Saturday, April 27, 2013

The Positives (?) of Being Bi-Polar





Mental Illness.  I'm going to admit to having a lot of bias when it comes to this subject.  My family of origin has 6 siblings.  All but one have varying degrees of mental disorders, problems, illnesses.  Call it what you want, just please don't call it "positive".

Lest you think I jest, my most mentally ill sibling told me 2 days ago that sometimes he is glad that he is mentally ill.  Today I got a status update from a bi-polar group that asked its' members to list the positives of being bi-polar.

HELLO!!!!!  Even if you can stay up for 72 straight hours and paint pictures, is that REALLY a positive when you think of all the negatives of being bi-polar?  Do we really want to entertain this kind of logic?  Take your meds, go to groups, and be as healthy as you can be.

Think about it! Having the flu has a few perks.  You can stay in bed and watch T.V., you don't have to go to work, and sometimes people will make food for you.  BUT REALLY, do we ever actually want the flu?  NO!  So let's not act like there is a positive aspect to it.

Is there anything about any people any more that can be considered negative?  How PC do we have to be?  Geez!

END OF RANT!  Remember, my family history before you take me to task about this.  I am way to close to the forest to see the trees.

3 comments:

  1. While I sort of agree, I have a few thoughts. First, allow me to preface that I, too, come from a long family line of mental illness and struggle with it to some degree, as well.

    I agree that people shouldn't speak out of both sides of their collective mouths. On one hand, there is a cry for sympathy regarding the illness and on the other hand there is a jubilation at how much more creative and enlightened manics can be.

    That being said... I want to point out that it is GREAT... TRULY GREAT to have a day when it's all coming together. When the doubts and self loathing are minimal and the ability to see all the beauty in the world is abounding. Even though we KNOW that it is no more real than the depression we were in only a day before.

    I asked my partner the other day if it was prefered for me to be up or down. The response was "neither." LOL.

    Point is that when five or six days a person can go without seeing any hope in life and then get nailed with euphoric optimism, it is positive.

    Should bi-polars laud that as if it some sort of boon over other mere mortals? Absolutely not. However, it should be considered a bright spot in an otherwise dim life.

    :)

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  2. I can see this would be the case. What I have known of people in the manic phase is not what you say above "we KNOW it is no more real than the depression we were in only the day before." It doesn't seem that way for the bi-polar people I have known. They get argumentative if you try to point out the unreality of it. That is what lends to the frustration. I can totally relate to your partner saying neither. But I get it that if you HAVE to experience such great lows, great highs would be a nice change of pace. Thank you for posting. I appreciate any interaction and thank you for at least kind of getting my perspective.

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  3. You bet. Good post.

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