Bipolar disorder introduced me to new people, new music and opportunities to volunteer in support group leadership positions I would never have dreamed of. It was a huge part of my success in going back to school in my 40s, 3.87gpa, which I'd never achieved in my younger days. Creativity and empathy exist during all cycles. I like my depression poetry as much as my manic stories. I've learned a lot about myself through therapy, something I would not have gone through without a good reason to go.