u/Appropriate_Shine158

I'm wondering if any of the labels used for this illness (bipolar, manic depression, etc) really describe the illness.

With mental disorders, they always seem to be on a spectrum of symptoms and differ many times in severity and even in the symptoms themselves in different individuals. For example, I sometimes describe my illness as "high functioning" bipolar, because I think my symptoms are less severe than others. With the illness, my symptoms are and have been easier for me to hide, when I choose to do so, as compared to others.

I know we need the labels sometimes to help people with a frame of reference, but I may start trying to describe my specific symptoms, instead of using bipolar or anything else when talking to laypeople. Others outside of those trained or experiencing the same illness don't really seem to understand this illness or these labels anyway...

I wonder if I should start saying something like "I have extreme anxiety and/or severe depression at times, though I may feel and appear fine at other times". IDK. Just pondering this myself, since I've been diagnosed for about 1 year and have already seem to have lost some friendships and damaged others, just by using these labels.

What do others think?

I'm wondering if any of the labels used for this illness (bipolar, manic depression, etc) really describe the illness.

With mental disorders, they always seem to be on a spectrum of symptoms and differ many times in severity and even in the symptoms themselves in different individuals. For example, I sometimes describe my illness as "high functioning" bipolar, because I think my symptoms are less severe than others. With the illness, my symptoms are and have been easier for me to hide, when I choose to do so, as compared to others.

I know we need the labels sometimes to help people with a frame of reference, but I may start trying to describe my specific symptoms, instead of using bipolar or anything else when talking to laypeople. Others outside of those trained or experiencing the same illness don't really seem to understand this illness or these labels anyway...

I wonder if I should start saying something like "I have extreme anxiety and/or severe depression at times, though I may feel and appear fine at other times". IDK. Just pondering this myself, since I've been diagnosed for about 1 year and have already seem to have lost some friendships and damaged others, just by using these labels.

What do others think?