Hi, how\u2019s it going? Hope you are doing well.<\/p>\n
I had an interesting conversation with two people yesterday. They both had bipolar disorder, and had both been in recovery for some time. One of them was completely passionate about going into the field of advocacy and making a career out of it.<\/p>\n
The other one felt \u2013 well \u2013 almost like they were being guilt-tripped into it. Not that anyone was trying to put pressure on them to do anything, just that they felt obligated to give back. But they didn\u2019t really have the passion behind them.<\/p>\n
This had me worried. I sat down and talked to her about whether she should really be doing this or not. If this wasn\u2019t what she really wanted, then it wasn\u2019t going to make her happy. She would burn out easier that way.<\/p>\n
She would also just flat-out not be as much use as someone who was more into it would be. Someone who was more into it would be more capable of getting other people excited about the cause, and of giving hope to someone who had none before.<\/p>\n
If she did this because she felt obligated, then those factors would be missing. It\u2019s even possible that she\u2019d do more harm than good.<\/p>\n
I had to explain to her that not every person who has bipolar disorder was made to be an advocate. Some are, of course. But those people are usually very sure that it\u2019s what they want to do.<\/p>\n
She had been under the false assumption that because this hand was dealt to her, that she should help others who had been dealt the same thing. Well, maybe to some extent that\u2019s true. Maybe it\u2019s true that if she meets someone who has bipolar that could use some advice she has learned that she should pass it on. Maybe it\u2019s true that if she meets someone who is having similar difficulties that she ought to be nice to them and encourage them. But that\u2019s different from being an advocate.<\/p>\n
Maybe you\u2019re considering becoming an advocate. You might be a supporter or someone with the disorder. If you really want to become an advocate for your own reasons, than that is great. All the better, in fact. But if you feel like life, someone, or your own feelings are pressuring you in that direction, then it\u2019s probably not the right direction to go.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re not sure, then there are things you can do to make yourself more sure. Like, for instance, volunteering for six weeks at a non-profit support group. If you don\u2019t like it, you\u2019ve only obligated yourself for one hour a week for six weeks. If you do like it, then you\u2019ve just gotten your foot in the door to do more work like that.<\/p>\n
We need all of the advocates we can get. They come in many shapes and sizes, and even many titles (ranging from psychiatrist and psychologist to social worker all the way to volunteer!) But we don\u2019t need any advocates that are in the wrong place doing something they don\u2019t want to do.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a great life, if that\u2019s the one you want to live, and I\u2019m certainly not trying to discourage anyone from taking it on. I would just ask you to make sure of yourself that this is what you really want to do.<\/p>\n
If it is, then welcome aboard. \uf04a If not, then I wish you all the happiness in the world doing whatever you should choose to do! Any thoughts?<\/p>\n
Well, I have to go!<\/p>\n
Your Friend,<\/p>\n
Dave<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Hi, how\u2019s it going? Hope you are doing well.<\/p>\n
I had an interesting conversation with two people yesterday. They both had bipolar disorder, and had both been in recovery for some time. One of them was completely passionate about going into the field of advocacy and making a career out of it.<\/p>\n
The other one felt \u2013 well \u2013 almost like they were being guilt-tripped into it. Not that anyone was trying to put pressure on them to do anything,<\/p>\n