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Old 04-27-2014, 06:17 PM   #60
reprise85
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Location: I'm faced with so many changes that I just might change my face
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Originally Posted by Bread Regal View Post
It's weird when you are functionally depressed. Like you can go out and do your job competently and on the whole take care of yourself without letting it get too bad.

When I got the bipolar diagnosis, I told a few of my closer coworkers about it and they all pretty much said "wow I must have only seen you when you're manic!", which always reminds me of two things, the first being that nobody actually knows anything about these diseases and are going by the misinformation that they've been fed by whoever.

but the other thing i'm reminded of is that if you are functionally depressed, it's because you've developed ways of hiding it from people, and that's motivated by the stigma associated with mental illness.
I have PTSD and I can relate to this w/ that diagnosis more than depression. I have "functional" PTSD in that I generally don't have full-fledged flashbacks (anymore), am able to hide my severe dissociation very well, and can function okay while triggered, albeit at a lower cognitive level (which again, most people don't seem to notice). I am able to keep "reliving" type episodes mostly within therapy and nightmares. Whenever any of this comes up with anyone else I am torn between self-disclosure and wanting privacy. I've worked hard so that it's not obvious, but at the same time I'd like to support people who are suffering more openly. I used to be more forthcoming but I tend to not disclose anymore. In class the other day we were discussing addiction and people were getting personal and I wanted to share my experiences of being addicted to opiates and then getting clean/being clean for a while, but I decided not to. After class I did talk personally to the student who self-disclosed, so that seemed like a good compromise. I'm going to have to really decide what to do with this in school going forward in psychology classes and related. Like in a few weeks my developmental psych class starts and I don't want to relate, for example, how abuse affected my development - but if I could discuss it in a more general way that would be nice.

 
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