Changing The World One Person At A Time

Sometimes the misconceptions about mental illness are frustrating. I am not a danger to society and rarely a danger to myself. I think these misconceptions are exasperated by a society that has raised each generation to be more entitled than the last.  Every year, month, week, or day there seems to be a new illness that someone is blaming their bad behavior on.

Don't get me wrong, I have bipolar and I know mental illness is real...very real. But that illness is not a license to assault, rape, or murder without consequence. It is not a license to premeditate ways to behave badly all the while intending to blame it on illness. This abuse of decency is why many believe mental illness isn't real or why they believe that anyone with a mental illness is scary or dangerous.

I think, as a woman with mental illness, I need to first and foremost remind those with illness (mental or otherwise) to take their medicine as prescribed. Be an advocate for yourself and your illness. Stop using your illness as an excuse for your wrongdoings and accept them as a bad decision. Most people with controlled mental illness can distinguish between right and wrong so let's work together to end some of the stigma and encourage more to get any help that is available to them.  We need to speak out against the misuse of the insanity defense. We need to help society to view mental illness in a more realistic way.

If I can change anything in my lifetime it would be the perception of those with bipolar. Perception creates someone's reality so I need to talk often, loudly, and to anyone who will listen about my bipolar story. My bipolar story is one of many and it isn't all that unique. If I can convince just one person that bipolar is just one component of who I am, I can change their perception. Share your bipolar story often, loudly, and to anyone who will listen, if each of us can change one perception we can change the world...for the better.