I've been manic depressive (bipolar) for almost 30 years now. Part of the problem I have is that many people I encounter don't believe that I'm actually mentally ill. It's like they have this image of what mental illness looks and sounds like and I don't fit the bill. It's like I'm too intelligent, too well spoken, too well mannered, and so on (I'm not trying to brag on myself, I'm just trying to make a real point). In being that way I'm almost treated like a threat to some people, case in point...
I have a "Counselor" who is a student. I'm not really interested in doing counseling with anybody but in order to get my meds I have to. That's the way they have the system set up. Well through some observations, I think she's intimidated by me so she waits until my back is turned as I'm leaving and says things. It's like she can't look me in my face and say what she has to say. I also get this vibe from her like "you're not really mentally ill".
She has no ideal of my history and I'm not going to revisit all that with her. I think because she is a student, a "newbie" would have been great for her instead of somebody like me. I have my "normal" and it works for me.
I guess I just feel like when I show my intelligence, I feel like I get punnished or my illness gets dismissed because I don't fit the "image" of mental illness but when I have an episode then it's "OH!".
Has anybody else experienced this?
I have a "Counselor" who is a student. I'm not really interested in doing counseling with anybody but in order to get my meds I have to. That's the way they have the system set up. Well through some observations, I think she's intimidated by me so she waits until my back is turned as I'm leaving and says things. It's like she can't look me in my face and say what she has to say. I also get this vibe from her like "you're not really mentally ill".
She has no ideal of my history and I'm not going to revisit all that with her. I think because she is a student, a "newbie" would have been great for her instead of somebody like me. I have my "normal" and it works for me.
I guess I just feel like when I show my intelligence, I feel like I get punnished or my illness gets dismissed because I don't fit the "image" of mental illness but when I have an episode then it's "OH!".
Has anybody else experienced this?