Expressing the Experience of Bipolar – Not All Will Like It

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.