Wednesday, November 22, 2017

Arguing... err, ah, I mean Discussing

Recently I was asked what it would be like to argue with a me. The question was posed by a new friend who had just found out I have Bipolar. I wasn’t really prepared for the question, so I gave a weak answer. However, I have thought about it over the last few days and I now have the answer. So, what is it like to argue with me? The answer is:
  • The same as it is to argue with anyone else.

Groundbreaking, I know! But in all seriousness, Bipolar means I approach an argument knowing I need to be conscience of certain things about me. But don’t we all? Doesn’t everyone need to think about the other person? Doesn’t everyone need to be aware of how they are feeling? Doesn’t everyone need to treat others fairly? We base these checks and balances on our life’s experiences. Mine just happen to include Bipolar.

So rather than describe what I do that is different from what others might do, I will simply tell you what I do. If you do things similarly, perhaps you will conclude that Bipolar isn’t as mysterious as you may think.

I have four simple rules for arguing (or discussing if that word makes you feel more comfortable).
  1. No name calling. Absolutely no name calling. None. I won’t go there. The argument is about whatever momentary conflict is occurring, not about someone’s personal character.
  2. No yelling. This covers many things but mostly insures that emotions are kept in check. 
  3. All arguments need to be resolved at some point. Conflict should not be left indefinitely.
  4. Communicate your intentions. If you need more time, ask for it. If you can’t resolve it now and you need an hour to think about it, say you need an hour. If an hour comes and goes and you need more time, ask for it. Don’t just walk away. There are too many ways to interpret that action.

That’s it. There is no special care or feeding required because I have Bipolar. The funny thing is, when I was asked the question, that is where my mind immediately jumped to. I asked myself, “What special things do I need to do because I have Bipolar?"

How we handle life is based on what we have learned from past experiences. In some ways I feel blessed because there are whole books written and lectures given about a part of my life – Bipolar. It is almost like having a manual. ;-)

1 comment :

  1. As a sign of gratitude for how my husband was saved from Bipolar Disorder, i decided to reach out to those still suffering from this.
    My husband suffered Bipolar Disorder and it was really tough and heartbreaking for me because he was my all and the symptoms were terrible, we tried various therapies prescribed by our neurologist but none could cure him. I searched for a cure and i saw a testimony of so many people who was cured from Bipolar Disorder. and so many other with similar body problem, and they left the contact of this doctor who had the herbal cure to Bipolar Disorder. I never imagined Bipolar Disorder has a cure not until i contacted him and he assured me my husband will be fine. I got the herbal medication he recommended and my husband used it and in one months he was fully okay even up till this moment he is so full of life.Bipolar Disorder has a cure and it is a herbal cure contact the doctor for more info on drwilliams098675@gmail.com on how to get the medication. Thanks for reading my testimony .

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