One thing I haven't been able to figure out is why do so few people participate in online forums for mental illness. Even though I had a diagnosis of bipolar for almost a decade, it's only just recently I started reading (mostly) and posting (occasionally) online about this issue, although I participated in other online forums about other issues during this time. I didn't see fit to look online for support for what has turned out to be a defining and tragic feature of my life.

They say at least 1% (could be as high as 3% or so) of all people have bipolar so that makes millions of bipolar people who speak english but only a few hundred post here, and including all the other online forums I've run across in English you might get to one or two thousand at most.

I wonder why that is.

Sometimes I find it depressing to read about other people's troubles. On the other hand sometimes I find it helpful to realize that the troubles I've had aren't unique and that helps me see them as less a personal failing than as a sad outcome of a serious mental disorder.

Many people do well with bipolar so they probably wouldn't feel the need but that is only true for some percentage. The rest are probably suffering like many do here, as I do myself.

Sometimes I'm so sad and angry I got this disease, which I personally find isolating. Where are all the millions of my fellow travellers?