The website PsychEducation | Treating the Mood Spectrum helped me IMMENSELY. The author of the site has written a book that is the website in book format but the book in older and the website is going to be more up to date at this point. The website was how I finally realized I had bipolar and provided me with so many answers while I was new to this.

I also recommned the Peer to Peer class through NAMI (National Alliance for Mental Illness), NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness | NAMI: The National Alliance on Mental Illness. You can find classes in your area on the website. The classes are taught by trained people with mental illness and are just about coping with mental illness. I have a degree in psychology, master's in a related field so lots of training there, worked in psychiatric facilities/agencies for most of my career and took it 10 years after I was diagnosed because I needed something to do after a hospitalization where I was very suicidal and I still learned stuff. It's free and at least where I took it they provided pizza and pop at each class and at the end I got a check for gas through some grant.

It does become less overwhelming. It takes some time but it does.