We’ve all done it. You know that someone is facing a difficult situation so you say something to try to help. It comes from a good place. You genuinely want things to get better for them.

The problem is that what we say doesn’t always have the effect we want it to.

Just ask anyone living with a mental illness. We did. We asked our good friend Jessica Gimeno, who battles bipolar disorder, as well as chronic pain, and several other illnesses.

She came up with a clever way for people living with bipolar to relieve some of the frustration that results from hearing popular misconceptions about the disorder. Here’s what she had to say:

Check out Jessica’s full blog post on misconceptions about bipolar disorder and sign up for her newsletter to receive:

  • 4 scripts to help people with depression or bipolar disorder advocate for themselves with loved ones, professors, and employers
  • 10 Strategies for getting stuff done when you’re depressed

Print your own Bipolar Bingo card from the image below. Finding humor and connecting with people who understand can help, so “pass the chips and play with friends!” says Jessica.

 

[tweet_box design=”default”]Bipolar Bingo: What Not to Say to Someone with Bipolar Disorder #BPD[/tweet_box]

Have you been affected by bipolar or another health condition? Sign up to share your experiences with Health Stories Project!

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