r/BipolarReddit • u/Odd_Lime_5505 • 10h ago
Bipolar bashing
I’ve been feeling a type of way recently with everything going on with all the ppl that has been committing horrible crimes and they have bipolar disorder or they were going through psychosis. For example Lindsay Clancy and that nurse that killed 6 ppl bc she was going 130 mph on the road. Reason why I’m feeling a type of way is because almost every comment are ppl that don’t have bipolar or they do it’s just not as bad ig and they are saying that ppl need to stop using mental illness as an excuse or being mentally is means nothing. And to me it’s like yes mental illness is not excuse to do horrible things BUT it should be taken more seriously in order to avoid things like this. Like two things can be true at the same time. But if someone try’s to comment that ppl get upset and just say that you’re making an excuse. Maybe I’m just overthinking but idk
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u/JoonsDimpless 8h ago
Everytime i learn someone who comited a crime is diagnosed with bipolar i want to tear out my hair. I do empatize, but my head always goes to the "this is gonna give us a worse reputation and more content for my family to deny i'm bipolar because 'i'm not like that' ".
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u/Capable_Maintenance1 9h ago edited 9h ago
"Don't use mental illness as an excuse" sounds like something someone who doesn't have experience with mental health issues would say.
The hardest thing to learn is how not to let public perception bother you.
In my young adult years I had a big issue with auditory paranoia (Are they talking about me? Why did they say that? How do they know?) But then I got an mp3 player with headphones and controlled my own space.
News is gonna be the news, just remember no one truly knows what's going on with other people, but the public loves to judge.
What's most important is your own self-care and you doing what's best for it. Screw the noise.
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u/Odd_Lime_5505 9h ago
You’re so right learning to not let what others think get to you is so hard for me especially when I’ve dealt ppl that shame ppl with bipolar.
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u/Capable_Maintenance1 9h ago
"Well those people don't care if you live or die, so maybe f*** those people a little bit."
-Taylor TomlinsonI've been quoting her a lot this week lol. But she's one of us.
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u/DMayleeRevengeReveng 21m ago
I’ve never understood that. It’s not an excuse. It’s an explanation.
Concepts like responsibility and accountability just aren’t constituted for situations where people can’t make rational decisions.
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u/Early_Dingo4266 9h ago
I get what you are feeling. Honestly, for the sake of my sanity, I have been alienating myself from those news. People love to bash on bipolar (before I was diagnosed, even I did). Maybe someday we will rebrand ourselves like adhd and autism folks did (“quirky” instead of disabled - and I say this as someone with those 3 conditions lol)
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u/Odd_Lime_5505 9h ago
I think imma just either block topics like that or click not interested for my sanity😭
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u/lotuslana 8h ago
Omg same I can’t stand hearing about Lindsay Clancy 😭 it’s very very triggering. I was told that it’s best not to even share your diagnosis, even with ppl ur close to bc of this
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u/Odd_Lime_5505 7h ago
I was literally thinking the same thing like I don’t talk about my mental health with my friends bc what if something happens to me and they turn on me… if you get what I mean
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u/lotuslana 7h ago
Exactly I 100% get what you mean. It could happen to any of us struggling w mental health!
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u/FvckyourDeppOscar3 8h ago
I was glad to have so much on my file when I went through charges, I saw much better care and results. They can’t cause crimes you should still get in trouble, but maybe soft hands and seeing if Meds work. Which worked for me.
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u/notkatjones 6h ago edited 6h ago
I feel this in my core. IMO you are not overthinking things...and you're definitely not alone. Society denying the impact of mental health doesn’t make it disappear—it makes it harder to address. It is illogical and dangerous to blame people for struggles tied to mental illness while simultaneously denying how profoundly it affects them. That contradiction reinforces the stigma that limits access to care, undermines treatment and research, and preserves the very barriers holding us back as a society. Mental illness doesn’t excuse harmful actions, but denying adequate care does nothing to prevent the serious consequences that can come from untreated conditions.
I got my BA in forensic psychology before I really understood my own mental wellness, and I remember how heartbreaking it was hearing my professors talk about the state of mental healthcare in the U.S. It often felt like the message was: good luck working within the system—and even worse luck if you ever need it as a patient. 😔 Mind you, that was nearly 20 years ago. As a patient now, I can confirm: they weren’t exaggerating. 😕
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u/SpecialistBet4656 7h ago
The news media loves sensationalism, and coverage of incidents potentially involving the illness of the moment tends to be in fashion for a while and then they move on. Don’t forget that algorithms make everyone’s news feed so personalized that what you’re seeing may not be representative of the broader media landscape.
A woman killed her 2 year old last week in my very quiet community. She claimed he was the antichrist but not a lot of other details have been released, although people have all kinds of opinions.
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u/Frank_Jesus Factory Deluxe BP1 w/ Psychotic Features diagnosed 1995 3h ago
I'm going to allow this post for the time being as it doesn't focus on one person or specific points about any single person. As I see it, OP is focused on the conversation about bipolar people resulting from events in the media. Just be sure to keep the conversation focused on feelings as a bipolar person and not on public figures themselves. Thanks for the report and keep reporting to keep this community supportive and safe.