Bipolar, Stigma and the Big Hollywood Machine

Being Bipolar is difficult. Your mind races at what seems like an alarming rate, you swing from anger, depression, elation, rage and excitement. And Bipolar Disorder seems to run hand-in-hand with other problems like Anxiety Disorder, Panic Attacks, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Borderline Personality Disorder, ADD, ADHD, Phobic Disorders, Hypochondria, and sometimes even Scizhhophrenia. Women and men can suffer from sexual dysfunction as a result of medications and can even end up with Tardive Dyskinesia and Thyroid Disorders from Medication. Of course there is the stigma associated with Bipolar Disorder. It is frustrating to know that our society is so behind. Depression is now an socially acceptable mental condition and so is ADHD and ADD, but so many other disorders are not socially acceptable. Bipolar is getting exposure though and I think that is part, but not nearly all of the battle. Bipolar Disorder has been featured on Law and Order a number of times, Degrassi the Next Generation, General Hospital, ER, and Everwood to name a few. Sometimes these portrayals increase the stigma of Bipolar Disorder while other times it is an accurate portrayal and a healthy response. Law and Order: SVU has had both portrayals. Their most recent episode had an accurate portrayal of someone suffering from Bipolar, but had a poor response from the other characters. An older episode of SVU shows Bipolar Disorder in an accurate portrayal and a healthy reaction. These shows can be unbearable to watch if you are the one with Bipolar Disorder, but maybe in its own way it is good for us to watch-a good reminder of what happens when we choose to stop taking our medications.

- Forever Bipolar