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Maybe I'll get slammed for this, I know it's supposed to be validating/inspiring, but that's not how it made me feel. I'm hearing, 'I'm special/different, treat me with care/be careful with me, do this, don't do that.' It's just not how I'd present my illness to loved ones.
I might add, "I screw up sometimes, I know you have your issues too and I will try to support you when you need it, as I hope you will support me, I have no right to mistreat you no matter what's going on with my illness, please don't walk on eggshells for me or be afraid to point out when I'm going overboard, please love me as I am, with all of my faults, and the wonderful parts of me too." And lastly, "I am not my illness, even when manic there is still at least a small part of me that is still 'me' -please try to hold on to this as I do, for dear life sometimes." Not the least eloquent, but it's part of the story.
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