Bipolar Disorder - To Tell or Not to Tell
Published: Tue, 11/08/11
Hi ,
How's it going for you today?
I hope it's a good day for you.
You know, there used to be a time when
everyone knew everyone else's business.
When it didn't used to be gossip...
But it just used to be such a close-knit
community that it was just that way.
You can see it played out that way in old
movies.
Or talk to your grandparents - they'll tell you
how it was in the "old days..."
Or even some parents remember sitting on
their porches on a summer's eve...
Visiting with neighbors...
While the neighborhood children played a
game of tag or hide-n-seek together.
Whole neighborhoods even had block parties
back then!
That was when neighborhoods were safe,
not like they are now.
You didn't have to be afraid of your neighbors
back then.
It's a real shame the way things are now...
With people not trusting each other, and afraid
of their neighbors.
Here's what I'm leading up to.
I interviewed a man about his bipolar disorder,
and he made the comment that bipolar disorder
"is not exactly a casserole disease."
He said that what he meant by that is that in the
old days, when someone was sick in your family,
the whole neighborhood would come by and bring
casseroles, so that you wouldn't have to cook, you
could just spend your time taking care of the sick
person.
He meant that those physical illnesses were accepted,
whereas bipolar disorder isn't.
In my courses/systems, I talk about how stigma is
still something very real, and something which you
have to deal with when you're faced with bipolar
disorder in your family:
SUPPORTING AN ADULT WITH BIPOLAR DISORDER?
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http://www.bipolarsupporter.com/report11
SUPPORTING A CHILD/TEEN WITH BIPOLAR DISORDER?
Visit:
http://www.bipolarparenting.com
HAVE BIPOLAR DISORDER?
Visit:
http://www.survivebipolar.net
So do you tell people that your loved one
has bipolar disorder?
Or do you not tell anyone?
Do you keep it to yourself?
Do you only tell family?
Do you only tell your closest friend?
Do you tell your therapist (if you have
one)?
Or are you open about it and tell anyone
who wants to know?
Unfortunately, stigma is still very real in our
society today.
Even though there have been so many advances
in the field of bipolar disorder and research
surrounding it...
And so many more people have been discovered
to have it even since when we found out my
mother had it.
When we found out that my mom had bipolar
disorder, I had to go through that...
I had to make that decision whether to tell anyone
she had it or not.
So we had to have a long discussion about it,
because I had to take her feelings into consideration,
of course.
She didn't like having a label put on her, and I
didn't blame her.
But it did put a name to what was wrong with her.
And it helped us to become educated in order
to help her better.
See, the thing about stigma is...
It stems from fear.
And fear comes from ignorance.
I believe that the more educated people are about
bipolar disorder, the less they will fear it (and the
people who have it).
For example, did you know that there are some
people out there today that are scared of people
who have bipolar disorder because they believe
that they can catch bipolar from them?
It's true, they honestly believe that!
And the only way to battle stigma is to educate
people about bipolar disorder.
Still, it is your decision whether to tell or not to tell
people that your loved one has the disorder.
What has your experience been?
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Well, I have to go!
Your Friend,
Dave
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