I have always felt that my mood disorder combines with my natural underlying personality, and I believe this is true for everyone with a mood disorder. You are most definitely you, but reckless, unsafe and/or impulsive behavior can hinder your life experience.

For example chances are that you truly would like to take a trip to Australia and that you truly are adventurous. Where BP throws a wrench in things is that, rather than being able to carefully plan, talk things over calmly with your partner, and take your time feeling out the situation, hypomania and mania can make you just rush aggressively into it without considering important things, and so on.

So rest assured that, again, you are definitely you, and you do have your own unique personality. Mood disorders just sort of throw wrenches into the mix, sometimes very big wrenches, but just wrenches none the less.