Are there any positive sides of having a mental illness?

I think there are. I have PDD-NOS and not all is bad. I can even laugh at some of the things I do or say. I'm proud of being different.



What do you think?Are there any positive sides of having a mental illness?
I can't say as I know what PDD_NOS is, but I have a definate chemical imbalance which became appernt when I was 9 years old. I am now 32 and to this day still take medication. I also suffered severe post pardum depression and have OCD.In my darkest times I didnt want to breathe let alone laugh. But I don't think I would trade the hell I went through. It taught me what an incredible and powerful thing the mind is. Really at those dark times, It is control of Us instead of us controlling it.It made me very sensitive and and considerate of others.From 9 till 20 were really hellish, but my meds finally kiked in and my hormones settled and i am now able to live a completley normal happy life. If I went off my meds, I'd be in seriuos trouble, it was tried and was terrible. Tom Cruise and people like that have not the slightest clue as to what they are talking about when they say mind over matter. Without my treatment I surley would have died, just as someone who suffers with cancer and receives no treatment.
No. Its not funny when you treat people like crap without ever remembering it







And no. Dont try to "fit in" You odnt have a mental illness.Are there any positive sides of having a mental illness?
PDD-NOS is not a mental illness. It's a mental disability, which may explain your pride. Folks with mental illness often live in a state of anxiety. We don't know when our episodes will come, how long they'll last. Many of us have spent time in mental hospitals. We struggle with our doctors to find the right cocktail of drugs to keep our delusions, hallucinations, feelings of despair at bay. We can't sleep, we can't eat. We never know if and when we'll hurt ourselves, hurt someone else, hurt someone we love because of our irrationality, our urgency to feel some relief. We feel sorry at the shame our families feel. Worse, no one can know else they are afraid of us. No, there is no positive to a mental illness, but we can work together to end the stigma. Then, maybe, we can live in the world without fear of judgement or discrimination.

I must stress: PDD-NOS is a disability, not a mental illness. Look it up.
I don't really think so. If you think having a mental illness makes you 'different' or 'unique', then you should really re-evaluate yourself. The only thing that some people might consider a positive is getting sympathy from others.Are there any positive sides of having a mental illness?
I have bipolar disorder.



When I'm hypomanic, I'm confident, sociable, funny and creative. I have endless energy and I enjoy myself SO much.



But I would sacrifice all of that if it meant I also didn't have to deal with the paranoia and confusion of mania, and the utter misery of depression.



That's even before you get on to the problems with medications, and the way people treat you when they find out you have a mental illness.



I can only speak from my own experiences, but all I've ever found is that the positives of mental illness are far, FAR outweighed by the negatives.
depends on your perspective.