Breaking Stigma on FB

Wander · Dec 14, 2016, 02:52 AM

As you know I was discharged from IP today. I have felt so fed up with the stigma surrounding mental illness in society that I decided to come out on FB. This is what I wrote:

Today I've come home after 40 days in hospital. Now, I want to begin to do my part in breaking stigma by explaining what I have been ill with the last two months: mania (Bipolar) and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Many people with any mental illness feel they must develop a ‘false’ illness to explain their behaviour and absence. It is my hope that one day anyone with a mental illness can talk freely about it, and that they would be met with acceptance and support.

Know it won't be all good, and mostly silence but maybe someone out there will be helped. It is the small amount I can do right now. Sadly, I still don't feel confident to mention the fact that I had psychosis.

Moose72 · Dec 14, 2016, 03:07 AM

That took guts. Every time I hand out my blog address to a friend I wonder if they'll still be my friend after they read it .

Dec 14, 2016, 03:28 AM

Good luck and thanks for fighting the good fight for us. (((Hugs)))

Dec 14, 2016, 03:38 AM

Good for you!

If your friends judge you poorly for having MI, then they're obviously not your real friends; so I wouldn't worry too much about people who don't accept it. You don't want to be friends with those people anyway.

Also, it's okay if you don't feel comfortable coming out about your psychosis. The big thing was being open about your BP and PTSD anyway! Psychosis isn't an important detail IMO. You could go with or without that detail. It's sort of irrelevant when you consider the point you're trying to convey.

Shazerac · Dec 14, 2016, 09:52 AM

You are a brave women. Anyone who chooses to think less of you doesn't deserve to be in your life!

LifeInProgress · Dec 14, 2016, 10:05 AM

Thank you for stigma busting.

Many of my friends know I was IP, and I am pretty out about BP. I frequently post stuff about it on FB. I figure if I can help even one person cope a little better it is worth it.

Your post is very moving. I salute you.

CloserToTheMid · Dec 14, 2016, 10:53 AM

Thanks. This helps all of us. I'm FB MI Official. I can afford to be because I have very supportive friends.

fishin fool · Dec 14, 2016, 12:27 PM

You are very brave to do what you did.
I hope it brings some sense of peace.

Daonnachd · Dec 14, 2016, 03:57 PM

Well said. I also came out on face book. I often mention my BP because I have to use fb to beg rides to ECT. Most people have been supportive.

BipolaRNurse · Dec 14, 2016, 05:08 PM

I came out on FB shortly after I was diagnosed. I did lose a few friends, but the vast majority have been very supportive. Some of them read my blog and have made positive comments. Good on you for being honest and not hiding away any more...I think you'll be relieved.

JustJace2u · Dec 14, 2016, 05:36 PM

I haven't gone so far as to publicly display it on FB, but I have told a handful of folks about my hospitalization 2 weeks. Most so far have been very supportive it seems. Thankfully a lot of my friends work in healthcare and are nurses, so they at least have a better understanding of what I might be going through at times. Unfortunately I think my parents might still be in denial and think that all I'm dealing with is severe depression.

~Christina · Dec 14, 2016, 06:46 PM

I threw my Bipolar out on my Facebook earlier in the year, it was received very well and supportive.

A couple people must have thought Bipolar is like a cold and they would " get it " good riddance!

HAHAHAHA!

Wander · 07:47 PM

Thanks everyone. So far overwhelmingly positive support but of course there is the silence from obvious people, like almost all my co-workers. Going back to work is going to be fun...Oh well, I think it has been pretty obvious, since I have had so much time off work without saying what was wrong, that I have a serious illness and that it is most likely mental. I guess they just know which one now. I am a little concerned as BP has a bigger stigma than depression, but posting that I had Bipolar and PTSD was my exact point. Break the stigma, one post, text, email, article and conversation at a time. I know I won't lose my job so I'm not too worried about peoples judgement. They know I'm a good worker.

Moogieotter · Dec 14, 2016, 07:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ~Christina

I threw my Bipolar out on my Facebook earlier in the year, it was received very well and supportive.

A couple people must have thought Bipolar is like a cold and they would " get it " good riddance!

HAHAHAHA!

Wait, what? I caught this from a snotty kid in daycare?

wiretwister · Dec 14, 2016, 11:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ~Christina

A couple people must have thought Bipolar is like a cold and they would " get it " good riddance!

HAHAHAHA!

you mean it's not .... that's how I caught it ...

ps: good for you wander ... when I was off a month they put me on short term disability ... could that be an opinion ....

Dec 14, 2016, 11:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wander

Thanks everyone. So far overwhelmingly positive support but of course there is the silence from obvious people, like almost all my co-workers. Going back to work is going to be fun...Oh well, I think it has been pretty obvious, since I have had so much time off work without saying what was wrong, that I have a serious illness and that it is most likely mental. I guess they just know which one now. I am a little concerned as BP has a bigger stigma than depression, but posting that I had Bipolar and PTSD was my exact point. Break the stigma, one post, text, email, article and conversation at a time. I know I won't lose my job so I'm not too worried about peoples judgement. They know I'm a good worker.

Sorry that some people have stayed silent. Do/did you consider your co-workers as friends?

At least you were honest and open with your co-workers. I hope that everything goes well when you go back to work.

bizi · Dec 14, 2016, 11:33 PM

I tried to post something on face book shared a mental health post and got no responses. oh well.
glad that you have gotten good support.
bizi

Wander · Dec 15, 2016, 12:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluebicycle

Sorry that some people have stayed silent. Do/did you consider your co-workers as friends?

At least you were honest and open with your co-workers. I hope that everything goes well when you go back to work.

A couple are good friends but the rest just co-workers who I get along well with but they are all 15-20 years younger than me so we aren't real friends. The good friends already know my diagnosis, well maybe not the severity, but having no comment/like was a bit odd.

Wander · Dec 15, 2016, 12:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wiretwister

you mean it's not .... that's how I caught it ...

ps: good for you wander ... when I was off a month they put me on short term disability ... could that be an opinion ....

Not sure what you mean but instead of easing back into work doing 'light' duties etc (which I would hate anyway) I am having three weeks off now to settle down and hopefully become a bit stronger before I am back at work early January. Will also be asking my boss if I can work less hours to reduce stress in general.

wiretwister · Dec 15, 2016, 12:22 AM

when I went ip my work on there own put me on short term disability (not a gov plan but a private plan thru my work) ... I got paid the entire time (30 days) I was off .... I guess your co does not have such or you probably would have been told allready ....
I was so messed up that I never even knew thos till my wife mentioned it after I had been back to work a while ... of course I did not know much as all for quite a while ... shaky as hell for weeks ... like I had had a very serious physical illness ...

hope you feel better ... best wishes for a speedy recovery .. just rest and get better ... if your like me it will take a little time ...

Wander · Dec 15, 2016, 12:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wiretwister

when I went ip my work on there own put me on short term disability (not a gov plan but a private plan thru my work) ... I got paid the entire time (30 days) I was off .... I guess your co does not have such or you probably would have been told allready ....

I am casual not a permanent staff member so I have no access to programs but I work a minimum wage job and they don't care much for their staff anyway. I'm just lucky they are short staffed in my department.