Can I add dissenting opinion?

Maybe bipolar cannot be "cured" with mind over matter. But it cannot be cured with meds either. It can be managed. ANd yes, the right attitude is important (and yes, even with physical illnesses. With will to live you *IS* important).

as hamster says, depression is much more common in industrilized world. SO maybe our lifestyles have to do a lot with it.

Mind over matter, philosophy and all these... matter. No, you will not stop having episodes because of them. But getting through them is a different matter on different mindset.

ANd as for 2012 and chemical imbalances. Yes, it's 2012. ANd chemical imbalance theories had been put to rest. If "mind over matter" is simplifying, chemical imbalance is simplifying even more. How many of us here haven't experience anything terrible in our lifes? How many of us didn't have to comprimise hard, maybe too hard? I find it offensive to be told I "just" have broken brain and I "shouldn't" feel like this.

But anyways... even some depressed and bipolar do think in "mind of matter" mode. I mean... check out Bipolar Advatange blog right here at Psychcentral... it's not just ignorance. It's rather philosophy...