>>I've had the unfortunate experience of not receiving the help that I've asked for

Unfortunately that happens all too often as so many people don't understand our illnesses and won't understand our illnesses.

I have a friend who is bipolar and his friends and family have been around it with him much longer than I have... and they are supportive, may not completely understand the illness but can see its effect on him... and the good thing is they can see the symptoms of it starting often before he notices and can usually get him the help he needs.

There is a fine line here, there is a thread on this forum about people attributing everything to the bipolar, as if people with mental illness aren't also allowed to have just real, regular feelings of sadness or anger like any other person can. In my friends case there are certain specific types of behaviours that they recognize... I am beginning to be able to see them too, sometimes it is because he goes off his meds.

But I guess like many things education is the key there too... assuming you have people with open minds that are willing to learn, what things to do and what things not to do to be helpful when necessary but not annoying all the other times.