Will People Treat Me Differently If I Tell Them I Have Bipolar Disorder?

— -- Question: Will people treat me differently if I tell them I have bipolar disorder?

Answer: This question really gets at the heart of how people think of psychiatric problems and especially bipolar disorder. Many people think that this is a personality weakness or bad decisions are being made when in reality there's actually a psychiatric condition that's ongoing. But the good news is that bipolar disorder is very treatable and many people with bipolar disorder can live very productive and full lives, but staying on treatment and having a stable lifestyle are often key in treating that goal.

For all these reasons it's important not to feel ashamed or stigmatized or marginalized because of the diagnosis of bipolar disorder but to actually to take care of yourself and live a stable life and stay on treatment so that you can actually achieve your life goals. And if that's actually the outcome that's taking place, then there's nothing wrong with sharing this diagnosis of bipolar disorder with people.

So the more important point is not to hide whether you have bipolar disorder or to share it, but to take care of yourself so that you could actually live the life you want to live.

Next: Whom In My Life Should I Tell I Have Bipolar Disorder?

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