Hey guys, I'm new here as well as newly diagnosed. A month ago I was diagnosed with Rapid Cycling Bipolar I and GAD, and was immediately given Lithium Carbonate 300 mg to treat it. I'm still adjusting to all of this though, and when I talk to my friends and family I get the impression that they just don't know what to say. I don't think that they know much about bipolar, and despite taking multiple psychology classes I don't really either. I don't really believe that I even have it. I do feel a lot better on the lithium, but at a cost. My hands sometimes shake so violently I can barely write or do my work, and I'm tired all the time.
I guess the main thing, though, is I don't really know where to go from here. Even cancer can be cured. But bipolar doesn't really ever go away. I know it does sometimes, but I guess I'm just scared. I'm only 18 years old, I really don't want to live the rest of my life like this. Taking a pill every 12 hours is exhausting, too, and it makes me feel like there's something really wrong with me... I guess there is, but it's not a nice feeling. Especially the bloodwork and special tests they have to perform just to make sure the lithium doesn't kill me... I don't know. A month ago I was nothing more than a sad kid, and now my life seems to have flipped upside down.

How did you guys react to being diagnosed? How did you cope with it? And does it get better?