FB users do your friends know about your bp?

Cocosurviving · Apr 25, 2017, 05:01 PM

Next month (May) is national mental health awareness. I'm really wanting to get involved again (I use to do volunteer work). I'm thinking of putting a national mental health awareness banner on my fb page. I'm friends with extended family but we're not close. We just say "hi and bye". They no nothing of my bipolar. I have college alumni and high school friends. I know stigma is still real. I get disability so I don't have to worry about harming a job. Is anyone "out" the bipolar (or other MI) closet on fb?

Sometimes psychotic · Apr 25, 2017, 05:16 PM

no----I've thought about it a few times but it would really have to be the right opportunity for me to be that open----also I worry like you said about harming future jobs if I didn't have my settings right.

Daonnachd · Apr 25, 2017, 05:19 PM

I am. In fact, I use fb to find rides to and from ECT occasionally.

I'm sure some of my "friends" cling to negative views about mental health issues rather than find out the truth. Never the less, I don't regret outing myself, even if it results in some thinking ill of me.

~Christina · Apr 25, 2017, 05:42 PM

I threw my Bipolar out loud and clear on Facebook about 6 months ago.

Everyone was supportive and I have numerous friends that also struggle with MI reached out to me to discuss our struggles

jacky8807 · Apr 25, 2017, 05:55 PM

I don't do it because of job reasons and also many of the parents of my son's friends are on there. I am with these ppl a lot due to kid sports and I know the level of tolerance they exude which isn't much.

I can willingly take on the stigma but is it fair to force that choice on my son? not in my opinion

Wild Coyote · Apr 25, 2017, 07:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jacky8807

I don't do it because of job reasons and also many of the parents of my son's friends are on there. I am with these ppl a lot due to kid sports and I know the level of tolerance they exude which isn't much.

I can willingly take on the stigma but is it fair to force that choice on my son? not in my opinion

A very thoughtful mother, jacky!

WC

Daonnachd · Apr 25, 2017, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jacky8807

I don't do it because of job reasons and also many of the parents of my son's friends are on there. I am with these ppl a lot due to kid sports and I know the level of tolerance they exude which isn't much.

I can willingly take on the stigma but is it fair to force that choice on my son? not in my opinion

Yeah, that totally makes sense.

Guiness187055 · Apr 25, 2017, 08:11 PM

I only tell someone about being bipolar if I am sure that it can help them with what they are going through at the time. I keep it on the DL for the most part. People tend to think it's just an issue with self control and not a mental illness. Just m 2 cents

wildflowerchild25 · Apr 25, 2017, 08:14 PM

I "came out" as a self injured on fb last year. The only reason I did so is because I got a tattoo to cover my scars but they were raised and visible from the irritation and slight swelling. So I felt I had to explain myself. I got tons of support. However, I have since made the post private because I am worried about my employers and future potential employers finding it. I've been told as a teacher that my online activity will be monitored. My profile is friends only but I don't fully trust that. I'm afraid a student's parent will find me and see what I've posted. So I don't post anything MI related except for stuff that can be deemed as support and doesn't necessarily reveal my own struggles. I just don't think my profession would be understanding of bipolar as there is so much stigma. I think parents wouldn't want me around their kids.

Apr 25, 2017, 08:19 PM

Some do and I leave it at that. I don't broadcast it but I certainly don't hide it.

Cocosurviving · Apr 25, 2017, 08:33 PM

Wildflower that's what I had in mind....showing support. I'm not talking poring my symptoms on FB. I'm not a "share feelings on FB" type of person. I think I want to start posting numbers for support groups and other help agencies. I'm "not" going to post ....."Hi FB friends I'm manic." I just kinda feel like 1). It's my page and should be what fits my personality and passion 2). I didn't go to college and become a social worker to do "nothing". I'm not working anymore (disability) but I miss it like crazy. I'm use to helping others with MI. I was a social worker for ten years. I haven't worked since 2012 and now I miss having a case load. I was supposed to help make a difference until I retired but bipolar got me. I started out in the welfare -to -work area. Then spent the last three in mental health. I knew people that worked at the mental health hospitals on a first name bases...took tours of hospitals. Now I'm on the opposite side of the table lol.

