How should people react when you tell them your condition? How do you want to be perceived?

[noname223]

I am currently struggling a lot. I am scared how other people perceive me and I ruminate way too much about my crush at college. My crush knows that I have a condition (mental illness) but no specifics. I should not have much hope my illness always ruins such matters. For many women the condition psychosis is equivalent to the category never date such a guy. I have met many judgemental women. Someone associated having psychosis with pedophilia. Many people assumed that I am insane and in severe cognitive decline. They assumed I am insane and that communiccation would be worthless.

I want to be taken serious. Some smart and empathetic people took me serious when I opened up about my illness. There is a lot of stigmatization and I am careful who to trust. My dentist always makes such a concerned face when I mention that I take medication for mental illness. He is such a cool and great guy. Probably he is very well aware that the suicide rate for dentists is pretty high. I think he takes mental illness serious and treats me with respect.

I vented about a certain guy in an institution for people who struggle to hold a job. He humiliated me and my mom and spit in our metaphorically. This was diametrical to how I want to be treated.

I wish people would take mental health issues serious. Many people replied to me that they know how mental illness feels despite the fact they have no clinical condition. I had experiences where people belittled me. So either people considered me a faker, a pretty ill guy (which is true), insane etc.

Moreover I think the society should be way more aware that there are people with treatment resistant suicidality because of mental illness. There are people who are in pain daily who tried so much to heal. The highest German court wanted very liberal assisted laws. But the media is so paternalistic and distorts the ruling. I am so sick of it and it makes me pretty angry. Though realistically I have to do it on my own the reforms will take many years and my family could pressure me not to do it. I am trapped. I hate the media for how hypocritically they report about this topic.

 

[cgrtt.brns]

i can only imagine how it must feel when people treat you differently bc of psychosis, im sorry. i have bpd and ive definitely felt that people suddenly fear me when they find out, even my parents. i understand why, bpd has a really bad portrayal in media, but for me my "dangerous" symptoms are internal, or directed at myself, so no one really has any reason to fear me. and anyway, not all people with bpd or any mental illness are dangerous, as long as you treat people with kindness and respect thats all you need to do.
i too wish people just took me seriously. people always assume that since you have a mental illness you cant think properly or have rational thoughts, which is just false. yes, i have dark thoughts but i still have my own thoughts and personality, i can still think rationally and i am able to make decisions for myself. when people take all your autonomy away because of being mentally ill its so fucking dehumanising. if someone doesnt ask for help it shouldnt be forced upon them because "theyre not thinking clearly".
also when people say they know how it feels because they "get sad sometimes" that infuriates me to no fucking end lol.

 

[seaspray]

That I am more than my depression...that I have gifts despite the darkness..

 

[Forever Sleep]

I don't have a diagnosed condition. It's actually a difficult question because on the one hand- I'm not so sure I want to be treated like I'm different. Especially when it comes down to 'depression' (if that's what I have) and ideation. Like- I don't COMPLETELY attribute my ideation to having a depressed or dysfunctional brain. I want people to recognize that it ISN'T plain crazy to want to kill yourself in this world.

On the other hand- I have had people partly unintentionally mock what I believe was limerance and a borderline eating disorder. Neither were particularly fun for me! I guess with regards to them (even though again- they weren't diagnosed,) people become messed up for a reason. Quite often those reasons are trauma related.

I wish people would think more about what they're doing when they laugh at/ mock or berate unusual behaviour. They wouldn't for instance say: 'It's so funny your parents died when you were a child. It's so hilarious you were mollested or bullied or neglected and abandoned.' Yet- they can't seem to make the connection that the person's current behaviour is maybe in response to stuff like that. Maybe it's even an 'unhealthy' coping mechanism they used to get through it. We're taught not to take the piss out of wheelchair users! Yet- it seems fine to bully the person that self harms or is awkward and quiet or displays unusual behaviour. Not to say I didn't partake in or receive that kind of bullying too- I made mistakes as a child too. I just wish we were taught to be more tolerant to one another. We are with physical disabilities- we ought to be with behavioural matters also.