It didn't bring me relief because I was pretty much a normal kid before my first mania at 13. One night something just clicked in my head and then it was a ride, from there on out. Then I found myself in a bed in some adolescent unit 2 hrs away from home. I had no idea where I was, why I was there and had no idea what was going on. It was pretty traumatizing being in a padded room and straight jacket and being accused of doing drugs when I never even drank at that age.
After that everything changed and it seems like it has gotten worse with age. I've lived with it for about half my life and now I just take the meds and pretend I'm normal. I'm doing okay now, except I have no job, no gf, and live in parents basement.
oh, and I'm on ssdi.

So yeah, it has pretty much derailed me, but most of it was my own doing.
I will remain hopeful and maybe one day ill break the cycle.