Hi,<\/p>\n
You know, there used to be a time when everyone knew everyone else\u2019s business. When it didn\u2019t used to be gossip\u2026 But it just used to be such a close-knit community that it was just that way. You can see it played out that way in old movies. Or talk to your grandparents \u2013 they\u2019ll tell you how it was in the \u201cold days\u2026\u201d Or even some parents remember sitting on their porches on a summer\u2019s eve\u2026 Visiting with neighbors\u2026 While the neighborhood children played a game of tag or hide-n-seek together. Whole neighborhoods even had block parties back then! That was when neighborhoods were safe, not like they are now. You didn\u2019t have to be afraid of your neighbors back then. It\u2019s a real shame the way things are now\u2026 With people not trusting each other, and afraid of their neighbors.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s what I\u2019m leading up to. I interviewed a man about his bipolar disorder, and he made the comment that bipolar disorder \u201cis not exactly a casserole disease.\u201d He said that what he meant by that is that in the old days, when someone was sick in your family, the whole neighborhood would come by and bring casseroles, so that you wouldn\u2019t have to cook, you could just spend your time taking care of the sick person. He meant that those physical illnesses were accepted,<\/p>\n
whereas bipolar disorder isn\u2019t.<\/p>\n
So do you tell people that your loved one has bipolar disorder? Or do you not tell anyone? Do you keep it to yourself? Do you only tell family? Do you only tell your closest friend? Do you tell your therapist (if you have one)? Or are you open about it and tell anyone who wants to know?<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, stigma is still very real in our society today. Even though there have been so many advances in the field of bipolar disorder and research surrounding it\u2026 And so many more people have been discovered to have it even since when we found out my mother had it. When we found out that my mom had bipolar disorder, I had to go through that\u2026 I had to make that decision whether to tell anyone she had it or not. So we had to have a long discussion about it,<\/p>\n
because I had to take her feelings into consideration, of course. She didn\u2019t like having a label put on her, and I didn\u2019t blame her. But it did put a name to what was wrong with her. And it helped us to become educated in order to help her better.<\/p>\n
See, the thing about stigma is\u2026 It stems from fear. And fear comes from ignorance. I believe that the more educated people are about bipolar disorder, the less they will fear it (and the<\/p>\n
people who have it). For example, did you know that there are some people out there today that are scared of people who have bipolar disorder because they believe that they can catch bipolar from them? It\u2019s true, they honestly believe that! And the only way to battle stigma is to educate<\/p>\n
people about bipolar disorder.<\/p>\n
Still, it is your decision whether to tell or not to tell people that your loved one has the disorder.<\/p>\n
Well, I have to go!<\/p>\n
Your Friend,<\/p>\n
Dave<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Hi,<\/p>\n
You know, there used to be a time when everyone knew everyone else\u2019s business. When it didn\u2019t used to be gossip\u2026 But it just used to be such a close-knit community that it was just that way. You can see it played out that way in old movies. Or talk to your grandparents \u2013 they\u2019ll tell you how it was in the \u201cold days\u2026\u201d Or even some parents remember sitting on their porches on a summer\u2019s eve\u2026 Visiting with neighbors\u2026 While the neighborhood children played a game of tag or hide-n-seek together.<\/p>\n