Wander · Apr 25, 2017, 10:05 PM

Last December I decided to 'come out' on FB and post that I had been in hospital for Severe Mania-Bipolar and PTSD. I got a lot of positive feedback and of course many obvious silences. I wanted to break down the stigma and am starting not to care what people think of me. I am also lucky that my employer knows and is supportive so colleagues knowing is not a problem. Many people don't have that luxury.

Apr 25, 2017, 10:49 PM

The people whoo really know me know. I don't feel comfortable letting acquaintances see a vulnerable side to me. I do have a crazy ex after all. exes feed on weaknesses lol

BipolaRNurse · Apr 25, 2017, 10:52 PM

All my FB friends know I have bipolar. I post my blog to FB also, so that makes me an open book. It's OK, I'm very selective about friends and never add people I don't know well. No need for everyone to know how crazy I really am. LOL

Cdnstargazer · Apr 25, 2017, 11:37 PM

I think the only way I would come out and say it, is after I have a TV show or network do a real TV series on my life. Yep, once I made money off of life's quirks and ups and downs is the only way.

I don't shy away from sharing things on depression or anxiety on Facebook.. but for some reason Bipolar feels very different.

Apr 26, 2017, 08:13 AM

Because of my cycling, I shouldn't be on Facebook. As a matter of fact I do not have an active profile. I only used it to post photos of my son's soccer team on their official page - I find that photography calms me. If I was on Facebook still, I might mention it because at my peak I only had about 30 "friends".

Cocosurviving · Apr 26, 2017, 09:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wild Coyote

A very thoughtful mother, jacky!

WC

My ten year old daughter actually is taking on stigma and it was her idea. She has ADHD and has been taking medication since she was around six. Last summer she decided she wanted to be med free. A is a very strong willed child. I told her we would give it a chance. A started to struggle a bit in school this year. I went and had some accommodations put in place for her. Now she's doing better. We had a IEP meeting and the coordinator was asking why she was not taking a med. A told the lady no that she wanted to be med free.....try things on her own. A month or so later the special ed coordinator asked me again abt meds. I told her things were good. I have the e-mail addresses to all her teachers. We e-mail weekly abt homework and grades. Now it's the end of the school year and she beat the odds. She didn't take ADHD meds the whole year. She has a best friend of three years. I do not believe she told her that she has ADHD. I've never told the mom and I'll not. A lot of people believe all kids with ADHD are just misbehaved.

Cocosurviving · Apr 26, 2017, 09:30 AM

I'm not FB friends with any of my daughter's school friend's parents. She's in a new Girl Scouts troop (we just moved cities) and I just told the leader about her having ADHD. I was told she was not the only. I'm not friends with the GS leader on FB. I'm very select of who I let be my friend.

Miss Laura · 11:20 AM

I posted a post 2 years ago regarding having Bipolar. I wrote a neat little paragraph with a link to a Bipolar fact sheet. Everyone was sooooo supportive even people who rare like my stuff were shocked I'm ill but at the same time very sympathetic. It definitely is all on you. If it's a ribbon I wouldn't worry about it.... loads of people put ribbons on their fb here in the UK your just showing your support

I never post my illness in the respect if having an episode etc. Fb is just for educating people

glowsinthedark · Apr 26, 2017, 11:08 AM

I'm not on fb but if I was I would not discuss bipolar. I wouldn't post anything that personal, it's just not my style. I would also be very worried about it affecting my ability to find work. I'm sure employers stalk prospective employees as much as they can, and I can't imagine being bipolar would be considered a bonus to my cv...

*Laurie* · Apr 26, 2017, 11:41 AM

I don't purposely not share my diagnosis, but I also don't specifically share it. The most frustrating thing to me is when I tell someone I battle with depression and they say, "Ohhh...I know what you mean"- but by "depression" they mean they had one bad day at work. They're not really, truly, clinically depressed and on a ton of meds.

bioChE · Apr 26, 2017, 11:48 AM

I know what you mean. My mom thinks my depression is feeling "down in the dumps." It's kinda pointless to try to describe the true nature of depression.

Apr 26, 2017, 12:59 PM

I am very open with my struggles. I have talked on fb about what it was like to be committed involuntarily to the psychiatric ward. I talk about what it feels like to be really depressed and wanting to kill myself. I talk about the boundless energy hypomania brought and how I exercised fr 4 hours straight to burn energy as an example. I talk about stigma and feeling crazy and the frustration of different meds and side effects. I talk about it all. Luckily I have received mostly a lot of support. In some cases I lost some friends, but I'm okay with that.