Oh, I absolutely believe it. I just make poor choices from time to time. One of the problems with bipolar disorder is that when you feel good, you feel really good. And sometimes you even talk yourself into believing you don't need the meds anymore or you won't be hurt by staying up late, etc. It is very typical bipolar behavior. That's why so many people with bipolar disorder struggle with medication compliance. It's a chemical thing and a psychological thing. Sometimes it is hard to keep a handle on both aspects at one time. The nature of this disease is cyclical, and unfortunately, I am one of those patients who rapid cycles despite medication compliance. Very chemically treatment resistant. So, despite intellictually knowing and believing what I need to do, my body betrays me from time to time. When that happens, my thinking gets screwy and it takes a firm hand to get me to do what I need to do for myself. No amount of delving into the deeper meaning of what I am doing will help because until my body chemically stabilizes, my mind won't do it on its own. Bipolar disorder can be a really vicious cycle.

I'm dealing with this with my son right now. He was diagnosed bipolar last summer and there really was no talking with him at the time. Therapy is useless when your in the midst of an episode. Your thinking is pretty much psychotic, definitely not rational, and no amount of exploring the nature of what you are doing really helps. You have to be chemically stabilized and THEN you can think again. In retrospect, you can see how messed up your thinking was, but in the storm of the episode you think you are making perfect sense and the rest of the world is insane.