I fake it all the time really. Not just the bipolar, but a lot of other things.

To all outward appearances I seem like I'm a happy, extroverted, outgoing, confident person.

I'm not a single one of those things! haha. When I'm actually hypomanic I am, so I decided years ago that if I can feel that way sometimes, then I can act like it always. It keeps things consistent so that I get less of "What's wrong?" and less "You don't seem like you anymore" and whatnot... because those things just stress me out and the conversation never goes well.

But I'm relatively honest with the people I've decided to try to trust. I'll tell them that I'm not feeling well or feeling panicky (I actually say I'm feeling panicky way more often than I say I feel depressed.... I actually never say that, now that I think about it). But when I'm depressed I DO get panicky so I figure I'm only telling a half-truth.

But general public? It's none of their business what is going on in my world. So they can see the fake act and that doesn't bother me.