Bipolar Stigma

Bipolar Stigma

Bi-polar has so many stigmas behind it from "it's all in your head" to "you can be normal." Sure it literally is a chemical imbalance to the brain but it can never be cured. Some people get bipolar as a hereditary curse. Others get it from a traumatic experience in their lives. For me, I believe it was a traumatic experience. As a child I felt I was being pulled in both directions between my birth and adoptive families. Not that it is any way their intentional doing, but my birth family's fighting attempt to get me back as well as my adoptive family's fight to keep me really had a long-lasting effect on my mind. No there is no going back to normal, no it's not in our head figuratively speaking at least, and no we can't be just like everyone else.

The truth behind bipolar disorder is that mainly, you're depressed and it's difficult to suppress emotions. We are not more violent than "normal" people. and are just as fit to be parents as any other person. Someone in a group once posted that her psychiatrist was against her becoming a mother due to her bi-polar disorder. In my head I was like "fuck that bitch! most bipolar woman I know are damn good mothers!" I actually told her to look for another psychiatrist because that was nowhere near professional nor supportive to say. If you're going to judge your clients might as well get a job as a critic or a fashion police member.

What is this "normal" many people speak of anyway? No one is actually normal and if they are they're extremely boring people. The fun thing about being bi-polar as we tend to be creative and keep people on their toes. We can be hard to tolerate but for the select few that truly love us learn to support us in whatever mood we're going through and help us through out negative emotions. We sometimes believe the world would be a better place without us. I have too often felt that way, you can ask my best friend. Ultimately though I know deep down I have too much to live for, a great job, amazing children, an awesome family. I have goals and dreams and people to meet. I am a big part of so many people's lives that would be devastated if I did something selfish like commit suicide. I am a cutter but that by no means is a cry for attention or a notion that I may be suicidal.

A word of advice to other bi-polar people, We are too strong for our minds to handle so we break down, we can't control how we feel and sometimes we have the wrong emotion at the wrong time but we are united as a family on our own. We are usually very supportive of one another because we have a taste in what the other is going through. We all have our own history and occasionally make mistakes but you know what? so do "normal" people, no one is perfect. Just remember, bipolar is a part of you. You have bipolar it is not who you are as a person and it is never going to cease. Medicated or not your life is worth living and fighting for at all costs. You keep doing you my fine people. It's up to you to have a worthy outcome. you are in charge of your life and yours alone so make the best of it to the best of your ability.