How do you tell someone about mental illness?!
Question: I've been mentally ill most of my life. When I meet new people eventually I have to tell them about it. It's always awkward. Sometimes people are surprised and accept me, as is. Other times they walk away. Do any of you have experience with this issue? How and when should they be told?
Answers: I've been mentally ill most of my life. When I meet new people eventually I have to tell them about it. It's always awkward. Sometimes people are surprised and accept me, as is. Other times they walk away. Do any of you have experience with this issue? How and when should they be told?
your best bet is to always have as much information as possible for them, be willing to talk about it, let them ask you questions and go from there. I have delt with telling people I have LUPUS my whole life, no its not a mental illness, but it a chronic immune disease that makes my life very challenging, I've found it always best to just educate them as much as possible and then just sit back and either let them ask questions and discuss or just drop it. some people are just like OK, well that's cool lets move on because they are not comfortable talking about it yet, and if that's the case don't force them, let them maybe do the research them selves and then maybe once they've educated them selves they will want to discuss it, if not dont push the subject.
And if a person is not willing to listen and accept this part of you then really are they worth it anyway. this is who you are, this is part of the package, take it or leave it!
I have problems myself. I live an almost lonely life because people hate me.
try and be honest from the start
u dont have to say what is wrong just say u r suffering from depression and a few things but u want to get to know them
and if they r worth ur friendship they will stay
also get a network of ppl who r also mentally ill to listen and to talk when u r bad cuz they understand u
Two of my best friends have mental health problems and i love them both dearly,it is not for anyone to judge and if they do maybe they are not a true friend.Both my friends have had the life from hell which made them like they are,some days they tell me about it other days they don`t,why do you feel you have to give over this information,some friends work it out for themselves so it is no nessacary to say anything afterall. I wouldn`t tell them unless they have been around for a long while.
usually they don't have to and just notice it themselves.
Unfortunately mental illness still caries a stigma. Some people can't handle it. Its your option to tell or not to tell. You don't have to but evidently you feel that you must tell your friends about your illness. I would say that if you tell them no matter how you tell them if they walk away they were not much of a friend. Some people just don't understand that its an illness. I would not become to serious when you tell them. Keep the conversation light so they don't get caught up in the "I don't know what to say syndrome". Keeping it quite is probably easier. The only people that would truly need to know is your immediate family and your doctor. My mother struggled with mental illness most of her life. People are judgmental. Its sad. More education is definitely needed in the mental illness area. Good Luck
Hi There, Don't be ashamed of you are, just tell you friends and family how you are feeling and the problems you have. If people don't understand tell them to look at some websites on mental health. Good Luck.