Living with the Stigma of Bipolar 2

To put it bluntly, the stigma of bipolar 2 sucks!

When I was diagnosed with bipolar 2 disorder, one of the obstacles I faced was finding the right treatment plan. The other was learning to live with a stigmatized mental health condition; a disorder that many believe makes you angry, aggressive, violent, incapable of success and out of control.

Sounds tempting right? Not really. Bipolar stigma is a significant part of the difficulty in living with bipolar 2 disorder. On top of having an already mentally exhausting condition, stigma is the icing on the cake. People's lack of knowledge about mental health makes them more susceptible to believing the stereotypes that surround bipolar disorder.

Stigma of Bipolar 2 Makes You Defensive

Since coming forward with my diagnosis publicly, I find myself on the defense when it comes to interacting with people. In a situation where someone makes a rude comment to me, I hesitate to defend myself due to my fear of a typical reaction being blamed on my bipolar disorder. I'm still learning how to deal with bipolar stigma, but after accepting my diagnosis and getting involved in the mental health community, it has been a lot easier.

Have you experienced bipolar stigma? How does it affect you? Leave a comment or send in a response video to info@healthyplace.com. See you next Thursday!