To the koko:

What's so great is that at an early age you have gained so much insight and have learned to put things back together after they come apart and to do that repeatedly. To me, you sound like someone about whom one can readily feel hopeful.

One of the main problems with chronic disorders is that they are chronic.

Yes, that was a kind of tautology, but it is a reality that gets forgotten - by others, and even by ourselves. There is no such thing - IMO - as not having anymore relapses. That is discouraging, but maybe less so if it is accepted. You seem to have the stance that the thing to do is to work on recovery following an interval of being in the unwell part of the cycle. That is what it is all about.

You have a wise doctor to suggest you use a forum for support. No one ever suggested that to me. I stumbled upon this site. You think clearly and write well and take responsibility. You are the kind of person who will be able to gain a lot, and contribute a lot, coming to PC.

It's good to read that you are currently able to say, " . . . so far so good." This community will be just as accepting of you when times come wherein you feel less well. With treatment and you own commitment to managing, those times can be less frequent and less severely chaotic than they would be otherwise. At your age, I was still refusing treatment. Glad to hear that you are in a good space now. I hope you will keep posting and do so, even if and when you feel really challenged by the times when it just seems to get difficult all over again.