Similar story here. I went manic on diet pills 20 years ago, and decided it was the pills, not me. The pills (fen/phen) were certainly a factor. My husband fully felt the same way, and so did a therapist friend. Two years ago, I went manic again, also kicked off by a prescription. And a third time recently-again a prescription. Anyway, now I've had to accept it and accept medication because I'm becoming hair-trigger with meds that really should not cause mania. I look back and realize that my life has been too hard and I don't cope well with stress. I've switched jobs maybe when I shouldn't have. I've even quit a job. You can go get help, and you can tell the family or not. M