Something I hear quite often is the misuse of the word "bipolar." When someone uses that word, they're usually referring to the disease bipolar disorder, and the general characteristics the disease has. They tend to use the word "bipolar" by itself, as an adjective, to describe the behavior of another person or object. I also frequently hear this word paired with other words, such as, "crazy," "moody," and "psycho." The use of these words is exactly why I'm writing this.
Being someone who actually struggles with bipolar disorder, I have always been extremely private about it. It's been almost a year since I was diagnosed and I can still count the number of people who know about my illness on 10 fingers. It wasn't until October of 2015 that I was actually put on the right medication and my symptoms were finally under control. But even after I began to get back into a relatively normal routine, I still kept it to myself. A large reason I did that was because of shame. There is such a stigma around having bipolar disorder and I feared being judged. When people hear that you suffer from it, they immediately assume you're moody, have a short temper, or you're crazy. But that's so far from the truth. If someone was to meet me right now, they would have absolutely no idea I have this disease. It isn't a death sentence by any means and while it might take some time to get diagnosed, finding the right medication to manage your symptoms makes it more than possible for you to lead a completely normal life. It doesn't hold me back by any means. Not only am I a full time college student, but I also play intramural soccer, write for Odyssey, have steady relationships with my family and friends, and have a fantastically accepting boyfriend. While I'll likely have to take medication for the rest of my life, there's absolutely no reason for people to think I'm crazy or that I'm not a functioning member of society. The disease comes with its challenges, but people should not be so quick to judge someone because of a disease they know little about.
Moral of the story, recognize what your words mean. Mental illnesses are not adjectives and using them incorrectly is not only bothersome to those affected, but is discouraging to their confidence and their ability to face the disease. I was never confident enough to speak out about my struggle because of the amount of people who judge, decide if you want to be one of them.
