Hey Matt, we're all "walls of text" so no apologies necessary!

For me, I have found it healthy to move away from trying to please everyone. I get in big trouble if I spin myself in circles. In the long run, my approach may ruin a few relationships but so be it. There are a few people in my family that don't accept my condition......my mom is one of them. She is probably an undiagnosed BP herself (up and down all the time, could be very angry, mean, and violent) but she grew up in a generation where showing "weakness" was weakness and people dealt with things differently back them. On top of that, she had always hoped I'd be a brain surgeon or something like that. Combining this, she doesn't really accept me for who I am. In fact, she never asks how I'm doing, just asks about things like my kids and asks all sorts of annoying, probing questions. I fell WELL sort of her ideal for me but that's OK. Now, I focus on ME and let the other things just happen around me.

Keep on with the sobriety, brother! I am sober from booze for a few months now! Drinking was a part of me trying to "please everyone". Quitting has been a huge help to me. We shall walk the road! Pax.