Mine is not genetic either, but I experienced my first symptoms at age 14. Suicidal tendencies and then exaggerated happiness been dealing with this on my own for a quite a while. With my fake it till you make it strategy. First warning sign was my first panic attack at work (yikes embarrassing) due to stress, (did i sit up and take note, NO) then I had an episode AT work (yikes again) when my brother was murdered. My GP thought I was clinically depressed but AD's weren't such a good idea ya know pushed me into this strange hyper phase IDK sorta like Ophelia2.0 mahn, I was superhuman!!!... then I crashed again, WORSE than ever before and scared the shiat outta my kid, sought a pdoc and he confirmed my 10 yr long suspicion I'M BP

sorry I went off on a tangent, it's one a those days...

guess I jis wanted to say even tho I'm nice and stable now for the last 3 months, I wouldn't dare convince myself I'm cured, cos I didn't "catch it" from anyone...

just my 2c