[busymomof5]

Do you share your diagnosis with your family and friends? I really haven’t told anyone and I was diagnosed more than 5 years ago. I feel it will negatively effect people’s’ perceptions of me.

[cogladaid]

I didn’t tell anyone at first because I wasn’t accepting of it, but eventually I told my family and they were cool with it. I’ve become more comfortable talking about it now and even told some friends who are cool with it as well.

[Fuzzybear]

I do not. I do not have a ''doctor'' who gives a crap either (its a frequent malaise in this forest, they blame us for having an ''illness'' Toxic shame

[swimmingly]

I told a lot of people. Friends, family, work. I regret it all but family.

[busymomof5]

Originally Posted by Fuzzybear

I do not. I do not have a ''doctor'' who gives a crap either (its a frequent malaise in this forest, they blame us for having an ''illness'' Toxic shame

I’m so sorry you feel your doctor doesn’t care. I know I recently pissed my doctor off, but she cares. Can you find a new doctor?

[busymomof5]

Originally Posted by swimmingly

I told a lot of people. Friends, family, work. I regret it all but family.

How did work take it?

[swimmingly]

It's a company of 12000. They loved me. I was the poster boy for mental health success (something I'm not at all. I'm a work in progress like all of us are.). They wrote a huge article about how I live with bipolar. From that point on, my paranoia reached all new heights. It's still pretty bad now. People don't treat me differently but it didn't help my symptoms long-term.

[busymomof5]

Originally Posted by swimmingly

It's a company of 12000. They loved me. I was the poster boy for mental health success (something I'm not at all. I'm a work in progress like all of us are.). They wrote a huge article about how I live with bipolar. From that point on, my paranoia reached all new heights. It's still pretty bad now. People don't treat me differently but it didn't help my symptoms long-term.

I’m sorry you feel paranoid. It’s hard to have your private struggle made public even if they are being supportive. I know I’d feel uncomfortable. At my last job, I let my boss read my daughter’s neuropsych report to help me understand it better. Later, I realized part of the narrative was that I have bipolar. She never said anything, but I felt really exposed.

[Sliders]

Family and close friends only.

[bpcyclist]

Open book. Only way we move this thing fwd is by demonstrating every day that we are not monsters.

[Victoria'smom]

Everyone knows about the Bipolar part only my immediate family and my parents know about the Schizo part.

[Living in LaLa Land]

Close family members, including my in-laws, know about my diagnosis. Selected friends and associates know as well. I'm pretty honest about my diagnosis. But, if someone gets weird about it, our relationship is shortened.

[*Beth*]

Years ago I confided in a few family members. I came to profoundly regret that I did. I have not confided in anyone else except my treatment providers and definitely don't plan to.

[The Black Dog]

Close family - yes
Friends - not really
Work - probably not unless I need to

[Soupe du jour]

Only the closest people to me were officially told, and a couple of friends. In the worst years, people clearly got the message without needing to be told. That's what happens when manic behavior is beyond noticeable.

Nowadays, besides here, I say nothing if I can help it. Just my mental health support team hears or advises. I got to the point where I was sick of "being mentally ill" and wanted to be me again. That doesn't mean I reject proper treatment. I'm fully on board with that.