Gum on My Shoe

"Why is it so very hard for friends without illness to 'get it'?" Fran asked that question yesterday in a social media group we're both members of. My response grew into some wider contemplations about awareness, prejudice and fear, which I thought would also be worth sharing here. I'd welcome any comments. As one of the "well ones", I guess there are many different reasons why it can be hard to understand what someone with illness is going through. Innocent unawareness Through knowing Fran I've come to a far greater awareness of what it means to live with illness, including mental illness, but my knowledge and understanding is still partial. For example, I have no specific understanding of what someone with schizophrenia, say, might go through, because I have had no direct experience of that. I would call this "innocent unawareness" in the sense that it comes from simple un-knowing. What is important is to be aware of those gap...

Someone diagnosed with bipolar disorder is unlikely to ever be permanently 'fixed' or 'cured', but that's not to say there is no hope, or that life will be unremittingly grim. Each person, like each diagnosis, is unique. Some people have periods of remission and stability lasting for years. Others may be less fortunate, but our experience is that it is possible to recover from the acute phases of mania and depression, and to take positive steps towards maintaining stability and wellness. These steps involve developing habits and strategies (including taking medication as prescribed) that foster self-care, and remaining vigilant for behaviours which might herald the approach of mania or depression. During an acute episode of mania or depression the focus is on managing the symptoms and restoring the person to a place of balance. Once relatively stable, the emphasis shifts to maintaining balance and minimising the frequency and severity of future episodes. It is nei...