Explaining Your Mental Illness to Others

I agree to talk and work is good advice. My friend and I talk and walk, and this is very effective for sharing (problems, ideas, and the countryside)

Excellent idea to not overwhelm people with too much information at once. I've been explaining my BPD to my-mother-in-law for months, and she gets a little bit more out of it each time. BPD is such a complex disorder to explain to someone who doesn't have it. I believe they can only understand it to a point.

Sharing your personal story will be so helpful to so many people. Really great information here.

Fantastic lens. I have struggled with explaining my mental illnesses as well!

Returned to refresh the angel blessing on this wonderful, heartfelt and important article. I have no problem these days just saying "I'm bipolar and thanks to God and personal effort, willingness to medicate, my mood is stable"

Your lenses are great! Very informative about mental health conditions and topics that should be discussed and shared with the public. Thank you for the passion you put into your articles.

Thank you for having your lens here for me to read.I have been a 20 year battle with myself looking for answers. I haven't been diagnosed with BPD. I have asked and asked for mental health services. I've tried various medicines but I just want to give up. It just seems like a temporary band aid and I'm soon overwhelmed by life again. I want my life back. I am trying to get professional help but have no insurance. I get sent one place put on a list and told to go to another place to try only to have the same revolving problem. I know it may be a lot to ask but you read my lenses on Facing The Future and Living Without. I know you can't diagnose, I just need some one to say they care.

Hi, thanks for this lens. For the most part, I haven't explained my mental illness to other people, I've answered questions but I generally just get away with saying that I have generalized anxiety disorder and related depression. There are some amazing tips here, and I think I'm going be fielding some questions in the near future.

I know how hard it can be to share such personal stories. Thank you for your honesty......and for being one of the few to help make people aware.

Thank you for such a useful lens. I am very impressed not only by your courage but also by your precise hard work, and practical information and advices which, with no doubt, must be helping a lot of people.

Congratulations!

Wow. You have some powerful mental health related lenses. Your courage to write about such a personal issue is inspirational. I am a U.S. Army Veteran and suffer from PTSD. I have written numerous mental health related issues as a type of therapy for me. Thanks for your lenses. I will keep checking back for new lenses by you. I hope you were able to work out your marriage issues. My thoughts are with you! Thanks Scott

I'm impressed at the courage to write about this in such an open and frank manner, very well-done! My ex-husband has BPD and so I have actually read several of the books listed here, but unfortunately he still will not admit to having any such condition and the effect on our sons has not been good.

Need help

I've been with my boyfriend ( lover ) for 13 years of love story, everything was great amazing we got along almost on everything, and we were planning to marry in a month ,suddenly after new years eve he said we have to break up and try to find new life , he doesn't have a proper reason - that maybe if we will be married maybe we will divorce, and here my break down start , i don't know what to do , crying all times, try to re-call any reasons discussed with him many issues , he is crying with me but still no its better to leave and we will stay friends for ever and i love you too much

i don't know what to do , i miss him

This seems like very good advice. It's good to hear what personally worked for you so others can benefit from these tips.

Mental illness is not something for self-diagnosis usually. Community spirit is important for addressing the increasing needs among teens, and elderly and returing GIs who have the higest risk of mental distress leading to self inflicted death sometimes. I have known some tragic cases of young mental distress that could have perhaps been prevented and society benefits in the long run. Let's link c2c to build community spirit necessary for healther communities for mental health support structures.

Beautiful lens. I used to find it really hard to explain to people why I am the way I am. Eventually I realized it didn't matter what they thought, it simply mattered what I thought of myself and my disorder. Thank you for sharing your story.

Amazing article. So inspirational.

Having "the talk" with loved ones is is a daunting part of life with a mental illness. Your advice will help a lot of folks who need it. *blessed!*

I love how you encourage letting the the time flow naturally to talk privately with each person. You are making a way for others...well done.

Oh this is such a brave lens :)

Admitting the problem is a big step on recovery road.

Describing your illness (whether mental or physical) to others can be really difficult. Thank you for sharing your story and resources with the rest of us. This will help so many people

Great suggestions, creatively presented -- thanks -- blessed by a SquidAngel!

