[BorderlineBrittany]

Ok here it is...
Do people with Mental Illnesses Stigma themselves as well?

This is the story...

I have been talking with this guy on text.. We were talking abotu his last relationship that lasted 5.5 years... He was telling me why it ended.. Said he was sick of her lazzyness and such.. Then said and she was Bipolar... Well that immediatley stung me.. I am not bipolar but i have BPD and I know the two can be similar in some ways and be confused for the other.. So my defense came up.. I get extremely defensive some times.. (even for no reason..) So i said well you shouldnt characterise all people with Bi polar or mental illnesses... He said true but i wont go down that path again.. I said well then you prob want to stop talking to me.. Cause I have BPD also known has Borderline Personality disorder... I said we aren't all the same and Im trying extremely hard to change myself and overcome this disease.. We don't ask to have it.. He said well i guess its how you deal with it then.. I said ya.. Well our conversation sorta died.. I think i scared him.. Then My BPD came out again and i sent him a message saying i was sorry if i scared him off.. He said he didnt get scared away.. But i feel like he did.. He said hes not jumping into things with me anyway.. I said ya we are just friends.. I just know how people are so quick to judge and not give someone a chance over one thing.. Well we continued talking and still am but i feel like now hes going to judge me and compare me to his ex... Am i being completely rediculous? Im just texting with this guy! Not jumping into marriage! Why am I doing this? Why do I feel this way? I always push people away! Should I just stop while im ahead? BLAH!

[cboxpalace]

Originally Posted by BorderlineBrittany

Ok here it is...
Do people with Mental Illnesses Stigma themselves as well?

This is the story...

So i said well you shouldnt characterise all people with Bi polar or mental illnesses... He said true but i wont go down that path again.. I said well then you prob want to stop talking to me.. Cause I have BPD also known has Borderline Personality disorder... I said we aren't all the same and Im trying extremely hard to change myself and overcome this disease.. We don't ask to have it..

This in my opinion is extremely healthy, pointing out facts to him, and haivng self respect at the same time.

There are alot of people (nons) that have been burned in relationships by people with mental illness, and can become bitter towards those with mental illness, and choose not to go down that path again. It's NOT you.. It's him, and his choice...

My advice is to stand strong and keep showing self respect, and don't get down on yourself..

[BorderlineBrittany]

Aww what a friend! Thanks for the uplifting words of wisdom!

[Forgive77]

Ya....don't let him trigger ya. It'll be up to him...and judging by the fact that he called her lazy....tells me...RUN!! You can be pretty much cured of BPD, but you can't cure BP so...if he's an 'expert' on bipolar..you just need to RUN! Cause he had no sympathy for her, and he was clearly not stable enough for her to lean on...if he's 'tired' of it...he's gonna have less sympathy for you. In my opinion...RUN!! And like Cbox said...keep your self respect. It's okay to run from an insensitive a s s !!! You'll be doing yourself a favor!!

[Rosie23]

I knew a guy who's ex had BP, but she didn't treat for it unless she got really bad and it was a mess. So of course he has a negative view of all people with BP and even said that he would never again become involved with someone who was BP.

I didn't argue it with him at all. Opinions are like belly buttons. Everyone has one.

If that is the way someone feels, move on. There is someone better waiting down the road.

[mommyof2girls]

Well from my personal experience, people deff tend to "stigmatize" when it comes to mental illness....Unfortunately, I learned this first hand when my husband of 6 years left me when I was first diagnosed back in 2005....He stated that he didn't want to understand and didn't have time to deal with a "head case"......

[athena2011]

Originally Posted by mommyof2girls

Well from my personal experience, people deff tend to "stigmatize" when it comes to mental illness....Unfortunately, I learned this first hand when my husband of 6 years left me when I was first diagnosed back in 2005....He stated that he didn't want to understand and didn't have time to deal with a "head case"......

Unbelievable! What an insensitive PR**K. ((((mommy))))

[ChaoticSymphony]

Do we stigmatize ourselves? I think I do. I know I don't open up to people unless they are on my level of sanity. I run with the flock of people with bpd because I don't think people who don't understand me are worthy of my trust. I self sabotage, because of my bpd. I think lowly of myself, because I suffer from bpd. I am much more open now to mental illness, because I have bpd...before I would just laugh at the crazies.

I agree with the rest of the responses...see where it goes but you already know where it's going. Could you handle someone who stigmatizes what you are going through basically? Where's the support in that?

[Forgive77]

Originally Posted by mommyof2girls

Well from my personal experience, people deff tend to "stigmatize" when it comes to mental illness....Unfortunately, I learned this first hand when my husband of 6 years left me when I was first diagnosed back in 2005....He stated that he didn't want to understand and didn't have time to deal with a "head case"......

Want me to slash his tires, or break some windows!!!??? What a freaking jerk!!!

[Forgive77]

Originally Posted by ChaoticSymphony

Do we stigmatize ourselves? I think I do. I know I don't open up to people unless they are on my level of sanity. I run with the flock of people with bpd because I don't think people who don't understand me are worthy of my trust. I self sabotage, because of my bpd. I think lowly of myself, because I suffer from bpd. I am much more open now to mental illness, because I have bpd...before I would just laugh at the crazies.

I agree with the rest of the responses...see where it goes but you already know where it's going. Could you handle someone who stigmatizes what you are going through basically? Where's the support in that?

I do all the time too. Today I really hate my diseases. I really do. I feel like I'm nothing but my diseases today...AND...I have to hide it. My husband is out of town, and I have someone who helps me that doesn't know my 'issues.' I just wish I could cry, and get these feelings over with!!