A diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder or an Anxiety Disorder still has the power to create shame. In spite of all we know (and don't know) about the neurological and environmental causes of both, we still believe that others, that amorphous mass of judges determining our worth, will look down on us. There continues to be a stigma attached to mental illness.
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Your therapist has told you that you have a "mood disorder" called bipolar. It sounds so serious and frankly, you don't think you have a problem at all, except that you don't like feeling depressed. Other people have a problem with how much fun you have.
I had one of those odd conversations recently with a stranger, a young man on the other end of my call for help on an internet query. While waiting for a response on his end, he said he was “quite a reader.” His proof of that was that he had just finished reading Women are from Venus Men are from Mars by John Gray. For the third time. That set me back on my mental heels since I can’t imagine anyone finding that book particularly informative after a once-over. But that's me.
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Marilyn Miller, MS, LPC ~ Psychotherapist...Delighting every day in helping people find peace in their lives, relieving anxiety, depression, and promoting self-care. Categories
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February 2014
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