Love the article, Dr Devika Bhushan! My believe has always been - if you are going to lead, lead by example, and you did that by writing about and disclosing your bipolar disorder! Bravo! Being a tech consultant for many years in which my job consists of managing customers and users expectations, it's always good to be open and transparent - because nobody wanted to be blindsided by something (being a tech consultant or any consultant also means I am a bit of a control freak lol). And your insights into what it takes to open yourself up (or to do anything) will require planning and in a way, control, is awesome!
I think your post on here has a lot of nuances and people can definitely benefit from reading it.
Thank you for sharing your health journey with the world, Dr Bhushan. I've recently "come out" as disabled, which I kept hidden my whole life for fear of being fired/not hired because of other people's incorrect assumptions that disability is another word for laziness. Not only showing the success but the struggles of high-achieving individuals, as you said, brings context and nuance to the conversations about health.
It's been interesting! I think most people are very surprised because I have kept things so well hidden so for long. When people see my mobility devices, I'm often asked when I will be "healed," and I reply lightheartedly, "Alas, this thing is a permanent attachment. But I did read in InStyle that hot pink canes are the new fashion accessory of '24!" For many of my spoonie friends, this is a point of irritation, but I always think of it as an opportunity to do a bit of disability education and advocacy. How has your coming out been so far??
Ha, I so love that response. Good for you for turning those moments into points of levity and education/advocacy, Gia! It can be so tough to rise above the eye-roll impulse and annoyance in the moment; way to take that high road.
I had some surprise come my way, too — and I think that's just a testament to us collectively needing more complete narratives of healing/living well *with* illness in the mental health and disability space.
Thank you for your leadership and all you do in this space!
Love the article, Dr Devika Bhushan! My believe has always been - if you are going to lead, lead by example, and you did that by writing about and disclosing your bipolar disorder! Bravo! Being a tech consultant for many years in which my job consists of managing customers and users expectations, it's always good to be open and transparent - because nobody wanted to be blindsided by something (being a tech consultant or any consultant also means I am a bit of a control freak lol). And your insights into what it takes to open yourself up (or to do anything) will require planning and in a way, control, is awesome!
I think your post on here has a lot of nuances and people can definitely benefit from reading it.
Thank you!
Thanks so much for the feedback, Sherman!
Thank you for sharing your health journey with the world, Dr Bhushan. I've recently "come out" as disabled, which I kept hidden my whole life for fear of being fired/not hired because of other people's incorrect assumptions that disability is another word for laziness. Not only showing the success but the struggles of high-achieving individuals, as you said, brings context and nuance to the conversations about health.
Thanks for connecting on here and sharing your journey, Gia. How has your "coming out" felt?
It's been interesting! I think most people are very surprised because I have kept things so well hidden so for long. When people see my mobility devices, I'm often asked when I will be "healed," and I reply lightheartedly, "Alas, this thing is a permanent attachment. But I did read in InStyle that hot pink canes are the new fashion accessory of '24!" For many of my spoonie friends, this is a point of irritation, but I always think of it as an opportunity to do a bit of disability education and advocacy. How has your coming out been so far??
Ha, I so love that response. Good for you for turning those moments into points of levity and education/advocacy, Gia! It can be so tough to rise above the eye-roll impulse and annoyance in the moment; way to take that high road.
I had some surprise come my way, too — and I think that's just a testament to us collectively needing more complete narratives of healing/living well *with* illness in the mental health and disability space.
Thank you for your leadership and all you do in this space!
Yes! Living well—WITH whatever you’ve got on your plate. Thank you for all you do, too!