The fourth 80/20 theme I would like to comment on is that we are more than our illness. On the face of it, this may seem simple – even somewhat obvious. However, the climate of fear and stigma that still surrounds mental illness makes this a theme that warrants attention.

How can we avoid being defined by our illness, especially when it has the power to alter our behavior? How do we prevent those in our lives from always thinking of us in terms of our illness? These are important questions and, while I don’t pretend to have the answers, I hope that I can help to promote discussion that may lead to your own resolution.

I believe that much of the responsibility lies with the individual who suffers from the mental illness, for they have the power to set the tone in all their relations. When a person refuses to fall prey to self-stigma, they lead others to reconsider their own opinions and level of awareness. If a person avoids speaking too often about their illness and the symptoms that they suffer, they will prevent others from seeing them only from the perspective of the illness.

As I learned to live with bipolar disorder, there were certainly many moments when I felt it had taken over and there was little to differentiate between it and me. Over time, however, I realized that being well meant separating the symptoms of an illness – a physical failure in my brain function – from my spirit, my personality, my reasons for enjoying life and my identity.

Be well,
Jason Finucan