“Part of having bipolar can be what is called “anosognosia,” a weird word for a simple idea: a mentally ill person who’s unable to perceive that he or she is ill. This means a huge part of bipolar is that, when your loved one most needs help, your partner will be least likely to look for it or accept it.”
Excerpt from http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2016/04/27/know-what-to-expect-when-you-love-someone-with-bipolar-disorder/
Denial, fear of medications, multiple combinations of medication, side effects, the list goes on forever. I had been told many, many years ago. I really believed it was a made up or only the over dramatic people. I tried to hide my lows and tried be extraordinary with my highs. I used my gifts and talents, which now I understand as gift. I could focus, accomplish any task you give me. Then, lose myself for weeks sometimes. Sadly, unlike the writer of the article, I’m Bipolar I, There is a huge spectrum in diagnosing bipolar, the author of the article which is wonderful article to share, is Bipolar II.
Anosognosia, struck a cord or rang a bell tonight. So I read a bit more and ran across a very easy to read explanation on National Alliance of Mental health.
https://www.nami.org/Learn-More/Mental-Health-Conditions/Related-Conditions/Anosognosia.
I gave it much thought from the above post but this statistic struck me “Anosognosia affects 50% of people with schizophrenia, and 40% of people with bipolar disorder. It can also accompany illnesses such as major depression with psychotic features. Treating these mental health conditions is much more complicated if lack of insight is one of the symptoms. People with anosognosia are placed at increased risk of homelessness or arrest. Learning to understand anosognosia and its risks can improve the odds of helping people with this difficult symptoms”
We have to be open about mental illness. May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Please share your stories on my Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/itsnotcrazytoday , Share my page or story that touched you with friends. I hate social media, but it reaches so many people who need and may suffer from the stigma or Anosognosia.
If only more people could
1. Become aware
2. Actually care
3. Offer acceptance
4 Offer understanding
5. Offer help as if it was a REAL illness…not imaginary…and not something to be ridiculed or tossed aside.
This was a great post.
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Not only do mentally ill persons not know they are mentally ill, but stupid people don’t know they are stupid, either. And that’s something Trump, for one, has learned to exploit.
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I was not familiar with the term, but I surely understand the symptoms. Thanks.
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Reblogged this on Art by Rob Goldstein and commented:
This is an important post about why ‘they’ refuse treatment.
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Thank you! It’s just so true
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I was torn between this post and your most recent.
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Funny, I thought the very same thing. The good news, I am very aware of my lunacy and my moments. I have amazing doctors who I even share my blog 🙂 That’s the bit scary, lol
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My blog started as an adjunct to therapy and that’s still its central function — I also share it with my treatment providers. It’s a way for them to interact with my different alternates. Anything that facilitates treatment is useful.
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Thank you for this important post! This is the kind of educational information that we need to spread around. It’s good to meet you…
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Great post, very interesting. Thank you
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I wonder if this applies to eating disorders, too? I guess it’s more dysmorphia, but there’s a lot of chatter inside the heads of those sufferers thinking “I’m generally healthy, just weigh too much.” It’s one of those things that makes it tough to diagnose, until the medical pieces force their way into the spotlight.
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I never knew the term, but knew the concept.
Was it your intention (or just my view of things) to echo the opening line of “Sounds of Silence”, especially with the new version by Distressed? Very cool if you intended it….or if you didn’t 🙂
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Wow. I’m really grateful for this post. My sister has been told by several psychiatrists (as well as other sufferers such as myself) that she also suffers from bipolar II. However, any time someone brings it up she either a) immediately stops going to appointments or b) tells them that they are wrong. Reading these articles helped me get a better level of understanding as to why. Thank you! Sometimes it’s hard to see when you are so close to someone and want to help them that they aren’t just being stubborn. Sometimes there’s a different level you just aren’t seeing.
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Just to be of some help,scitzo affective disorder (aside from obvious scitzoid related traits) Also Has a Bipolar element,I will let you you know when I know more[about me personally]…
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Honestly schizophrenia, is one of my biggest fears and I relay this quite often to my doctors. All assure me my psychosis are psychotic episodes not only that a Mania and caused sometimes by medication and environmental stress. But with that said I have been told I am mildly, emphasis on mildly….
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Sorry for the delay in relying,what I meant was that the severe mental illnesses (schizophrenia and bipolar) are seperate.If you have been diagnosed with bipolar,I would go with that,if I were you.
I was referring to a behavioural derivative of schizophrenia(schzoaffectivedisorder)-I was only pointing out that aside from the psychosis,there is another half of the illness,that seems (by analogy)to have bipolar traits.It is a bit of minefield mental health.I am sorry if I upset you,if you have been assured you have bipolar,I don’t have the write (and wouldn’t want to)say otherwise.Once more,I am sorry.
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Please do not be sorry. I was not offended at all, and actually appreciated your comment.
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Thankyou so much,I am very glad to hear that,your more than welcome 🙂
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I have never heard the term Anosognosia before I read it in your blog today but I am certainly familiar with it and have been affected by it. My uncle my mother’s brother had it very badly. He was schizophrenic and thought he owned the whole of Knightsbridge, a very expensive area in London. So he would go into very expensive restaurants, eat and then express astonishment at being asked to pay at the end of the meal or would start removing all the furniture. He wouldn’t take his medication and kept being arrested and when he ended up in Brixton prison in South London he announced it was “the best hotel I’ve ever stayed in in my life.” I don’t know where he is now but his Anosognosia was the biggest barrier to him getting well. Anyone with psychotic disorders seems prone to suffer from it.Another friend of mine prayed to be well when she was psychotic and is now in complete recovery from schizophrenia and has no symptoms at all. Thank God although I have had psychotic type symptoms – like feeling a demon was possessing my brain – I always realised I was ill.
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That picture is absolutely perfect for this post. Once again you have inadvertently taught me I’m missing a key component in making arresting posts.
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Great post, thanks for sharing.
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Great post, thank you for sharing.
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I absolutely relate to the part where you talk about being given a task, voila’ it was done, but then disappearing. I am always searching for the next task so that I don’t disappear. I wish there was more that I could do and not be fearful of doing.
Bipolar is as confusing as trying to herd a field full of cats on catnip.
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So glad to see you post twice in one day. You inspire in the way you are still able to live your life while dealing with this demon we call Bipolar disorder.
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I have a lot in my head and journal to put on my blog. I’ve just been fascinated with others blogs. It’s like finding a unknown library. It’s hard for me to write surrounded by unread books…..or in this case blogs.. I am going write more frequently 🙂 I really appreciate the comment and you followed
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