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Expressing the Experience of Bipolar – Not All Will Like It

July 7, 2017 Natasha Tracy

Expressing what it's like to live with bipolar disorder isn't always appreciated. Learn about expressing the experience of bipolar disorder in public.I express the experience of having bipolar disorder in a very specific way – my way. I express the bipolar experience with my words, my language, my thoughts and my metaphors. I approach bipolar disorder the way I live it: primarily depressed with short bouts of hypomania or bipolar mixed moods. I often write politically incorrectly if I feel that expresses my bipolar experience more accurately. But one thing I have learned after doing this for many years is that not everyone likes this.

Expressing the Experience of Living with Bipolar Disorder

I think it’s very important that people express their experience of living with bipolar disorder in the way that fits them best. This might be through spoken word, through writing, through art, through music or through whatever else works for them. What matters is that you get your personal thoughts and feelings out there so they’re not all bottled up inside.

Not Everyone Will Agree with Your Bipolar Experience

But not everyone will agree with your experience of bipolar disorder. People have very different experiences of this disorder due to the wide range of symptoms that people can experience. If a person’s major issue is bipolar mania, for example, they may not like my work because I don’t experience full-blown mania and my writings tend to focus on depression.

But more than that, some people will fundamentally disagree with what you think bipolar disorder is. If you run across antipsychiatrists, for example, they might tell you that bipolar disorder doesn’t exist at all or that it shouldn’t be treated with medications. Others might tell you that bipolar disorder is a blessing whereas you might feel it’s a curse.

And perhaps worst of all, some people, even loved ones, may simply refuse to understand what you’re expressing to them, willfully or not. This happens.

Some People Will Fight Your Experience of Bipolar

Even though your experience expression may be as genuine as possible, some people may still argue with you about it. For whatever reason, some people insist that your experience is not your experience simply because it is not their experience.

Ignore that nonsense.

Your experience is yours and unique and even if it’s different from mine and everyone else’s, that’s okay.

Express Your Experience of Bipolar Disorder Anyway

Do not let some people who like to argue tear you down. I have had, and do have, many, many critics, and that’s okay. These people have rights to their opinions. I honestly don’t care and neither should you. If what you’re doing is genuine and honest and a true expression of your bipolar experience to the best of your ability, that’s all that matters.

APA Reference
Tracy, N. (2017, July 7). Expressing the Experience of Bipolar – Not All Will Like It, HealthyPlace. Retrieved on 2024, December 23 from https://www.healthyplace.com/blogs/breakingbipolar/2017/07/expressing-the-experience-of-bipolar-not-all-will-like-it



Author: Natasha Tracy

Natasha Tracy is a renowned speaker, award-winning advocate, and author of Lost Marbles: Insights into My Life with Depression & Bipolar. She's also the host of the podcast Snap Out of It! The Mental Illness in the Workplace Podcast.

Find Natasha Tracy on her blog, Bipolar BurbleTwitter, InstagramFacebook, and YouTube.

Charlotte Howard
July, 7 2017 at 2:29 pm

This is such an important read. I find that everyone experiences their disorder extremely differently and no one is wrong. There will be people who try to argue with you, but just know you are not wrong and that each and every person's experience is different.

Ron Corral
August, 14 2017 at 10:32 pm

Agreed Natasha. We should all be free to express our experience of bi-polar the ways that are true for us.....whether they are politically correct or not, whether they are positive or negative. We don't all have to agree with each other. I always read about others bi-polar experience with curiousity. I like when I have things in common or that ring true. I also like when I read about something I never may experience myself. This makes me realize that bi-polar is much broader than my own experience or the DSM-V. My hope is that for everyone who has bi-polar has a way to express what it means to them or for them...whether it be in art, music, writing, acting, spoken word or any other creative means.

kevin
February, 29 2020 at 12:00 pm

You go fellow sufferers! yes I agree that you should express your experiences but Hopefully we all do it in a safe environment! And with those we all trust!
Not everyone deserves to hear what we have to say!
Screw em if have different opinions that they try and make you opinions and experiences!
Some peoples opinions aren't worth listening to anyways
Please, Y'all be safe out there and have Wonderful Lives regardless of our ailments!

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