Positive traits
When people think about mental health conditions, it is often the negatives that are focused on. Are there any "positives" to Bipolar?
Do you have increased energy at times?
Have your boundaries increased in social situations?
Have you become an advocate of sorts for this condition?
@JamieSclafaniLMSW
I'd say the biggest positive that has come from this is fine-tuning my awareness of my body. I actually get a full night's sleep, and have been known to go to bed at 2100hrs if that's what I need. I have no problems saying no to something if I'm not sure I can do it without issues (like a meetup hike 4 days after I have a medical appointment... I don't think I'll be up to hiking that weekend yet), rather than taking on every challenge and going for 20hrs a day, 6 days a week until I crash.
If I get stressed out, I get irritable and wired. Example of this is last week... I was doing night supervision on sunday 2100-0700, and reacted to a prescription from a walk-in doc monday (2nd dose was 0700). I ended up in the ER monday night, and by the time I got home monday night I had been awake 36hrs and hadn't taken my 1900hrs and 2200hrs meds for 2 days. Tuesday morning I was running on high. Speeding, road rage, talking faster than my brain could process, no filter, and all but running when I had to walk to customers... Took my meds as scheduled, got a couple nights sleep, and was back on schedule and more or less level thursday again.
As far as social situations... I've always been able to talk to anyone as an equal, regardless of position... it's what made my time as regional management easy, as well as made for a quick climb in the Royal Canadian Legion (Veterans support). As a Freemason, that only cemented that ability as we greet everyone on the level. Idiots and assho|es still get the treatment they deserve, but that's another post... The only thing that has changed is that I'm more likely to walk away from arguements.
I've become more outspoken when people use mental health as adjectives. I've been dealing with chronic pain and injuries the last 24yrs, and on bad days my limitations are very visible... most days I just have a slight limp, or tend to put heavy weights on my left shoulder only. The same thing goes with my bipolar. On good days it would be very easy to say it doesn't exist... on bad days, I'm either using all my effort to go through a work day, or on the flip side I'm burning the candle on both ends and giving everything 125%. So when people make jokes or jokingly refer to either physical or mental illness issues, I'm probably the first person to say something out loud.