1) When was the onset of your BP (I am talking clinical/severe symptoms; if you had depression before any hypomanic or manic episodes, please give both ages; if you started out with hypomania and only later mania, please make a distinction there as well)?

2) Do you think a different age of onset would have made a difference in the course of your BP or your chances in life?

3) At what age did you start to receive appropriate care?

4) What, if anything, did you use (or had prescribed) to cope, before that time?

5) Did that help you or make things worse?

6) Have you had a period or multiple periods in which you'd (looking back) really overcome all BP-related problems (including mood-induced anxiety)?

7) Do you think that in the long run you have been improving?

For me it was:
1) age 11, 21 and 24.
2) I think my early onset has made it easier to accept BP and see a linearity in my life beyond the manic-depressive patchwork, but it has also made me chronically delusional in the eyes of some (my latest diagnosis was schizoaffective disorder, BP-type; sometimes referred to as schizomanic (shorter!)). I regret the lost chance of joy and excitement in my early teens. I am living proof that these years are formative and I am not always happy with the result (but for the most time I, "delusionally", am).
3) age 31.
4) an antipsychotic only.
5) it helped to make the cycles longer and less severe. It especially helped with depression.
6) yes, 7 years, but not after mania onset.
7) only for the last year, so it is too soon to tell. Otherwise, no.

See to the end of my signature for details.

I am very much interested in your experiences!