None of us want to be sick...and most all of go through times where we think we are "well", and they usually are during manic or hypomanic periods. Please know that bipolar is a chronic, lifetime disease, and it can be just as debilitating and deadly as any number of other conditions.

That said, can you manage your condition to the point you are able to live a "normal" life? Yes, most probably. There are several things you will have to do to accomplish this, but they boil down to this: you must live an exceedingly healthy lifestyle. I'm talking regular (daily) excercise, good nutrition, and a regular sleep cycle. You must learn and practice effective stress management techniques. You must learn and practice good social skills and make plenty of friends and connections in the world around you. Most of all, you must make all these practices habits, second nature, reflexes, just like breathing, or you will stop them at the times when you need them most.

I know I sound kind of grim and forboding, and I apologize for that...I simply believe that you need to understand the seriousness of what you propose, because your life and the lives of everyone you love could be riding on how you do this.

All that said, I wish you strength and good luck...these are things all us BP's should be doing, meds or not.

DJ