Today I want to take a chance. Today I want to destroy a common myth that we all seem to fall for from time to time. What you have been diagnosed with and what you struggle with does not define you. In the words of a radio commercial I heard sometime last year, “It doesn’t have you; you have it!”
I’ve noticed over the years that this is something people struggle with and probably don’t even realize they’re doing it! When referring to people who struggle with a type of disorder or mental illness, others sometimes refer to them as the “Autistic boy” rather than “the boy with autism” or “I’m depressed”, rather than “I struggle with depression.”
When I first learned of my disorder, I referred to myself as Bipolar. I found that by doing this, I started to think less of myself sometimes. I started to self-pity myself more often, and I wasn’t happy with where that brought me. I like to refer to myself as someone with Bipolar Disorder now. Knowing that my disorder does not define me, helps me separate my struggles from self worth.
In the month filled with resolutions, let’s resolve to remind ourselves that what we struggle with does not define us.
Defying Shadows 
This is great! I’ve never thought of it like that.