Thanks for the info.

When I talk about having BPD, a number of people who know me dismiss this borderline thing as just another manifestation of my unnatural need to find something wrong with me. The truth is that I have been trying to discover what is wrong with me all my life. That search has driven me as crazy as the answers I found.

My diagnoses progressed from problem child to Drug Addict, to Depression, to Anxiety Disorder, to Bipolar, and now to BPD. (Actually I was told by a medical doctor that I have BPD two years ago, but I put it away in the denial drawer.)

I just had a professional evaluation a few weeks ago because I had to know if I have this. (I had already diagnosed myself with the DSM IV and research but needed to authenticate it. I was a chemical dependency counselor for many years. I am a pretty good diagnostician.)

I finally know what is wrong with me and there is treatment for it: Dialectical Behavioral Therapy. I am looking for work now hoping that I can save enough money to go to treatment. I hope I can start within a year.

Good suggestions. It is important that we talk about mental illness because it will help in overcoming the stigma. I've lensrolled your lens on my pages about bipolar disorder and depression.

Thanks for sharing your story in terms that anyone can understand this illness. Coming from a medical background it is nice to see when someone understand and can share with others. What more important is that you can help others with this illness too. It's great to see that this is not holding you back from living a full life.

Mental Illness is a hard topic for most people. They just don't understand it. It is wonderful that you have shared this information. Thank you. I am lensrolling it to my two mental illness lenses.

Thanks so much for this. You have a lot of courage. I wish I were sure enough in myself what the 'official diagnosis' is to be able to have that talk with others.

Thanks for sharing something so personal. Thumbs up and SquidAngel blessings :)

Mental illness in your children is often to explain to others as well. My teenage daughter is bi-polar and needs regular meeds. It frustrates me when others don't understand how critical it is for her to not miss doses and such.

Sometimes I get a headache after solving problems or even thinking about something really hard for too long... I just can't imaging how hard is to have the mental illness and survive everyday routines...Be well, and thanks for sharing.

I think if more people that have experienced severe mental illnesses and successful dealt with it would speak up, it would help demystify the subject. I have attempted to do that for many years. I think speaking to groups can also be helpful.

This is an important resource. Resources tend to be better when written from experience, as yours is. I featured this on "Struggling to Pass Brain Chemistry".

What a story but maybe many of us have that and don't know it. How serious is this? *-*Blessed*-* and featured on Sprinkled with Stardust

Very well presented. Your story will surely help others facing a similar situation. Nicely done!

This is a wonderful lens! I have bpd and I'm also bipolar. I try to take my meds and go to therapy and my outlet is reading and writing, so thanks for this!

This is a very interesting lens. You share a lot of helpful information here. When you get the chance, I'd love it if you'd stop by my lens on bipolar disorder and say hello.

Wonderful site! I loved how you broke it down using the large black squares and it's very helpful information in one place. Hope you will join us in September for National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week. We have a lens here at http://www.squidoo.com/invisible_illness_awareness... Blessings, Lisa

Some challenge & great tips on dealing with it. I would like to know how they responded. Did everything go well?

What a wonderful lens, your writing is very moving. I hope people others who need to know this information find there way here. You are an inspiration!

It's so hard to come out with personal problems but I'm sure your lens is going to help many other people. You are very brave. 5* and lensrolled.

A brave lens. I hope you know about DBT (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy) which is the best treatment from borderline. It is skill based and teaches skills that most BP don't have, but can get. There are more groups coming all the time, but there are books also.

Anyway, thanks, this was a good lens. 5*

I love your candor and pragmatic approach to a very difficult issue! I am so happy you have spoken out on a very misunderstood illness.

Keep up the great work... we all need to hear more of your wisdom,

BRAVO!

Connie

You’ve Been Peeped By a Giant Squid!

Excellent, specific, and practical advice. Your examples from your own experience are the best parts. The lens is well organized and the text is broken up into readable chunks. You can help a lot of people with this lens. Great work!