Are you your illness?

NO!!!!!!!!

I'm just learning my illness does not mean that I am stuck in this same "boat" and it may drift away out of my control but the sail goes up and the wind changes. We are ever changing and living in the now is the best way to control depression and anxiety. Not going to the past or the future, but staying in the moment, even if its difficult. Thanks for this thread George

If you count ADD as an illness, when I take meds for it yea I function better. But I stop being me. I become someone else. Even with better functioning it sucks being someone you feel inside you are not. For me this is a very tangible example I am my "illness".

my illnesses are a part of me,
ok they limit the life I can lead and have significantly influenced the changes I have made to my life plan, but I am ultimitely the one who makes the decisions and I do so based on my ability to do things, my energy level and whether the thing is imperitive or a want to do, just the same as most people i suppose. Only difference is i always have to plan a contingency also just incase my body decides not to play ball!
I will never let my illness be the only part of my life i focus on, it is just something i have to consider in my decision making process. just because i have illnesses does not mean my asperations, desires or values have vanished, they are still there, only now on a slightly different tack.
my illnesses have actually made me a much more understanding person, before i had no time to get to know or understand the real difficulties that people suffering mental or physical difficulties has, now i totally understand and have much more time for people in this sector of society.

i have a fear that it has probably taken control of not only most my life but me. i wouldnt say it IS me but that its changed me so much im mostly not the same person anymore. i feel it did diff stages of change on me but in the past 2 years was when the major change happened. especially past year i can say my personality is very not what it used to be. my interests in life was a complete change. etc.