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• Posted by Bipolar Works
• 7 Sep 07, 1:33 PM

The recent posts by lilwatchergirl and Elizabeth have got me thinking. It seems to me that all this extra physical and mental exertion required to just get through the day as a disabled person means that some of us have developed super human extra special skills that could be used to our advantage in other areas of our lives e.g. work, study, friendships and relationships.

Let me give you some examples from my own experience of having to manage my bipolar disorder and navigate through the minefield that is the mental health system. I believe that through necessity this has meant I have developed the following super human extra special skills:

1. Super human endurance
From having to tolerate high doses of mind numbing drugs that had severe side effects such as Parkinson’s stiffness and tremor, difficulty swallowing, akathesia (severe anxiety and restlessness) so I couldn’t even write with a pen, over sedation so I couldn’t even lift my head off the pillow, unhealthy hospital food, severe boredom, passive smoking, odd behaviour from other patients.

2. Super human patience
Waiting for hospital appointments to come through. Particularly the Cognitive Behavioural Therapy appointment. It took at least 6 months, and they kept trying to chuck me off the waiting list by sending me letters which said “if you don’t reply to this letter we will assume that you are no longer require this service and take your name off the waiting list”. You can't fool me. I got the treatment. Eventually.

3. Super human organisational skills
To remember to attend all my medical appointments when until recently, I did not receive reminder letters. To remember to take my medication morning and night. To juggle my bipolar disorder around my work, study and social life and not get ill.

4. Super human negotiating skills
Negotiating with the consultant psychiatrist and mental health nurse in the psychiatric ward when very ill not to over medicate me or give me unsavoury medication. Negotiating with the consultant psychiatrist to change my medication and recommend to my GP to give me some extra supplies for emergencies. Negotiating with the CPN with regard to appointments, goals, targets, my Care Plan. And worst of all, negotiating with the GP's receptionist to get an urgent same day appointment. Now that takes real skill ;-)

5. Super human communication skills
This one really goes together with the negotiating skills. Asking questions to elicit information and make up for my consultant’s lack of communication skills (not the last two consultants who have been fine). Getting my consultant’s trust so that I can participate in the decision making process about medication and treatment.

6. Super human empathy
I’ll never forget my psychiatric ward experiences and the other patients in there. It made me realise what others take for granted and gave me a whole new meaning to the phrases “mental suffering” and “diversity of the human condition”. I was one of the lucky ones, who had family support, who was able to negotiate over medication, who was not considered a danger to others and was able to talk my way out relatively quickly. Others weren’t so lucky, didn’t have a voice and had been institutionalised for six months or more.

7. Super human survival instincts
I got out. Thank God. Now I can get back to rebuilding my life.

What super human extra special skills have you developed as a result of your disability?

Would you dare to be clever and use them on an application form for a job?

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Advice and support for getting a job and combating discrimination in the workplace for people with bipolar disorder and other mental health conditions.

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