I can definitely relate. I was diagnosed with Bipolar II eleven years ago, when I was 45, and I'm still not convinced it wasn't triggered by being put on and yanked off a couple of antidepressants. I'd never had any mania before then.

But I've been on this ride now for over a decade--and I take it one day at a time. As someone said, at least I get to be legitimately on a nice site like this. And I have had some WILD experiences. In fact, I'm writing a book about it all. It's particularly "interesting" to me, given that I'm a psychologist and used to teach this stuff!

Yes, I do have fears, and I know what you mean about wondering about the "real me." You are definitely not alone.

Remember, too, though, that we are not our diagnoses. We are people who happen to have been diagnosed as bipolar, just like people who have diabetes, etc. Okay?

Feel free to jump right in. We have lots of great people and fun stuff here.