1. Admitting Powerlessness over the insanity of our Bipolarity that our lives had become unmanageable. I am not at all powerless over my bipolarity and my life is not unmanageable. I am quite capable of managing my illness.

2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves (medications, doctors, families, support team and friends) could restore us to sanity. Calling my doctors my higher power is a bit blasphemous to me. Those people are resources I can use to help myself manage my symptoms, but they can't do the work for me nor do they have more power or ability over my life than I do.

3. Made a decision to turn our wills and lives over to the care of a Power greater than ourselves as we understand it. I already do this.

4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves. I'm trying to figure out what bipolar illness has to do with morality. Having bipolar symptoms is not something I've done "wrong".

5. Admitted to our Higher Power to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our illness. Well, since the jury is still out on what exactly causes bipolar disorder, I'm not sure this can be really accomplished. I know the symptoms I display when I am ill though I'm not sure why I need to "admit" them to God; he's already quite aware.

6. Were entirely ready to have our Higher Power remove our illness. I don't believe there is any evidence that bipolar illness can be "cured" although some go into remission. I don't play those kinds of games with God. My God helps me work with who I am and what obstacles I encounter in my life. I don't expect Him to part the Red Sea with my bipolar disorder.

7. Humbly asked our Higher Power to remove our illness. See #6.

8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed and become willing to make amends to them all. That's a good thing to do no matter what your issues are. I've been pretty good about not letting myself harm others though.

9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others. Again, see #8.

10. Continue to take personal inventory and when we are sick promptly seek help.
THAT is good advice.

11. Sought through therapy and medications to improve our conscious sanity as we understand it. THAT is also good advice.

12. Having had a conscious awakening as a result of these steps, we try to carry this message to other Bipolar people and to practice these principles in all our affairs.
I'm not out to save the world, just my little part of it.