Welcome. You are definitely not alone. I often feel misunderstood or as if I lost my value. Please remember though, you have not lost your value. BP can certainly make you feel that way though. Societal influences and stigma play a role in these insecurities too, and this is an ongoing battle. I'm sure you must have plenty of valuable qualities that you bring to the table, so keep that in mind. We all do, whether we have a mental health condition or not. As far as trying to distinguish between the disorder vs. reality, this is something that is really difficult. I often have irrational thoughts and a lot of anxiety, but it can be hard to tell whether my thoughts are disproportionate to the situation or not. It's not easy! Something that I do find that helps: posting here and getting support and input from others. This is a really friendly, accepting forum.