[bizi]

Sorry I tried to do a search for this but could not bring it up.
I believe we have talked about this recently.
Sorry for the repeat if so.

I have been struggling with this notion.

Just because I have bipolar doesn't mean I am sick,
Even though it is considered a mental illness.

I guess if I am manic or depressed then I might call myself sick.
Does the label bipolar mean you are sick?
what are your thoughts.
bizi

[wildflowerchild25]

I’m with you, I only consider myself sick when in a severe episode. Depression. I don’t consider my hypomania to be sick because they are not severe.

Yes. Unfortunately it does. By "sick" meaning not well.

[amicus_curiae]

Originally Posted by bizi

Sorry I tried to do a search for this but could not bring it up.
I believe we have talked about this recently.
Sorry for the repeat if so.

I have been struggling with this notion.

Just because I have bipolar doesn't mean I am sick,
Even though it is considered a mental illness.

I guess if I am manic or depressed then I might call myself sick.
Does the label bipolar mean you are sick?
what are your thoughts.
bizi

I prefer ‘disorders’ to illnesses or sicknesses.

I have a variety of mental disorders that I know can cause me to think or act in manners that are detrimental to my welfare. And harmful to others. Yes, I think that being ill and being sick are synonymous. I take medications to aid in the function of my heart and medications to aid in the function of my mind.

Maybe I’m more abnormal than most abnormal folks but I am either high or low, always hallucinating and delusional, always fearing unrighteousness judgement, always worried about abandonment, etc. I suppose that if you only exhibit manic or depressed states occasionally then you might not consider yourself ill/sick until those rare states influences your thinking and behaviors.

Yes, I'm sick, I’ll, or disordered. All of the time.

[Nammu]

Nope, not the label, I can be in remission and stable. But if I'm in an episode then yes I'm sick.

[Pookyl]

My GP always says to me that I’m remarkably well given everything that’s wrong with me. For me it works better to consider myself ‘sick’. Although my goal at the beginning of each day is to be as well as possible.
I have so many things wrong with me that I need ‘labels’. And I need them to survive. For example, if I hadn’t passed on a ‘label’ to the surgeon last week I’d either be in ICU or dead.
I’m someone who is not compliant with managing my bipolar unless I consider myself sick. Although just to confuse the issue I don’t run around saying I’m sick, I’m sick

[Guiness187055]

Originally Posted by Nammu

Nope, not the label, I can be in remission and stable. But if I'm in an episode then yes I'm sick.

I agree with this statement. This is how I feel about bipolar.

I’ve wondered if I’m “disabled” now that I’ve had to take short-term disability twice now (albeit many years apart), and I’ve been officially diagnosed.

No. I don’t meet the definition of disabled.

I definitely am sick when too depressed/anxious or manic.

[Row Jimmy]

IMO - the term "sick" often evokes pity from others. I do not receive, nor do I want, anyone's pity. Sure, people in my life watch over me but MI is an affliction that deserves understanding and not the solemnity involved with being seriously ill. Furthermore, pity only drives the MI further into the recesses of our souls where it should never be. We begin to feel badly for ourselves. BP should rest *comfortably* close to the surface so it can be managed and accepted by the one who carries it carefully with dignity.

[bizi]

Originally Posted by Row Jimmy

IMO - the term "sick" often evokes pity from others. I do not receive, nor do I want, anyone's pity. Sure, people in my life watch over me but MI is an affliction that deserves understanding and not the solemnity involved with being seriously ill. Furthermore, pity only drives the MI further into the recesses of our souls where it should never be. We begin to feel badly for ourselves. BP should rest *comfortably* close to the surface so it can be managed and accepted by the one who carries it carefully with dignity.

This my friend is well put.
thank you.
bizi

[Merlin]

I have a permanent disability, but I’m only sick when I’m in the middle of an episode, or, I guess, any stage of an episode.

[amicus_curiae]

Originally Posted by Pookyl

My GP always says to me that I’m remarkably well given everything that’s wrong with me. For me it works better to consider myself ‘sick’. Although my goal at the beginning of each day is to be as well as possible.
I have so many things wrong with me that I need ‘labels’. And I need them to survive. For example, if I hadn’t passed on a ‘label’ to the surgeon last week I’d either be in ICU or dead.

I’m someone who is not compliant with managing my bipolar unless I consider myself sick. Although just to confuse the issue I don’t run around saying I’m sick, I’m sick

I have so many physical ailments and conditions — sicknesses requiring medical interventions such as medications and surgeries after surgeries — that I consider myself mentally sick, as well, needing medications and psychotherapy interventions, some on an hourly basis.

“Heart disease” is a general label, I suppose, and yet I have 11 different types of active heart disease. And I’m an active diabetic. And I have 6 different types of ongoing mental disorders. As much as I would love saying that oedema isn’t a result of congestive heart failure, well, it is. And my monthly spending sprees that put me in incredible debt are resultant because of risky behavior associated with mania.

Always manic/always delusional.

I am actively bipolar, actively (sigh, again) schizoaffective, actively borderline, actively anxious, actively agoraphobic, etc.

It would be nonsense if I were to say, “I don’t have a dozen stents in my heart. I don’t have one stent in both my left and right carotid arteries.” Just as nonsensical if I were to say, “I’m not bipolar.”

