:) we are only as sick as we allow ourselves to be is dead on. . . No there is no cure for it and some of us (myself included) will never be stable but BP only drags me down the manic highway at 190 miles an hour when I allow it too - yep some days I just dont give a fuck and off we go

I just got curious and had to look up the news that everyone is saying not to.. cause im a genius.. anyway, compared to some of the sick shit people do, im a saint.

funny how many times bipolar will be put in there with bad behavior and thats just not right.

I was healthy, I was active , I didn't want to believe I had breast cancer ...my feeling was ..how could my body turn on me like that ?

I still had breast cancer.

I kinda feel the same about bipolar.
Most of the time I feel healthy, although not so active any more...how could my brain turn on me like that ?

So some days I feel quite ...well sorta "normal", other days not so much.

I think the "power" behind this illness, is that it can trick our minds...that bio-chemical imbalance Tom Foolery

Then I must be insane because I believe I am insane.

Lets....see in comparison to the scariness of people that im currently in close proximity too.....im so fucking stable, its not even funny

Wait for it.....Wait for it......

Okay I agree. To an extent. Everything in life is what we make of it. Some people have harder struggles (things we have no control over).

You see the paraplegic who continues on and does great things with their lives.

I have a friend with Down's Syndrome. He just graduated high school, and was crowned king of the prom.

Since 2007 I have lost: one best friend to suicide, one best friend to cancer, one mother-in-law to cancer, one mother and best friend to Alzheimer's, on father-in-law unexpectedly, and one 18 year old pet.

I could wallow in it. Feel sorry for myself -and I do at times. Fact is, that is the hand I have been dealt. It's up to me how I handle it.

Same thing with bipolar. While my chemicals and my hormones are playing havoc with my life, beyond my control, I can control how I deal with it. Use the tools I have in place and strive for a better life.

While I'm being honest, Bipolar is a life sentence but about half of it is a hoot. The other half the depression sucks.

Hence, the agree to a certain extent. We have limited control over our bipolar symptoms. Take our meds, eat right, exercise are things we can control.

Got to add. Some people are just stronger than others. Giving compassion and empathy to others only makes us stronger.

Like my status says, "I won't let myself get sick again. I jealously guard my equilibrium." because I came to that conclusion recently. I am in charge of my life by god, I will do anything it takes not to get sick, that much is in my control

It sometimes makes me believe I am well when I really am not.

Sot it's always there and I'm always questioning do I really feel good or is something brewing.

Mine is complicated by the schizo so I get psychosis with it when I'm under a lot of stress...really sucks.

I believe that I can be better, I can strive for Healthy or excellent and end up with pretty good, or up and down! LOL

I no longer compare myself with others! Well for this thread anyway : ) When I have a choice, I strive for a good life, functioning, laughing etc... When I don't have a choice, I handle it to the best of my ability, AT THAT TIME... so therefore, just like everyone else - I'm always doing the best I can, sometimes I see good results, sometimes its harder.

I will not settle, I will learn more, try more and strive - Bipolar is an issue, my car is an issue LOL Damn the devil you know, at least when I'm crazy it has a name : ) To me that makes it easier.....

I get sick, I do not think I"m sick : )

I believe that I can be better, I can strive for Healthy or excellent and end up with pretty good, or up and down! LOL

I no longer compare myself with others! Well for this thread anyway : ) When I have a choice, I strive for a good life, functioning, laughing etc... When I don't have a choice, I handle it to the best of my ability, AT THAT TIME... so therefore, just like everyone else - I'm always doing the best I can, sometimes I see good results, sometimes its harder.

I will not settle, I will learn more, try more and strive - Bipolar is an issue, my car is an issue LOL Damn the devil you know, at least when I'm crazy it has a name : ) To me that makes it easier.....

I get sick, I do not think I"m sick : )

I am kind of like I have bi-polar disorder/disease...not that I am bi-polar. I guess I don't want to give it any more power then it already takes. I'm always trying to do better and that often means admitting when I need a med change or friend change or life change...whatever it takes to keep me sane and healthy(as healthy as I can be).

We have really nice sandy loam soil on our farm. But to improve it as a medium for growing crops, we must add elements like nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and sulfur. It has to be done routinely.

I'm a really kind, caring, energetic (most of the time) lady. But to improve the chemistry in my brain, I must add Lithium. It has to be done routinely.

In my way of thinking there really isn't much difference. The quantities and mixture of elements for the farm changes year-to-year just as my "elements" are changed from time-to-time.

I hope this doesn't sound all cornball and Pollyanna-ish. I've had times of great anguish, despair and dread. I just believe to my toenails that that isn't the way things will stay.

Thank you, Wiccan, for starting a great topic.

I thank God for stability every day!!!

Here is something that I have seen in myself in the past and have read on this forum and others that I have been on.

I believe we tend to buy into the stigma of this illness, and I don't mean that we believe that we're all crazy violent psychopaths, but rather that we can't have health productive lives with healthy relationships.

That there is no way we can control our thoughts and feelings and that we will forever be at the mercy of this illness. I just don't buy it any more.

We may not be able to control what thoughts and feelings we have but through learning coping skills, the use of medication(for some), and by learning who we are, we can be and must be responsible for how we respond to those thoughts and actions.

We may have to work at it harder than those who do not have an MI, but we can have a happy and productive life. My point, Don't give up the fight, don't give in to the stigma. End of my rant LOL