One thing for me when I was first diagnosed was I thought, does this mean I am crazy? There is such a stigma of mental illness and while depression and anxiety seem to have made it over that stigma, things like bipolar and other mental illnesses have not. After I educated myself and educated my close family members to exactly what was going on, I realized I was not "crazy," I had a brain disorder that needed medication. It may take you a while, like twirls01 said, before you get the right medicine, so be prepared for the possibility of trying several before you get the right combination.

A good therapist is very, very helpful as well and you may also not find the one you fit with right off the bat. My first one did not seem to know anything about bipolar. My second one is wonderful and I look forward to seeing her every week.

It is very stressful though, especially at first, but it will get better as time goes on. It is also helpful to have a friend or family member to call on when you are having a bad day.

Hope that helps a little.