http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=276x105Oh my.
The bonfire was lit almost five years ago, but is still burning.
no name no slogan (1000+ posts) Fri Nov-26-04 10:52 PM
Original message
Poll question: How open are you about your illness?
Do you tell many people about your illness, or do you keep it to yourself?
Poll result (24 votes)
I tell everyone about my illness (5 votes, 21%)
I have told most of my friends, family and coworkers (4 votes, 17%)
I've told my closest friends and family only (10 votes, 42%)
Nobody knows but me (3 votes, 13%)
Illness? What illness? (2 votes, 8%)
Ann Arbor Dem (900 posts) Fri Nov-26-04 11:23 PM
Response to Original message
1. I wouldn't say I tell everyone, but I am very open about it.
The stigma needs to be erased through education of the public, and I am active in doing my part. I am interviewed now and again about mental health issues from the perspective of one who battles depression.
The droopy drawers primitive, now known as the Tobin S. primitive:
Droopy (1000+ posts) Sat Nov-27-04 02:44 AM
Response to Original message
2. I voted for option #2, but if the subject ever comes up I don't have a problem with telling people that I suffer from mental illness. I don't advertise it, but I'm honest about it. All of my family and friends know it. The management at the company I work for know it. I told them when I was hospitalized. I needed them to know I needed sick leave and that involved a reason. A few of my co-workers know.
One of my bosses is very understanding. I had a talk with her one day and she said that she knows a person who is mentally ill and is currently on disablilty. She said that she thinks that I'm a very strong person for being able to do what I do with the illness that I have. I accepted the compliment, but I guess I should have told her that many people who are mentally ill lead a normal appearing life. You'd never guess that some people who are mentally ill are indeed that.
underseasurveyor (1000+ posts) Sat Nov-27-04 08:01 PM
Response to Original message
3. Pretty much private about it.
A few of my closest family members, my husband of course, and three of my best and closest friends.
I've always been the private loner type anyway. I don't "share" my inner self easily. For one I guess I figure it's none of their business and two, they have their own problems to deal with. If however a friend mentions dealing with a similar problem either with themselves or a loved one of theirs, depending who it is, I might mention my experiences and personl struggles so they don't feel so lost and alone.
La Lioness Priyanka (1000+ posts) Sun Nov-28-04 11:03 AM
Response to Original message
4. i am pretty public about most things...
Hmmm. I didn't know the
maharani primitive was nuts. I knew she was a slob, given that she rarely mops her kitchen floor, but I never knew she was nuts, too.
no name no slogan (1000+ posts) Mon Nov-29-04 01:12 PM
Response to Reply #4
5. Yeah, I'm deliberately public about it
The reason I call it "deliberately" public is because I want to help dispell the "stigma" of mental illness.
Even in today's enlightened times, there's still a lot misinformation and bad stereotypes out there. I want to show that having a brain disease doesn't make you a leper, or a freak, or some sort of 'dangerous' individual.
Most people, when they meet me, have no idea I have a brain disease. According to my friends, most people's first impression of me is somebody who's intelligent (a bit quirky, probably), humorous, warm, attentive and maybe just a bit goofy. I do not come off as a 'stereotypical' depressed person-- I don't wear all black, I'm not overly gloomy and I don't obsess on death (like I used to when I was younger).
I don't shout it from the rooftops, but if anybody talks to me long enough they'll find out. And it doesn't bother me one bit, anymore.
Taking ownership of your disease can be very empowering. For me, it's one of the things that makes getting along with it easier. But of course everybody's mileage may vary.
The nut who's running for city council in Newburgh, New York:
mdmc (1000+ posts) Tue Jul-21-09 03:55 PM
Response to Original message
6. other
not very public..
But then he last month announced his candidacy in the mental health forum of Skins's island, of all places. Most such candidates announce their candidacies in front of city hall, or something.
The forked primitive, who's a hard-core care of mental illness, thinking he knows excresence about sports:
Forkboy (1000+ posts) Tue Jul-21-09 05:02 PM
Response to Original message
7. I'm totally open about it now, but wasn't as recently as a few years ago.
I no longer care if people want to use it against me (a couple posters here have). I know that most people understand that mental illness isn't a choice.
The squawking primitive:
Ladyhawk (1000+ posts) Thu Jul-23-09 09:21 PM
Response to Original message
8. I'm in denial...
The fizzling primitive, who's getting married:
fizzgig (1000+ posts) Thu Jul-23-09 09:29 PM
Response to Original message
9. i'm completely open about last year i volunteered with a committee trying to get an inpatient detox/acute mental health treatment center built in our county and, as part of that, i wrote a soapbox about my own struggle with my illness.
i don't go around announcing it, but i will speak very candidly about it.
