Playing bipolar Devil's Advocate, the stress and excitement of flying to China, adjusting to new accommodations, friends, colleagues, work and circumstances in a very different culture could likely trigger mania, which would eventually crash into depression.

The bipolar Devil's Advocate agrees with your doctor, with no disrespect to you. The common admonition that we live safe, quiet stressless lives (and never amount to anything) to avoid triggering our underlying illness seems a cruel limitation but is reasonable given the cost of breaking out and falling down. I apologize if you didn't want to hear this.

Anyone wishing to further question the bipolar Devil's Advocate can direct their questions to Lefty the Salesman.