So far, bipolar hasn't taken too much from me academic-wise, though it does make things a lot harder and more stressful. I want to be a medical doctor (a psychiatrist, actually; how's that for irony?!). There is a very real chance that I won't make it into med school if I don't get a better grip on my motivational problems, but right now that dream is still breathing. : )

Bipolar has, however, been very harsh on me socially. It is almost impossible for me to build strong, lasting friendships (or even just to have long-lasting social connections) because the first thing I do when I get low is isolate myself. Oftentimes, I do not even perceive the situation that way; I feel like others are rejecting me. This has lead to considerable social anxiety, which, of course, makes things even harder. I do have a few long-term friends, but I don't feel like they understand me. I cannot really talk to them about painful things like depression or sui thoughts. So, bp has taken my dream of having meaningful human contact and a real support network.

Bipolar has also taken my ability to see myself as a real human being with real needs and abilities. No matter how much I accomplish, my life usually feels dream-like and fake. I'm not dead...but I'm not fully alive either, and I hate that.

I'm hoping that with therapy, I'll be able to recapture some lost ground...

Ryask is right; bp doesn't have to hold us back. But we cannot deny that it makes things 1000x harder. I wish you all luck in achieving your endeavors, including those you thought you had to give up on. It's never too late to do something great; Julia Child didn't learn to cook until she was 50! All of you are inspirations, even if the only thing you accomplished today was getting out of bed for a few hours. : ) Most people have no idea what it is like to battle something like bipolar.