[fishcreek]

What is the best way I can help my partner deal with shame associated to his being bipolar?

Originally Posted by fishcreek

What is the best way I can help my partner deal with shame associated to his being bipolar?

Love and acceptance, may be? I would need just the one I love to accept me as I am. Why does your partner have shame from his bipolar?

[fishcreek]

Originally Posted by Nickname

Love and acceptance, may be? I would need just the one I love to accept me as I am. Why does your partner have shame from his bipolar?

thanks for responding...I agree, and do that. I told him to "fake it till you make it" as a strategy that can work. He has been coping on his own for 30 plus years...never had anyone advocate for him. I think maybe over time when he sees I'm still here on his team it will help him lose the shame. I feel like becoming a militant about the issue...a diabetic doesn't go around shamed by their illness. I am new at this sort of thing and a complete computer illiterate, so am having trouble getting around and learning how to post etc. I feel good today and we have played music together.

[Trippin2.0]

I second love and acceptance.


I would also suggest that you find out what exactly he is ashamed about. The label being assigned to him or things he's done due to his illness...


Its also important that he understand that you see all of him and not just his diagnosis. That it's just another facet of his being, not his identity, that you know he's so much more than bipolar.

Originally Posted by fishcreek

...I feel good today and we have played music together.

Did he feel good about it, too?

[stewartmays1]

i understand why he might feel shamed about his illness i know i do but you just gotta cary on and make a life for your selves

[Kathryn01]

If he's up for it, could he see a counselor? I had an amazing therapist for about 3 years who helped me a lot with self acceptance, and even though I haven't "embraced" the fact that I have an anxiety disorder, I've come to terms with it. The shame is still there to a certain degree, but it's not nearly as bad as it once was. (And it's all thanks to the therapist who worked with me for all those years.)

[avlady]

i think alot of people have some shame about their diagnosis. they don't want the label and if others know about it sometimes they judge.