Hello......fellow weirdo here! I've always been a bit of an outsider, even more so now because I'm actively aware of my condition. I try to avoid all situations that will get me in trouble, especially those that concern booze. For me personally, it has been tough because all of my (former) friends are partiers and I don't feel comfortable in those crowds anymore. They don't understand and want the "old me" back - the one who would drink until he passed out in the bushes in the yard. Tomorrow, I'll watch the Superbowl alone........I'll still enjoy my seven-layer dip, however!

As for work, I keep a low profile by putting on my headphones, and listening to something soothing like the Grateful Dead, trying to stay vigilant and not slip into the paranoia and anger that has defined me in the past. My diagnosis has been a blessing in many ways but knowing my condition has led me to some defense mechanisms that most people don't understand (because they don't know I'm BP).