Who We Are

Many of us define ourselves by the things that happen to us. Those of us with mental illness have it doubly bad. We often define ourselves by our mental illness, and the world judges us on it as well. I often will get judged for having PTSD when I have never been in combat, as though the abuse I suffered from my father was not severe enough to earn something that is socially reserved for servicemen and women.

Our illnesses do not define us. I am a good wife. I am a sister. I am a daughter. I am an aunt. I am a writer. I am a blogger. I am a cat lover. I am a knitter and crocheter. I am a Jane Austen super fan. I am a Buffy fan.

I am all of these things.

I would not say that about my mental illness. I'm not a bipolar. I have bipolar disorder. I have anxiety. I have PTSD. When we define ourselves by something we are giving it the power. Having bipolar disorder doesn't define me as a person. It is something that I struggle with, but it's not my whole life, though it can sometimes feel that way.

What does define me are the things and people I love: my husband, my cat, my mom, my brother and his family, my aunts and uncles and cousins, where I live, my hobbies, my favorite books and movies and TV shows, my writing, and my beliefs.

Mental illness does not define us. It is something we struggle with, but it is not who we are.