I don't think going up to random people and talking to them is the best way to make friends. I think it is much more natural to make friends as part of your routine. The people you interact constantly at college or at your job are the people most likely to become your friends. I understand the feeling of feeling behind. I feel like that. I feel that I should be much 'farther' away in life. But I don't think this is a bipolar specific feeling. Of course, the disorder is bound to make it unique to bipolar people since our brains literally work different in some respects (I believe it is that the frontal cortex cannot control the amygdala all that well? I'm not sure so don't quote me on this). Either way, comparisons are inevitable in a society that is highly based on competition and comparisons while having a tough inner critic during depressive episodes makes comparissons feel like hell. The ways I try to cope are to remind myself that societal expectations do not dictate my value as a person; and, perhaps contradictorily, I put a lot of effort into my career to try to advance even more. The vicious cycle seems to be that the further you go in a career (I'm a PhD. Student, a decision I'm not to sure was the right one, as competition is evwrywhere, along with plenty of judgmental eyes) the higher echellons of comparisons you get to see and higher and higher standards are found. That is madness. So we have to make a choice of where we can feel confortable with our achievements. I'm rambling now so I'll stop. Btw thanks for the shout out in the last episode! Have a good one.

@Bipolar_Thoughts

5 ай бұрын

I really appreciate your reply! Thank you for sharing how you cope, and it actually reminded me that I want to make an episode on "letting your disability define you as a person." Thank you for your support!