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Bipolar and Lying

People with Bipolar Disorder are accused of lying sometimes, because their families, spouses, friends, or other people misunderstand and often misjudge the disorder and the symptoms of bipolar. This can happen because of a general lack of knowledge of bipolar itself, and/or your own difficulty in explaining the disorder to them. Many people who are newly diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder find it very difficult to explain the disorder to other people, especially because they are just learning about the disorder themselves.

Bipolar Disorder is considered a lie in itself sometimes, as people think those with the disorder are faking it and/or making it up as an excuse for their behavior.

If you have Bipolar Disorder, you may have been accused of lying yourself. Some of the things you may have been told are:

• "It’s all in your head."
   
• "You’re faking it."
   
• "You could get over it if you really tried."
   
• "You’re just a hypochondriac."
   
• "There’s nothing really wrong with you."
   
• "You’re just doing this to get attention."
   
• "You’re just being lazy."
   
• "You’re doing this just to get sympathy."
   
• "This isn’t a real illness."
   
• "You just can’t control your emotions."

Bipolar Disorder, in reality, is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain. It is not a lie. It is a very real illness. It is not your fault, and it is not something you caused yourself.

Unfortunately, Bipolar Disorder is misunderstood and misjudged by the very people closest to us, and our behavior misinterpreted as lying, or faking. Sometimes people with whom we interact can be hurtful, even without meaning to be, and say things, such as those quoted above. These comments come from people who are thoughtless, or maybe just ignorant. It may just take time for them to accept your Bipolar Disorder. Or it may just take effort on your part to show them that you are not lying; that you actually do have a real illness, and you are not faking it or making it up.

About the Author

Michele Soloway has dealt with bipolar disorder from a very young age. Her grandmother, mother, herself, and her teenage son all have the disorder. She also lost her sister to suicide because of bipolar disorder. Michele has a blog for bipolar survivors at http://bipolarsurvivor.blogspot.com, and is also a contributing writer to www.bipolarcentral.com.

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This Week's Bipolar News

Overeating and substance abuse are similar disorders
Los Angeles Times
People with bipolar disorder have higher-than-average rates of obesity and substance abuse. But McIntyre found that the obesity rate in bipolar patients was ...

Club stoush bowls out member
The Advertiser
A MAN suffering from bipolar disorder and depression has been barred from membership at a Sydney bowling club after a clash over club bylaws.

Mom abandons 18-year-old under Nebraska safe-haven law
Richmond Times-Dispatch
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) -- Police say a woman has abandoned her 18-year-old daughter at a hospital, saying she can't control the girl, in what may be the latest use of Nebraska's unique safe-haven law. The woman told officials at BryanLGH Medical Center West that her daughter, who was adopted, is bipolar and has a learning disability, Assistant Police Chief Jim Peschong said today.

Click here for all Bipolar News.

Featured Article:

Romancing Your Spouse

"Romancing your spouse?" Ok, I can already hear you yelling at me! I know, it's a strange concept, but hear me out. Some of the longest-running marriages have lasted because of this very concept.

You may be thinking that this has nothing to do with Bipolar Disorder, but it does. Even the best of marriages has some strain on it - the pressures of day-to-day living, at the very least. However, Bipolar Disorder puts additional pressure on your marriage because of the issues you have to face in dealing with the disorder, whether you are the survivor or the supporter.

No matter how long you've been married, the suggestions in this article can put some "spark" into your marriage. And if you've only been married a short time, putting these suggestions into place now can help ensure a long, happy, healthy marriage (of course, you will still have to do some hard work yourself to make that happen as well!).

Click here to read the entire aritcle

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