“I don’t hallucinate. I’m not delusional.” I would be so much more in denial if I denied delusions and hallucinations and stents and surgeries and fainting and all of the other crap so I’m gonna stick with the word ‘sick’ for those who care.

[BipolaRNurse]

This is why I can't bring myself to say "mentally ill" in reference to myself outside of an episode. I am NOT sick. I'm only ill if I'm depressed (it's hard for me to think of hypo/mania as being 'sick'). I suppose that doesn't make a lot of sense and I'm being selective about what I consider to be illness. But it works for me.

[bizi]

here here I say.
or is it
hear hear I say.
anyway thank you for your thoughtful replies.
bizi

[*Laurie*]

Just this year, at age 55, I have come to accept that I truly am mentally ill. The mental illness, for good and bad, has defined my life in many, many ways. Being on medication definitely causes me to be disabled. Sick?....technically, I suppose that is the word. And just to throw it out there, I don't equate "sick" with "wanting pity" at all. I think that's a stigma.

[Wander]

When stable I don’t consider myself ‘sick’ but not quite well either. Like my illness is lurking around waiting to pounce on me any second. Saying that, I am rarely stable for long. During severe episodes I do consider my self sick, however it is like a spectrum of sickness. Eg; 1=severe depressed and 10=psychotically manic. Every human being lies on this spectrum but most wouldn’t consider themselves sick. Am I making sense? Thoughts a little scattered right now.

[Wild Coyote]

Originally Posted by Wander

When stable I don’t consider myself ‘sick’ but not quite well either. Like my illness is lurking around waiting to pounce on me any second. Saying that, I am rarely stable for long. During severe episodes I do consider my self sick, however it is like a spectrum of sickness. Eg; 1=severe depressed and 10=psychotically manic. Every human being lies on this spectrum but most wouldn’t consider themselves sick. Am I making sense? Thoughts a little scattered right now.

Yes, you are making sense.

WC

[amicus_curiae]

Originally Posted by *Laurie*

Just this year, at age 55, I have come to accept that I truly am mentally ill. The mental illness, for good and bad, has defined my life in many, many ways. Being on medication definitely causes me to be disabled. Sick?....technically, I suppose that is the word. And just to throw it out there, I don't equate "sick" with "wanting pity" at all. I think that's a stigma.

You’re so young!

Yeah. Disorder, illness, sick. I used to be amazed that I began sliding into first base at eighteen. I spent a lot that year. That was the year that I came into control of my inheritance. I remember the juice of buying things for friends, buying all that I wanted (and I wanted a lot). I also successfully completed my sophomore year during 18-19. I don’t remember how. I put my money into tax-free bonds @ 15% per annum. By 1999, I had spent the remaining principal.

What b**chin’ decades had passed.

When I filed for disability I included all of my contemporaneous medical records. When I was awarded SSDI, I had to ask exactly why — mental illnesses or heart diseases? Mental crap.

Today? Probably more disabled by physical limitations, maybe. Oh, I’m mental as hell, but not like back then, not even as bad as two years ago! Thinking that I have some control over my mental state might be the part of delusion that I live by.

I think that I know what you mean about wanting pity. I’ve always believed that those seeking pity have already begun the fall into self-pity. I think that support doesn’t always mean agreeing with other’s posts. I get in trouble for that view —a lot. I’m not allowed to use certain words. Certainly not allowed to disagree with others! Disagreement is not supportive.

And, still, I post; knowing that most of my posts will not see day, I post.

Yes, I am sick.

[scatterbrained04]

I only consider myself "sick" if I'm in a more severe episode. Otherwise, no.

[pirilin]

I dislike to be the bearer of bad news. We are sick.

[Zigy]

Since I don't function properly and suffer from anxiety and depression I consider myself ill. It's saddens me though.

[*Laurie*]

Originally Posted by pirilin

I dislike to be the bearer of bad news. We are sick.

Many times those who are sick are also those who are most glorious.

[Moose72]

Originally Posted by *Laurie*

Just this year, at age 55, I have come to accept that I truly am mentally ill. The mental illness, for good and bad, has defined my life in many, many ways. Being on medication definitely causes me to be disabled. Sick?....technically, I suppose that is the word. And just to throw it out there, I don't equate "sick" with "wanting pity" at all. I think that's a stigma.

This. At 46 I have come to know that I am sick and that is never going away. Nevermind that its listed (SZA) as one of my ailments by my primary doctor.

I guess there's a difference between feeling sick and being sick.

I never feel sick, even in an episode. I know that sounds ridiculous, but I just see myself as a person who is struggling to deal with what life throws at them... because everyone has their struggles, some of which are biological/biochemical and some of which are not. I guess by definition that biological/biochemical problems imply "sick", but that means billions of other people are "sick" too.

And yes, i know there are different degrees of "sick." Like, stage 4 cancer is an extreme example of someone who is very sick, while someone with a mild cough they caught from the common cold is likely not as sick. And I know that everyone handles "sick" differently. However, we're all "sick" in our own way. I don't want to call myself "sick" because then I feel like I'm pitying myself over other people, if that makes sense.

[Blueberrybook]

I don't consider myself "sick" so much as having a disability, one that prevents me from working. I am sick when I'm in the middle of depression or mania.