The previous posters are right: You are the same person you were before the diagnosis, only now you know what's been wrong all these years and can fight it.

I know it's hard to accept. I didn't fully "buy into" my BP until I landed in the hospital three weeks ago, and I was diagnosed back in early 2012. Being inpatient made me realize that this was NOT an existential crisis I was experiencing, but a real illness that had a very real impact on my life. During my time in the psych ward, I was encouraged to forgive myself for having the disorder and blaming myself for its effects on others, and this helped tremendously in accepting my condition.

Now it's time to learn about your illness so you can fight it. Read everything you can and ask questions of your psychiatrist or therapist. There are so many things to know about bipolar and they change all the time because of new theories and scientific discoveries.

Good luck, and welcome to PC!