Hi, I am Icare dixit (or: "Icarus, he said") and, like you, sometimes care too much, sometimes too little.

I'd written a long, manically mixed, introductory post before that no-one was ever going to read or fully understand (including me!).

So here is a retry:

Hi, again! I have BP-I, with a bit of schizo mixed in.

I have 8 years of full-BP experience and feel euthymically confident I will fight this thing to the end (mine or it). I am currently doing scientific research on psychotic disorders and perception.

I look forward to giving and receiving support, when needed. Just let it be known that I am very much of the school of this-is-not-just-an-uncontrollable-or-even-uncurable-disease. However, I am no merchant or believer in miracles. Far from expecting too much of ourselves, I think we could all use some self-acceptance and less pressure to achieve. It is one paradoxical frame of mind which will ease our way to further improvement in functioning with our particular brand of difference, I think.

I feel welcome already and hope I am. Hope we talk again soon!