When Someone Told Me I'm Using My Mental Illness as an Excuse

Someone said to me once, “Don’t use you’re illness as an excuse.” I thought to myself, “Are you really saying that to me? Are you serious?” I had never heard that before, and I was stunned.

• What is Bipolar disorder?

Let’s be clear, shall we?

My brain is sick. My actions, behaviors and decisions are made from a cloudy mind, a mind on a ton of meds for bipolar disorder, anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and you think I’m using it as an excuse?

If my liver was sick, would you expect it to perform its duty as well as one that was not sick? If I needed medication to have my liver work better, would you tell me I didn’t need it? That all I had to do was change my thoughts, talk nice to it…

I’m not on holiday. I work tirelessly to improve myself, to improve my thoughts, but that doesn’t make my brain magically fix itself. Do you know what will help my brain heal? Love, compassion, kindness and understanding.

My brain is sick.

Please forgive me if don’t act the same as you or the other lady you know with a similar disorder. Guide me lovingly so you can understand what I’m going through because I’m more confused than you.

My brain is sick.

I didn’t do this to myself. I didn’t take a magic drink one day and decide I’m going to be bipolar today and for the next 10 years I want to struggle in silence in my head. I wouldn’t have wished my challenges on my worst enemy.

My brain is sick.

Please be patient with me. I’m learning how to cope with life’s struggles. How to care for myself. I need to understand so I can try hard to get better.

My brain is sick.

Please love me anyway, and don’t tell me I’m using it as an excuse. Get information on what is happening. Help me. My brain is sick.

Thinkstock photo by twinster photo