I was diagnosed BP when I was 23....I did not accept it then because I was working with BP"s at the state hospital and they were exhibiting symptoms that I was not. However in 1997 I had to go of waork partly because of bipolar sumptoms. The condition had me by the tail then and I accepted my diagnosis. I have no trouble dealing with the acceptance and discuss it wth my family and friends. Some of my kids(5) are already showing symptoms but they don't want to talk about it. They are in denial just like I was when I was first diagnosed.