Using The Internet To Learn About Your Mental Illness

Many moons ago, in the ancient times of about 2009ish, I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Like many people, I turned to the internet for more information about what I was dealing with when little existed.

Coincidentally, this is also the same time I started working as a writer for businesses and marketers. Over the years, I've learned much about processing and presenting information through the internet.

Based on that perspective, I want to share with you some things that will help you sift through the information and advice you'll find on the internet and talking with other people.

My thoughts on mental illness and the internet

1. Mental health support communities are a mixed bag.

Mental health support communities can be great if you understand how to use them. They are a tool, and how you wield them matters. Most people contributing in a support community are there because they aren't doing well. So if you're new to the game and you step into a support community, you may look around, see all this negativity, and think, "Oh, my God. Is this how it's going to be for me?"

Probably not. People who are doing well aren't as vocal or even present. Why? Well, they're likely off living their life instead of participating. Others aren't comfortable with saying how well they're doing because they don't want to make other people feel bad. Then there is the matter of stability, as being around unstable people can trigger unwellness.

It's okay to step in and out of support communities if you need to.

2. "Research" on the internet lacks important context.

A scenario that many people have experienced: You're prescribed a new medication so you turn to the internet for more information. You stumble on post after post decrying how awful the medication is, how it doesn't work, and how terrible the side effects are. But, again, people who are doing well generally aren't making posts about how good they're doing. All of it is slanted toward negativity.

Furthermore, you know nothing about the person complaining. Did they take it as directed? Did they reach the point where the meds can actually work? Do they chase their meds with a 12 pack? Are they on other drugs? You know nothing about those people and whether or not you should listen to them.

Not only that, but even if you consume material put out by mental health professionals, you can still miss important context because they can't communicate everything. Mental illness is a very individual experience, even though we do share symptoms.

3. People talk from their own perspective.

What does that mean? Well, people are more than willing to give you advice on what you should do about your mental illness. The problem is that they aren't you. You'll have different physiology, experiences, traumas, and symptoms that can dramatically change what matters to you and your life.

Things that work for them may not work for you and vice versa. Therefore, you'll get conflicting advice and may find yourself extremely confused. But if you understand that they are speaking from their own perspective, it's much easier to take in and process that information. Let me give you a couple of examples so you can what I mean.

"Don't take medication! The side effects are terrible!" What they're most likely saying is, "I don't want to take medication because the side effects were terrible for me!" Or, "Don't go to therapy. It's a waste of time and money." What they're most likely saying is, "Therapy didn't work for me. I wasted a lot of time and money."

Don't assume that these opinions or advice apply to you.

Online advice about managing mental illness

Keep these 3 things in mind and you'll have a much easier time sorting through the flood of information and advice you'll run into. There's a lot of knowledge and wisdom out there to pick up, you just have to be aware of how to sort it out so you can make good decisions.

Don't assume that any advice or information find is good for you. It may be good for the source, but that doesn't mean it's good for you.

Be well. And remember – take your meds as directed. If you're having a hard time on them, want to quit or change them, talk to your doctor before you do anything.