I was visiting a different site that attracts people with bipolar disorder, and there a lot of members post all kinds of photos. This one guy posted about how he looked when depressed vs. how he looks when stable and feeling good. He put two photos side-by-side. Honestly, in his later "happy" photo he looked a good 10 years younger.

I, too, remember feeling like I looked so much younger at a stage of happy stability after a long hard period of severe episodes. I even lost a good amount of weight. I remember feeling like I was in my early 30s again (or maybe I'll push it and say late 20s), even though I was 43/44 at the time. Unfortunately, I haven't been doing that well again lately and have gained a bit of weight. I feel like a frump. I definitely don't feel sexy and sassy anymore. Even when I do my best (on rare occasions) to really do some self-care, I still don't quite make it to that point I remember at 43/44, and I'm now only 2.5 years older.

I guess my point in posting this is to say that we can become transformed when well. Have others experienced this, as well?

Just as a note, when I do manage to do self-care I do feel and look better. It is helpful, indeed. But getting myself to do the self-care is so hard, even though I know in the end I am glad I did.