Being diagnosed is very turbulent. it's easy to think that maybe you're making it up. Because, in a way, making it up is better than it being a reality. But, consider this, making it up would be a worse option because: a) you perpetuate the stigma that mental illness is fake and full of drama queens who just want attention/are too lazy/or thing they are entitled. b) You are one of those drama queens, and therefore have no compassion for people really struggling for real.

So, when you get down to it, the people who do fake it and make it up are really huge jerks and have no idea what the stigma is and how terrible it is to run up against it. "Attention" because of bipolar is gnerally negative and prejudiced. People don't baby you or take care of you very often if your having mania or depression. In fact, quite the oposite. You get a lot of people rolling their eyes, "just suck it up," and "just let it go," and "just snap out of it." If you become suicidal you often run up against the stigma with things like "people who talk about it just want attention, if you were really suicidal you'd just off yourself." (Which is completely false, a myth, by the way and people who use suicidal threats for attention cost other people their lives.)

So... I mean, do you really think that's the type of person you are?

My advice is you hang around here and get to see that having bipolar is just part of life. Many of us have it, we struggle but we also help each other along here. Here, we are not alone. Others understand. You'll have good days, bad days, and all the other types of days. So will everyone. You can still live even with bipolar.