A couple questions.

[berry2000]

How long did it take from the time you were officially diangosed until you really believed it. IE came out of denial?

Are you still in the closet with your BP? Or are you open about it? If you are open about it with whom do you tell?


I am struggling with both right now. I think I'm pretty much in denial. Mostly because I'm not sure if the diagnosis is corrrect. If I was classic-symptoms dead-on bipolar I think it might be easier to accept to myself and then tell people. But my symptoms are so garbled and mild and mixed I'm not even sure the doc is right.

So far the only ones who know are my husband, therapist, counselor, and 2 friends...and of course my online friends. I have mentioned in passing the possibility to one of my sisters but other than that my parents, my other brothers and sisters, and any extended family. I keep it hidden. And I feel like I want people to know because it may be a part of who I am and on the other hand I'm not sure it's their buisness.

 

[walshclan]

How long did it take from the time you were officially diangosed until you really believed it. IE came out of denial?

Are you still in the closet with your BP? Or are you open about it? If you are open about it with whom do you tell?


I am struggling with both right now. I think I'm pretty much in denial. Mostly because I'm not sure if the diagnosis is corrrect. If I was classic-symptoms dead-on bipolar I think it might be easier to accept to myself and then tell people. But my symptoms are so garbled and mild and mixed I'm not even sure the doc is right.

So far the only ones who know are my husband, therapist, counselor, and 2 friends...and of course my online friends. I have mentioned in passing the possibility to one of my sisters but other than that my parents, my other brothers and sisters, and any extended family. I keep it hidden. And I feel like I want people to know because it may be a part of who I am and on the other hand I'm not sure it's their buisness.

I'm fairly open about it because I want people to understand why I may not be as reliable as I want to be. I don't tell strangers but if I am doing a ministry with someone I tell them that I may have periods where I have difficulty doing my part of the ministry (and other periods where I do their parts if they want!!!). I just want people who are going to be affected to know how they will be affected. My family knows and people who have been in bible studies with me know.

I periodically question whether I'm bipolar too but my husband laughs and says "You're kidding right?". I always think that it's all in my mind and that I'm doing it to get attention. My husband assures me that I'm not.

Hope this helped.

Blessings

Connie

 

[Alive again]

Hi, Boy, denial, huh. I was in denial a while. I had been diagnosed as depressed for years adn knew I had been suicidal as a teen, so I ahd been comfortable with that diagnosis for a long time. I spent about 90% of my time or more in depression. When I was diagnosed as bp2, it did take awhile to accept and there is still a part of me that wonders-maybe it was just meonpause or maybe it is my unresolved sleep disorder and maybe when that is fixed I will be better. But then I come back to reality. I am on one med, it is an antiseizure med used as a mood stabilizer. It works, Hmm, maybe it works because I need a mood stabilizer and have bp. But there is a part of me that still thinks. . .maybe.


Telling others. That is a hard one. I had several bad experiences when I was depressed telling others in my church and at work. So for many years I did not say anything to anyone I didn't know I could trust completely. But I am more open now, but still careful. Face it, there out people out there that I do not feel are safe, but everyone in my churhc (It's 30 families) knows and it doesn't seem to matter to them. Most of my friends know, my family knows. They don't all believe or accept it, but so what. I try to remeber it is their problem. But I am still careful when and how I tell new people I meet.

So not too much help, but just my 2 bits.

Blessings and prayers as always!!!!

 

[rushingwind62]

How long did it take from the time you were officially diangosed until you really believed it. IE came out of denial?

Are you still in the closet with your BP? Or are you open about it? If you are open about it with whom do you tell?


I am struggling with both right now. I think I'm pretty much in denial. Mostly because I'm not sure if the diagnosis is corrrect. If I was classic-symptoms dead-on bipolar I think it might be easier to accept to myself and then tell people. But my symptoms are so garbled and mild and mixed I'm not even sure the doc is right.

So far the only ones who know are my husband, therapist, counselor, and 2 friends...and of course my online friends. I have mentioned in passing the possibility to one of my sisters but other than that my parents, my other brothers and sisters, and any extended family. I keep it hidden. And I feel like I want people to know because it may be a part of who I am and on the other hand I'm not sure it's their buisness.

For me it was a matter of days before I accepted it. I read up on it and it described me to a T. So to me it was a relief to put a name to something that had plauged me all my life. It just made things make sense to me. I am not ashamed of it, it is an illness. I don't tell everyone because you are right it is not everyones business. But I do tell those close to me. They are a part of my support structure and we need that support as BP, esspecially when we are first diagnoised.

There are several mental illnesses that mimic one another. If you don't think you are BP talk to your Dr and find out why he/she thinks you are and discuss other illness that present the same symptons.

Having a mental illness is sometimes hard to accept because we have this preconcieved idea that people with mental illnesses are crazy or something. That is the farthest thing from the truth though. We are normal people, we just have a chemical imbalance that doesn't allow us to think clearly unless we are properly medicated. Once we are properly medicated we have to learn new ways to deal with things suchas stress, and change some of our behaviors. Once we do those things we blend right in with society. There are many BP's out there that blend in so well you would never know they are BP. So we can and do live very normal lives. Unfortunately some of us are more severe than others and are untreatable, but if you are mild I wouldn't worry about that.....Hope this helps....God Bless You....Rush

 

[COVINABP]

Evryone has made great points here, as rush said, it is an illness, & nothing to be ashamed of, but still becarefull who you tell, the clerk @ the grocery store may not be a good idea, but those who it will effect & you feel confortable, those are the folks to tell.

I am way to open I guess (always give example so here goes) for instance, for a long period of time I was having orgasim induced migranes so with several of the guys (7) from our bible study group from church, in my car on the way to the mens retreat, I told them this, course I like to make people laugh so the way I told it was very appropriate so they could laugh & not have that akward look @ first.

I'm not saying make it laughing matter, but be prepared in that the chances are when you tell someone that they are expecting anything but that, and try to tell them in a situation that will put them @ ease to ask questions.

My family all knows now, some of them have no way to believe it is true, but they keep it to them selves.

You do not have to have clear cut signs to be bp, as you go along in the time following your acceptance, you will see more & more of the symptoms, but as it was said by someone else, ask him why he feels this is what you have, ask him what the meds do, I failed to do this for way too long, keeping me in denial, & my therapist is actually the one who was able to explain it to me.

Well, thats my veiw, hope it helps some

God Bless

William

 

[PrairieGurl]

How long did it take from the time you were officially diangosed until you really believed it. IE came out of denial?

It took many years to come to the conclusion that I would be on meds for the rest of my life. I believe I am out of denial, the anger...but I sometimes struggle with the acceptance part. Working in the Health Care Field, makes it harder to accept. When you see how professionals treat mental illness (not professionals who work with mental illness)...it almost pushes me back into denial.

Are you still in the closet with your BP? Or are you open about it? If you are open about it with whom do you tell?

My family and close friends all know. They all accepted it way before I did! I want to be able to share with others who suffer with this disease someday. I feel this forum is a blessing which I can use as a stepping stone in sharing my struggles and victories with others. Loving and accepting them just as they are, offering them hope.
Work...truely do not want any co-workers to know. Real reason for this I have not really answered myself.

Love you Berry!
s & s,
Wendy