I have a little issue concerning wether I am bipolar, or if I have bipolar... If I am bipolar, then does that mean that it is somehow a part of me, and not my illness? If I have bipolar, then does that mean that I am not my illness...?
What part of me is my true self, and what is manifestations of this illness?
I was diagnosed four years ago, and since then my life has been a bit of a rollercoaster. I sometimes try to remember what life was like before I started having hypomanic/manic episodes, that ended in a major depression. It is hard to think back to another time in my life, both because I have some difficulty remembering, and also because it is painful to be confronted with what I have lost... my career, friends, a pretty good income. I was diagnosed when I was 40, so I had a pretty established life, before that all changed!
Is it anyone out there that struggle with identifying what is what in terms of illness and our true selves? And is it anyone out there who have had this illness debut in mid-life, changing it completely?