Many people with severe mental health issues struggle with a cycle of symptoms. They often become stable on medications but stop taking those medications when they are doing well only to see their symptoms return. Many clients have difficulty coming to terms with the fact that they may have to receive treatment for a mental health issue throughout their life. Recently a client asked me how she could learn to accept that she had bipolar disorder so that she would stick with her treatment. She explained to me how difficult it was for her think of herself as someone who may always have bipolar disorder. She explained that if she accepted that she had bipolar disorder it meant that it would be who she was, that her whole identity would be someone with bipolar disorder. It was almost like she would have to say “I am bipolar disorder.”
Thursday, July 16, 2015
You Are Not Your Diagnosis
Many people with severe mental health issues struggle with a cycle of symptoms. They often become stable on medications but stop taking those medications when they are doing well only to see their symptoms return. Many clients have difficulty coming to terms with the fact that they may have to receive treatment for a mental health issue throughout their life. Recently a client asked me how she could learn to accept that she had bipolar disorder so that she would stick with her treatment. She explained to me how difficult it was for her think of herself as someone who may always have bipolar disorder. She explained that if she accepted that she had bipolar disorder it meant that it would be who she was, that her whole identity would be someone with bipolar disorder. It was almost like she would have to say “I am bipolar disorder.”
When a person accepts that they have a mental health issue it does not mean that they have to assume that disorder as their identity. People who have mental health issues are so much more than a diagnosis. It is only one small part of who they are. It is important for a person to acknowledge their mental health issues so that they can receive the appropriate treatment but it is also important to focus on all of the parts of who you are. Here are some important things about learning to accept mental health issues to keep in mind:
- Many people that have had to struggle with mental health issues are able to be compassionate for others who are struggling. They understand that many people face battles that are not always physically apparent and can approach others in a caring way.
Having a mental health issue does not mean that you are your
diagnosis. You are not depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or any
other label. You are a person. It is a challenge that you face and can learn to
live with in a healthy way with support and appropriate treatment.
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