Would you be fearful or embarrassed?
I have a list in my head of the people I’ve told, especially at work, and I feel self-conscious around them. I wonder what they think about me. I wish I hadn’t told them sometimes. Other people I’ve told are family and that’s ok. It’s just the people at work that I feel conspicuous around. I wonder if they’ve told other people, and I wonder what they think.
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I have told very few people. Not even all of my family members know. But it is the people who have been told by those I’ve told that I’m worried about. Cause some people would just start avoiding me for no reason and the only explenation I can think of is that somebody told them something. The other day my neighbour asked me if I am ill. So I said no am not. Eversince then they started to avoid me. I asked my sister and niece who stay with me if they said anything to them. I went away for a week to see my psychiatrist in another town. My sister said it is because of that away week that they must have thought I was ill…which is ■■■■■■■■ !!! I did not tell the neighbours I was going anywhere neither did I tell them that I’m seeing a psychiatrist or a doctor.
On the other hand, the truth is the truth, and I’m not responsible for how others feel about something they probably don’t know much about. I’m myself, the same person with or without their knowing about sz. I would hope that I’m an ok example if someone functioning. If they react out of ignorance and/or fear, that’s on them.
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To be honest I stopped giving a ■■■■ about it a long time ago. Sometimes I fear that it may ruin my business, but when it comes to social life I don’t give a damn anymore.
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I’m out, loud and proud. I have a hard enough time figuring out what is reality as it is. I don’t need to worry about holding up a thousand different lies. Most of my friends think it’s no big deal. A few people have distanced themselves from me, and I’m not sorry to see them go. I get teased sometimes for falling asleep at parties because my meds have knocked me out, but that’s as far as it goes. Everyone at work knew, and when I go back to school next year, everyone there will probably know as well. I have a very hard time keeping secrets, because my coping strategy is basically to always be 100% honest with everyone about what I think is real. I rely on other people to correct me and keep my thought processes in line with reality.
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I agree with you completely but my life is complicated by people that think I am a danger to others and they believe I need to be put in prison…
Think I would be relieved no more hiding it. But I don’t tell everyone yet I worry about my boys that are getting old enough to date.
A lot of people know about my illness in my ethnic community of origin and I hate it!!
I had no choice whether to tell them or not, rumours just spread. I’m not ashamed of having sz at all but I hate gossip.
I dont tell people except my family or very close friends. We will see what my friends do with it. I am also going to tell my parents in law over thanksgiving. Im expecting them to be horrified that their daughter is married to someone with mental illness. I suppose I am a little outraged at myself for being MI so it might be cathartic. Wish me luck.