use the correct words to describe my condition.

"My name is piri and I have a bipolar condition". Opposite to:
"My name is piri and I'm bipolar 1.
Nobody wants or cares to know your number. Unless you're a 10.
(Holly ****!!, a 10!!!) (What planet this guy came from?.)

You are not bipolar. You have a bipolar condition.
You are not cancer. You happen to have cancer. (God forbids.)
Hi my name is piri and I am cancer.

The difference suits me well. And is not semantics. It's reality.
Practice and you will feel better too.

Piri
Vice Minister of Non Important Matters.

[venusss]

Eh, it doesn't matter to me.

I just say I am crazy anyways. Labels and worrying about which verb to use with them won't change how I feel.

[zepchic]

I'm not bipolar either. In fact, there is nothing wrong with me, I have no idea why they have me on all these meds. I should probably just stop taking them and stop wasting my time in therapy.

[Icare dixit]

I am [any BP symptom, sometimes, collectively known as "BP" or "bipolar"].

You aren't dysfunctional cells proliferating too rapidly.

You aren't damaged or dead cells.

You aren't bad memory.

You aren't genetic mutation.

It's what you are, not what you have, I'd say. But I do use "have" to refer to the disorder.

Crazy is fine.

[pirilin]

Originally Posted by Icare dixit

I am [any BP symptom, sometimes, collectively known as "BP" or "bipolar"].

You aren't dysfunctional cells proliferating too rapidly.

You aren't damaged or dead cells.

You aren't bad memory.

You aren't genetic mutation.

It's what you are, not what you have, I'd say.

I don't care what I aren't. I care what I am.

I am a person who has bipolar disorder. Comprende?.

[BastetsMuse]

I am, I have ... if the difference is important to you, I guess it's important to you. I say that I have bipolar 1, but I also say I am bipolar... just the same way that I have diabetes and am diabetic. It doesn't matter, because I know that bipolar isn't the entirety of me.

[pirilin]

Originally Posted by Icare dixit

I am [any BP symptom, sometimes, collectively known as "BP" or "bipolar"].

You aren't dysfunctional cells proliferating too rapidly.

You aren't damaged or dead cells.

You aren't bad memory.

You aren't genetic mutation.

It's what you are, not what you have, I'd say. But I do use "have" to refer to the disorder.

Crazy is fine.

In fact, you messed with my thoughts. You, cheap mind twister.

I have a bipolar CONDITION. Not disorder. There's nothing disordered with me.

[raspberrytorte]

I don't have bipolar or am bipolar.

What I believe. Being misdiagnosed happens.

Hopefully this new pdoc will agree.

Haha!

[raspberrytorte]

But I just refer to my MI troubles as a situation.

As in, my situation...

I have a situation.

Eh, I don't really care which way I say it. When I'm sick, I say I'm sick, not that I have an illness. When I'm hungry, I say I'm hungry, not that I have hunger. I don't see why bipolar should be any different.

[pirilin]

Originally Posted by raspberrytorte

But I just refer to my MI troubles as a situation.

As in, my situation...

I have a situation.

Hey Rasps, wasssup, That's the spirit!. Problems do not exist. Only situations.

[Icare dixit]

Originally Posted by pirilin

In fact, you messed with my thoughts. You, cheap mind twister.

I have a bipolar CONDITION. Not disorder. There's nothing disordered with me.

Are you sure?

But if bipolar is having weeks of [some BP symtoms] causing dysfunction, have will do nicely too.

I see it more as something continuous, qualitative, not quantitative.

I think my mind or memory, my emotional responses, something belonging to me, is disordered. Like having a part of you being cancerous, if you have cancer.

Actually having a condition is a bit strange, if you think about it, it's more being in a condition, so having a condition is maybe more about a part of you being in a certain condition, which wouldn't be like BP/bipolar.

But I think having a condition will do. It just sounds a bit scary.

[Bobbyj]

Originally Posted by zepchic

i'm not bipolar either. In fact, there is nothing wrong with me, i have no idea why they have me on all these meds. I should probably just stop taking them and stop wasting my time in therapy.

exactly!

[pirilin]

Originally Posted by Icare dixit

Are you sure?

But if bipolar is having weeks of [some BP symtoms] causing dysfunction, have will do nicely too.

I see it more as something continuous, qualitative, not quantitative.

I think my mind or memory, my emotional responses, something belonging to me, is disordered. Like having a part of you being cancerous, if you have cancer.

Actually having a condition is a bit strange, if you think about it, it's more being in a condition, so having a condition is maybe more about a part of you being in a certain condition, which wouldn't be like BP/bipolar.

But I think having a condition will do. It just sounds a bit scary.

How come you said "IF you HAVE cancer." You should have said "If you ARE cancer". 1up.: cool:

[raspberrytorte]

p - I actually do refer to all problems as situations. Lol!

[Icare dixit]

Originally Posted by pirilin

How come you said "IF you HAVE cancer." You should have said "If you ARE cancer". 1up.: cool:

I just explained how cancer is different: you aren't being it, a part of you (cells) is it. You (or your immune system) just can't handle it (that is a requirement: we all have cancerous cells daily). Still it's about just parts of you, so you have it, but you aren't it. You might of course be suffering from something you have. Maybe BP is like that (I'd say not: it's all of you).

[Icare dixit]

Originally Posted by pirilin

In fact, you messed with my thoughts. You, cheap mind twister.

I have a bipolar CONDITION. Not disorder. There's nothing disordered with me.

And look who's talking, you cheap Stroop mind twister!

[pirilin]

Originally Posted by raspberrytorte

p - I actually do refer to all problems as situations. Lol!

That's the spirit. Next meeting I'll say I have a bipolar situation. With the camera on. There's a couple of 'em there that will go Uh??. Will take pics.

I just say I have superpowers, which automatically makes me a superhero. Makes things more interesting.

Captain Mania

[pirilin]

Originally Posted by bluebicycle

I just say I have superpowers, which automatically makes me a superhero. Makes things more interesting.

Captain Mania

I'm Superman. But won't disclose in the meeting. They have a cop like 10 feet away from the door. Specially trained to put the crazies where they belong. In his eyes, if you act crazy, you are. Free ride to the asylum. Which is across the street.
Never being there, never want to go. No no no.

[raspberrytorte]

Bipolar situation... love it!

You guys are funny.

[Nammu]

No disorder, no condition, no situation...just bipolar! BP. I have it I am not it.

[pirilin]

Originally Posted by Nammu

No disorder, no condition, no situation...just bipolar! BP. I have it I am not it.

Good Grief!. Finally someone that knows is not bipolar. Has bipolar.
Whatever you're gonna say to me, say it to Nammu. See if you dare, hehehe!!!.

[BipolaRNurse]

I use "I am" and "I have" interchangeably. It doesn't make any difference to me. Bipolar is a part of me, but it's not all of me.

[gina_re]

Such a good point.
I prefer to say I have bipolar disorder. I am not an illness. I am Regina, not a disorder. I just happen to have this as my illness to deal with, just as someone else may have cancer, an illness that he or she did not wish for.
I am cancer. I love that!
Well not the having cancer part, just the semantics..