I'm bipolar II and was diagnosed at 16. I had been displaying symptoms for sometime before that, but they thought I was unipolar. The antidepressants they put me on triggered mania.

So, ever since I was 12 or so, possibly earlier, I've had these mood swings. And I was posting in the check in thread about how I felt optimistic today but wondered if it was just me cycling.

How do you know what your baseline is? My goal with meds and therapy is to get to a baseline of happy. Not euphoria like when I'm hypo, but content and optimistic would be nice. I don't know if that's possible.

I guess, I've been ill for so long I don't know what normal is anymore. How can you tell what's really you and what's a symptom?