I have a bone to pick with the universe. Simply put, I don’t think it’s fair that people with a mental illness like bipolar disorder have to get your garden variety illnesses like colds and flus. Do you not realize that people with bipolar disorder spend a massive amount of their time sick already? Do you not realize that a large part of a bipolar’s day is devoted to managing the symptoms of an illness they already have?

Do you not get that we have enough on our plate already without coughing, sneezing, an upset stomach, aching muscles and a runny nose?

A Flu or Cold Makes Bipolar Worse

And in my experience, not only do bipolars get the normal job of dealing with everyday cold and flu symptoms but they also get the extra work of dealing with worsening bipolar symptoms. Moods tend to be unstable when you cough yourself awake all night or can’t move from the couch all day. Even a person who was happy before a flu or cold can find themselves unhappy, and possibly even spiralling into depression, thanks to the misery of being ill.

(I have a personal theory that because some of the symptoms between depression and a cold or flu crossover, your brain starts to get depressed because of the responses coming from your body. But that’s just a theory of mine.)

Bipolars Don’t Deserve a Cold or Flu

So basically, what I’m saying is that due to the fact that I’m already sick every day of my life I believe it’s unfair to compound that with ordinary germs floating about in my environment. I think bipolars should get a pass from the ordinary illnesses of humanity. It’s really the only reasonable thing to do.

Yes, I realize that this would suggest there is a big fair-o-meter in the sky, which obviously there isn’t. And I realize that this is completely unreasonable. But still. I want it, damnit.