Bipolar Disorder: An Illness, Not an Identity

When people read or hear about mental health issues in the media, the most common reaction from those uneducated by the topic are assumptions that those affected cannot be trusted, cannot live a “normal” life or worse yet, not worth developing any kind of relationship with.  Rather than viewing an individual with bipolar disorder as a person, many people simply refuse to see beyond the affliction and the labels making snap judgments without ever respecting individuality.

Bipolar disorder and other mental illnesses are not something that one asks for, nor do their parents wish for their child to develop such illnesses in their lives.  Why are we so quick to judge somebody based on such a challenge and completely write-off the existence or ability for such an individual to bring positivity to others lives?

Thanks to such outlets as news media, Internet communities and the mind running around in Hollywood, mental illness and those affected, are in a constant struggle to manage their own identities now more than ever.  Social media portals such as Twitter, Facebook, MySpace and many more such sites and services have introduced a whole new battlefield that now covers all areas on the globe.  With the ability to open up and share challenges, ideas and strategies with many other like minded people, also comes a new generation of prejudice and discrimination from those unwilling to educate themselves on the truths behind mental illness issues.

I’ve had the honor and pleasure to meet and share some incredible conversations with many people directly afflicted with mental illness and/or those in similar situation as myself, as a supporter to family members or other connections touched with mental health challenges as well.  It pains me to know that a simple attribute such as a mental health challenge is means enough for some to pass judgment on another human being without ever knowing the true value of that person. 

I’d like to think I’m a wise and understanding person, but I do know that it is simply not possible to learn about an individual or appreciate a potential enlightening relationship with another based on a single means such as bipolar disorder or other mental health issue.  It seems that the world would rather discard common compassion for another human being over an attribute such as a mental illness.

We can’t lose sight of our loved ones or forget who they are and why we share our love with them in the first place.  Displacing the identity of one for an illness is an injustice to the human race and simply because some are born with “differences”, that does not make then any less human, respectable or capable of love.

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