http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0205123833.htm
http://www.brainexplorer.org/bipolar...etiology.shtml

Here are a few very interesting articles on bipolar and the chemical changes...

For me I have to wait until I cycle to do certain things. After only 4 yrs of having the diagnosis I can see how my whole life functioned with "cycling" especially the difficulty in college and what I now know as suffering with the changes of mood and my ability to keep up with classes.

I have quite a few walls with stenciling and I know I did those during my manic phase.
Yes I sort of agree that our brains do become set in there ways so to speak, it is more frustrating trying to fight the fight of doing what I just cant do during depression. Some people have outside environmental issues that complicate the actual cycling and really need to find a way to seperate the chemical change versus an environmental change in mood

As far as mood and depression, it puts me in such a funk, I do not process, think right, have more memory problems etc and nothing can lift me back to my normal hyperthymic personality no matter what I think or do so I do not believe we get set in our ways, we are fighting against chemicals!!! I truely believe it is our illnesses talking when we cycle either way and waiting for the seesaw to balance out for me is liking walking a fine line.

And since I do not take medication, it is very difficult to find that fine line...