When Family Ostrasizes You due to Bipolar

[licoricecat]

How does everyone handle being ostrasized and abused by Family Members and Society (jobs, churches, agencies) once they find out you have Bipolar???

You take your medications and are stable but as time passes the message is out you have BiPolar and you suddenly lose your job, shunned in church, (won't let you volunteer or join groups) and some agencies won't counsel you for other things if you have Bipolar also.

How do people with Bipolar handle these issues? It is frustrating that you cannot work to your full potential if no one will let you participate because of a disability. Most will not admit to this since it is discrimination and is illegal and hard to prove to enforce your rights, even when it is very obvious.  It is frustrating because you want to positively contribute to society, but sometimes the "powers to be" will not let you Contribute or use your talents. Bipolar people are extremely Talented and Gifted and Creative and have a lot of energy.  Bipolar People have a lot to contribute and Family and Society should Welcome their contributions and Not Be Afraid to understand the illness and how to help the Person suffering from Bipolar Illness.  Volunteering actually helps them. Remind them to take their med's and sleep and do not shun or reject them due to their disability. Bipolar People are very talented and have a lot to Contribute.

Bipolar People---How do you handle Rejection from Family and Society?

[savdylthom]

Boys also find it kinda cute/ endearing that I'm looney tunes. Hahaha!

[savdylthom]

That's strange. I'm absolutely nuts and I'm not limited by it, from others. Yeah, maybe my mother blabbed off to my family, but maybe it's because we have such a high portion of jobless schizophrenics, bipolars, and schizoaffectives in my family, no one questions me really. I have a job and am going to the best school for general and medical esthetics in chicagoland. So no limitations other than my compulsive cutting and depression. With any mental illness I feel like you can only limit yourself. With whom you tell...how you go about it.

[thatquietgirl]

other family members*

[thatquietgirl]

I find not letting myself dwell on it is the best way to deal with it.  I can choose to sit and pity myself or get angry about it or I can choose to realize these individuals are misinformed and driven by a stigma and I can do nothing about it and therefore move on with my life just as happy as before as it's not my problem but theirs.  We are in control of ourselves and not them, so it does none of us any good to sit and pout about it.  Unfortunately, in some circumstances it may end up meaning cutting yourself off from someone you may not have otherwise cut yourself off from (i.e., a family member) and then subsequently having to tell other families to leave you alone about it as it is for the sake of your well-being, but it's worth it even if it is sad.

Maybe there's an advocacy group you can get involved with that will allow you to speak on the topic and raise awareness for bipolar disorder in your area?  Something like that would be a healthy way to direct these feelings and this energy.