I'm a little late to the party but I am finally indulging in the US version of Shameless. Now despite my immense sadness that Jeffrey Dean Morgan was only around for one episode, I am loving this show. It kind of reminds me of my life, without the ghetto/South side part. The scrambling to make ends meet, the continual school lunches, getting kids to actually go to school, navigating everyone's mental health and needs. The moments of losing the plot, overwhelm and chaos and as a parent, surrendering a lot of what makes you tick to keep your family moving forward and of course the bipolar. William H Macy is brilliant as the alcoholic, narcissistic, manipulative, scumbag dad. The whole cast is superb, not a weak link in sight. The multi generational portrayal of bipolar disorder is heartbreaking. Monica, the absent matriarch of the Gallagher family suffers from Bipolar 1 and it is passed on to her son Ian. Her bipolar is devastating for herself and for her whole family, her choice to live without medication, (a choice easy to make when you are feeling good) leaves her vulnerable to the highest of highs and the most tragic of lows. The writers of the show choose for her to survive, so far (I am only in season 5 of 11) But this is not always the case, hence why medication is often literally life saving. Now that Ian is displaying signs of also having bipolar, such as not sleeping, hypersexuality, rapid speech, grand ideas, impulsivity and high energy contrasted by manic depression, sleeping for days, and being unable to function at all in the world and his life, we see the same battle, his resistance to getting help and taking medication. This stigma around seeking help and being medicated is very real, this is why we need to fight to remove the stigma around mental health diagnosis. It is not weak to get help, in fact it takes big ovaries to face your diagnosis. I didn't for over a decade, I mean who wants to be seen as broken? Who wants people to avoid them because of how their brain works? I don't believe these things to be true, but some do. I have chatted to men who have told me their ex was crazy, now this is a common red flag I hear when someone is trying to diminish their part in a relationship break down. When I call them on it, they say something like, 'No she was REALLY crazy, she had *insert diagnosis*' It's bollocks. My diagnosis is my superpower, it helps me to stop and take the time to take care of myself, it fuels my creative work and gives me a passion to breakdown these ignorant walls surrounding mental health. It also filters out the folk who prefer not to learn and understand mental health issues. I have some amazing people in my life who get it, surround yourself with people who get you, and people who are willing to learn. It isn't always easy, far from it. But we make the best of the hand we are dealt right? or some cliche similar to that. Now I'm going to make a cup of tea and watch the next episode, Ian has just kidnapped a baby, the drama! I'm here for it. Have a good day folks, oh and take your meds.
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