I never let bp stop me from doing anything. But I think it did stop me in subtle ways from achieving, esp. when I was younger. Rather than going to school and becoming a doctor or lawyer, which I could have done, I was self medicating with alcohol and very depressed.

Later, I did go back to school, but I had children by that time, and decided to become a teacher. I was very successful as an elementary music teacher, and also French, because the classes were short, and I was on task, and kept the kids going for the whole time which they loved. Hypomania was helpful in that case.

The other teachers wondered how I did it. Eventually, I burned out my voice, and then I got Rheumatoid Arthritis, so I had to give up teaching. I was also a musician and still play in church.

I think the worst dream BP destroyed is just being able to relate to people in a normal way. Not always wondering if they were thinking I was weird. Some very hard early years.