Posted by Tomatheus on February 4, 2015, at 13:29:16
In reply to Re: schizophrenic is my new role in the community, posted by Christ_empowered on February 4, 2015, at 9:53:06
Christ_empowered,
Certainly, aiming to complete your undergraduate degree is a worthy goal. And just by taking the courses that you're taking, you're filling another role other than the role of a person with a mental illness, which is of course the role of a student. Additionally, even though you seem uncertain about exactly what you might end up doing as far as working or volunteering is concerned, I think that the fact that you're considering community service is a good thing. So, without a doubt, having bipolar I disorder with psychotic features seems to be part of who you are, but it also sounds like you're already filling more social roles besides the role of a person with bipolar disorder who might be identified by others as having schizophrenia. That's not to say that the negative perceptions that others have of us don't affect us. When others direct their negativity toward us, that can be hurtful, and I don't think that it should be ignored. But even though some, or perhaps many, in your community may have deemed you to be "schizophrenic" as you put it, their opinions and perceptions don't matter as much as much as your own do. I'm not saying that you've necessarily accepted the negative perceptions that some in your community seem to have of you as being fact. You do seem to see yourself as being more than the person that at least some in your community seem to make you out to be, and I guess what I'm trying to say is that while it can be healthy to vent about some of the negative things that other in your community say toward you, try to let your own self perceptions (especially the positive ones) define who you are more than the perceptions of others.
Tomatheus
Has long-standing difficulties with energy and concentration, as well as psychotic and cognitive symptoms
Taking Abilify & supplements including vitamins B3 & D3
poster:Tomatheus
thread:1075964
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20141123/msgs/1075991.html