[leomama]

So the other day I was talking to my dad on the phone and I decided not to tell him about my bp dx. The whole time I was on disability due to ptsd my mother thought I was on welfare, and I wasn't in the mood for another statement of disbelief.

I always thought bp was hereditary but when I asked my p doc that the last time I saw him he was kind of vague in his answer. As far as I know nobody else in my family has a mental health dx. Nobody else in my family would ever see a therapist or a psychiatrist. My dad's stepdad was a psychiatrist and my dad has the biggest resentment I've ever seen against psychiatrists.

Its so utterly frustrating how self centered my family is.

I've grown to accept my dad's narcissism, however that doesn't make it any easier. Its always all about him all the time.

Anyways now I feel like I'm keeping this secret from my family after all these years and its nonsense. I can't even begun to talk about the abuse I endured growing up. I hate that word abuse. Its become so commonplace. When I was in high school my English teacher filed a child abuse report on my mom. That's abuse. This other stuff? I don't know. There's objective abuse and then there's "I feel abused". Generally I don't go by my feelings. Like at work one of my supervisors is a bully, as told to me by a coworker. In that case I know that I'm objectively being abused in other words it can be proven by others and seen by others.

Then there's relationships.

Anyways I'm saying all this to say that when I learned that trauma can trigger bipolar I was like 'aha! well that makes sense now as even ptsd can be overcome but bp? That's a lifelong dx from what I understand'. Right?

[Nola0250]

I have not told my parents and will not, even though I’m pretty certain my dad and both his brothers are undiagnosed BP2. They are antipsychiatry and would see it as a sign of weakness. No need to subject myself to that and it’s not their business.

[leomama]

Originally Posted by Nola0250

I have not told my parents and will not, even though I’m pretty certain my dad and both his brothers are undiagnosed BP2. They are antipsychiatry and would see it as a sign of weakness. No need to subject myself to that and it’s not their business.

Yep. Isn’t it frustrating? We’re in the minority. Most people get help and support from their parents but not us.

[Victoria'smom]

My parents know but they treat it like I'm a drug addict. My dad has gone so far as to hide my medication when I visit and tells me how bad it is. My mom gives it back to me when she's sick of seeing me withdraw. They're getting better with time. I think me going on a trip with them really showed them that I struggle without medication.

[leomama]

Originally Posted by Miguel'smom

My parents know but they treat it like I'm a drug addict. My dad has gone so far as to hide my medication when I visit and tells me how bad it is. My mom gives it back to me when she's sick of seeing me withdraw. They're getting better with time. I think me going on a trip with them really showed them that I struggle without medication.

My mother thought I was on welfare the whole time I was on disability and every time I tried to talk to her about my ptsd she dismissed it. What makes me the most angry is she spread lies around my family that I was on welfare. I tried to go on welfare to work after my divorce and that's when I found out I had ptsd. I will never forgive my mother for what she did to me. That is why I am not telling my father that I have bipolar. My p doc did say it was genetic so I know somebody in my family has it but they would never admit it in a thousand years.

[Unrigged64072835]

I didn't tell my parents. They had my brother who had a heart condition, treated with a pacemaker and meds. He's sick, not me. My brother mooched off of them until they died.

Yeah, I have a bit of resentment about that. If I said anything it would've been, "at least you're not like your brother."

At least I was able to get on disability and take care of myself and my family. I didn't "depend" on them so I can hack and play computer games.

[leomama]

Originally Posted by Fharraige

I didn't tell my parents. They had my brother who had a heart condition, treated with a pacemaker and meds. He's sick, not me. My brother mooched off of them until they died.

Yeah, I have a bit of resentment about that. If I said anything it would've been, "at least you're not like your brother."

At least I was able to get on disability and take care of myself and my family. I didn't "depend" on them so I can hack and play computer games.

My brother has a visual impairment and its always been about him ever since he got sick as a child.

They both know about the BP dx, but not the PTSD. Hell, my dad was the one that lead to my getting diagonsed with bipolar by the first doc I've seen.

[leomama]

Originally Posted by escapeartist

They both know about the BP dx, but not the PTSD. Hell, my dad was the one that lead to my getting diagonsed with bipolar by the first doc I've seen.

Yeah, that is the exact opposite of what I have: supportive parents. My mother equated depression with laziness, that is what I heard my whole entire life from her. The resentment I feel towards her is palatable.