Ironically, being told I was bipolar type II with psychotic features instead of having schizoaffective disorder made me leap out of my chair with joy. I would take bipolar over a form of schizophrenia any day. But really, I understand completely how you feel, because I struggled with that when I was diagnosed as schiz. I couldn't grapple with it. I wanted to be dead. It was awful. One thing that brought me some peace was watching A Beautiful Mind. After that, instead of mentally insulting myself over my mental illness, I would just say, "I have a beautiful mind."

Bipolar doesn't limit you from anything. You can live a fairly normal life once your medication gets your symptoms under control. Therapy helps too. Its something you work at, but trust me, it does get better. And this diagnosis isn't the end, or who you are.

Did you hate yourself before this diagnosis?