I can be happy on meds but this does not happen to me too often. I usually feel depressed. I sometimes let my bipolar problems appear to be my excuse for my troubles and unhappiness, This is only partly true. Still they can be really overwhelming at times. But then I run across a person that has had it really bad compared to me. Then I feel guilty. I also think if they can make it through life, what is my oroblem? This impacts my self-esteem. I know of a person that went through allot of physical and emotional abuse that lasted for the first 28 years of her life. She made it against significant odds. She is much more functional than I am with great inner strength. I thought I had problems in my life. This is who I compare myself to. Self-esteem issues and guilt and unhappiness can exist separate from being bipolar and its related medications. But IMO bipolar and the problems that it gives us just makes it more difficult not to feel this way. I personally think its more of being bipolar than the meds. The meds are suppise to help. But they do not always work that way.