Hi roxiesmom333; I'm glad you decided to post. I have had symptoms for many years (I had my first attempt at 8 years old). At 31 I finally went to my GP and was put on anti-d's that put me in a mixed state, I was found attempting and I ended up being hospitalized for 6 weeks where I received my diagnosis.

At times it bothers me that my parents didn't seek out help for me when I was in their care (my mom has been diagnosed BP since I was a kid), but in some ways I'm glad I had some years of not having to take daily meds, thinking about the illness, determining how to tell a new boyfriend, friend etc. about my diagnosis. Not having people at work questioning whether "I'm well" that day. It gets tiring, but I know if I had left this illness without treatment any longer I wouldn't be alive.

I guess I can see both sides of it.