hello this fizzy, i dont know if anyone esle has this happen to them, ive noticed that since ive mentioned bi-polar to some of my close circule of freinds i have that people now seem to avoid me or is that just me because i feel so dreadfull ! i do feel like a" loaf of bread in bakers shop looking out the window" i try no to bring the subject up because it seems to drive away my mates, anyone esle had this apart from the constant racket in my head ! fizzy
Hi Fizzy,
That happens to me, too. I’ve made a conscious effort not to share it with anyone outside my closest inner circle. There is no shame in sharing this condition with anyone, it’s just that a lot of people don’t understand it. I’ve shared it with friends who looked at me like I was crazy. If you ask me, a lot of people think bi-polar is synonomous with crazy.
One personal pet peeve that I have is all the television shows that perpetuate this bipolar = psyco-killer. I was watching this t.v. show in the u.s. called nightline a while back. It’s this salacious journalism show. They were talking about some guy who stalked one of his female high school teachers when he was in his 20s. He was obsessed with her and wanted to become her. Well he killed her and they found him wearing her clothes. He had bought a wig that looked just like her hair. Sick, huh? Well, they tell the audience at the end that this man suffered from manic depression. I was screaming at the t.v. that he must have done this crime due to some other mental illness. Bi-polar people just don’t up and kill others.
Same thing on another show called CSI. A young female teacher obsessed with one of her male high school students kills him. At the end they find her in bed with his body, and she has killed herself. One of the feds finds a pill bottle in her hand and says “lithium, she was bi-polar.” That sent me over the edge, too. I’ve been suicidal when not on medication, but other than that I have never thought about hurting another person.
So for reasons like that Fizzy, I think people have no idea what you and the rest of us in this group are going through. I really feel for you and hope that you can find some understanding friends who won’t judge you for what you suffer from. It’s hard enough to deal with the mood swings without all the bullshit misunderstanding from others.
xoxo,
Scubagirl
I’m totally sympathetic to you guys. Bipolar sometimes puts you out of whack a little bit, kind of like PMS or a bad headache. But it sure doesn’t make you crazy. Let’s face it, guys, there is a lot of prejudice against mental illness. I would never put down on an employment form that I was being treated for depression or that I go to a therapist. But I would talk about it with some friends. Some friends don’t “get” psychological stuff AT ALL, so I don’t talk to them about it. They’re pretty much “get over it” kind of people.
Anyway, I hope your friends remain your friends, and if you lose a couple along the way, they obviously don’t appreciate you for who you really are. Hugs to you both!!
Hi All, I totally agree where you are coming from. I have had very active bipolar for 6 years which has been a lot of psyhc hospital visits, some short, others longer, so it has been almost impossible for me to hide it from my friends. And yes, I have lost a lot of friends because of this, partly due to them not understanding and thinking I’m crazy and secondly because I have not been well enough to put a lot in myself. My closest, longest friends have stuck by me, but others just have no idea. I met a girl in the psyc hospital 3 years ago and we have been friends ever since. She has bipolar but not quite as bad as me so she has only been in hospital a few times. Anyway, she was going out with this crazy guy who started beating her up and stalking her and threatening her and then he went and burnt her house down. I had to give a statement to the police and she of all people said to me “don’t tell the cops you have bipolar”, they won’t take your statement seriously or if at all, you know they will think you are as crazy as this guy!!!" I was so pissed off. So not only do “normal” people think people with bipolar are crazy, but there is one herself who is suffering with it and she too thinks I am crazy! It’s difficult who to tell and who not too but at the end of the day, you are who you are and if people don’t like that then that is their problem. Believe in yourself, I think it’s your friends who are loosing out because you are a great person. Take Care, Kazbar
thanks well at least people hear have understanding, i think tv stations need to broadcast a programme by stephen fry called the secret life of a manic depressive, they may have some idea after that , but has it has been stated mental illness and how the public see it and those in the police force and health proffesionals they still some have no clue at all ? if your famous and have manic depression then some understanding will come out but that goes with cruel jokes. my freinds dont even ask me how iam doing!!! and yep some are the sort who think get over it! iam still feeling orrid but my boat and seagulls go on - fizzy