no worries...venting is very good very cool so necessary and brilliantly vented Faraway!
I guess I have the reverse situation....everything I have done proved to others that I was likely unhinged....(cruel word please don't apply to yourself illness etc)...

YET....I remained strong and have survived some ridiculous stuff and persevered anyway whichever way I could and it was SO obvious to everyone else that I was perhaps doing everything really hard and I didn't know why it's all I knew.

and just writing this brings up the reality I can see somehow what it might have appeared!....

but nothing stopped me.

umm...now where was I?

ah yes...to tell them or not?.....you have performed so well this long and bipolar is not a dis-advantage!...

it's an experience...

you have the hang of it maybe you can help your loved ones get the hang of it too