Thank you all for responding. I have tried to explain this to my close friends. I hope they can kind of understand.

I tell my friends, "please try not to take it personally if I don't answer the phone. I will call you back, I just can't always do it right away."

It seems like I am cold, or "playing games."

My parents REALLY don't understand. They are in the 70s and they have a hard time believing I am even bipolar. UGH