I started to put this together a few months ago, and actually, I almost feel dumb that I didn't realize it before.

When I got fired from my job... when I got fired from the NEXT job 6 months later... when my dad was in the ICU for several weeks... pregnancy/birth... I can link back every major manic episode I've had to these things. This is why I think people are under the assumption that "it gets worse with age". This is true, technically, but really it's the stresses themselves that get worse, so the episodes are intensified, especially as we get older.

That's probably why the doctors say one of the major things you can do is to "reduce the stress in your life". Well that's just all fine and dandy, but life just happens. AND, someone's normal day could be a panic inducing breakdown for me... stress is relative.