Self Hate in Bipolar Individuals

Bipolar disorder is a very destructive disease that effects approximately three percent of the world population today. The mood swings and out of control feelings can lead to a lowered sense of self worth. In many cases this develops into a form of self hate. Self hate is as difficult to understand as it is to explain for those who have never experienced it. Most people cannot image the feeling of hate being directed towards themselves.

A mentally healthy person may feel anger or disappointment towards themselves when the make a mistake, but these feelings are normal and do not lead to the type of self destructive behavior that a bipolar individual may engage in. Self injury is often one effect of self hate in people with bipolar disorder. Cutting, burning, scratching, and hair pulling are all types of self injury. They are not suicide attempts however harmful they may seem. They are in fact a form of self torture that people engage in to relieve the stress of self hate.

Maintaining a strict medication schedule can help alleviate some of the symptoms of bipolar disorder. However, in most case of self hate intense therapy is needed to work through these issues. It is important to remain supportive of anyone that you know who is bipolar. The more isolated that a person feels the more likely they are to feel hateful towards themselves. Pay close attention to any signs of self injury and reach out to the person if you think there is even a chance that they may be hurting themselves.