i must add to that quote... it is, in truth, all those things, but unfortunately we do not always see it - the totality of the journey - as worthwhile..

being bipolar & actually dealing with it is a very character building experience.. i can understand not wanting to be labeled & deal with the stigma or social response to being officially diagnosed...

that being said, i cannot fathom how i would function if i was truly experiencing the mental shifts that come along with bipolar ... without having medication and knowledge needed to appropriately address all the issues that come as part of the package..

i would rather be diagnosed & then equipped with the tools i need to survive.. and in time thrive, even... and be misunderstood and judged by the rest of the world.. than to personally, internally, be floundering through life with fits of ups and downs and no real way to deal with it or cope with it... constantly grasping at straws just to get by..

yes, there are people who will judge you if you're diagnosed, and people who will shun you, distance themselves from you.. misunderstand the entire disorder & not even be aware of their own ignorance of the truth of the illness...

but, you will know.. and you will be able to more effectively deal with what's going on internally... and you just build from there..

if you want to read what i and some others have experienced physically in dealing with bipolar, there is a thread entitled "being bipolar - the physical experience" located at

http://forums.psychcentral.com/showthread.php?t=225080

i hope that you do whatever you need to do for yourself... to live, to live well.. and to take care of yourself as best you can