How do you or did you come to terms with having a mental illness?!

I was first diagnosed with bipolar disorder, then with having major depression. I learned to realize that a lot of the bad things that have happened to me in the past have been because I took a long time to get treatment. By reflecting on the past and wanting a better future I realized I have to accept my illness and stick with treatment.

It is called medicine.Which is used for any illness,even colds.
So,you have a illness,you do not have to listen to others.
Then you have no obligation to tell anyone.It's your life and business.
Realize any medication may not completely work without you helping.
bye

There is no best way to do it. You just have to realize that you may be different from other people, and if you need the meds then you need them and you dont need people telling you there is nothing wrong. I know how it feels, people keep callin me a hyperchondriac and it drives me insane and i almost started believing it. If the pills make you feel even a little bit better then dont stop them just because people are talking junk to you. You just need to start excepting youself for who you are and not for you may wish you can be or do. You are you regaurdless of any limitations and you have to become hapy with you, except yourself how you are and nothing less then who and what you are, no matter how good or bad. :-))

i suffer from schizophrenia,, bipolar, PTSD, severe depression, severe anxiety, and dissociation/depersonalization. i have since i was a child. people, even specialist would tell me that i would just have to put up with the fact that i was mentally ill and could only do certain things in my life. my psychiatrist after my last suicide attempt last september told me to go to a psychologist for talk therapy. much to my surprise when i made a comment to him about not being able to do this or that due to my mental illness my psychologist told me that up to a certain point the only limitations that i have are those that i place on myself. obviously as a schizophrenic that has hallucinations i can't drive or cook ( i have set three kitchens on fire due to hallucinations and i can't drive due to hallucinations. you can probably guess why). but i can do things around the house. i can watch my grandchildren and help them. once i was told that it doesn't bother me anymore. my son is the only one who seems to let it bother him and i told him the other day to get past it. i have been like this since i was a young child. ( i was abused ). at the age of 31 i went back to college got a degree. made the deans list all but two semesters. and somehow made it to an honour society. people keep wanting to know how i managed to do it being mentally ill. my mental illness has nothing to do with how smart or dumb someone is.

me.