I definitely was not quick to accept it. Nor was I relieved. But I have fully accepted it for at least 12 years now. I mean, I truly fit the bill, and looking back as far as age 14, I really fit the bill. If that didn't convince me, then my multiple hospitalizations and IOPs, and more, convinced me. I have trouble even counting how many mental health professionals have firmly labeled my illness as bipolar disorder. My long-time psychiatrist twice said, even laughing, that I am about as bipolar as they get. Even a cop guessed it right once.

I have never been given any other firm psychiatric diagnosis other than bipolar disorder (other than alcohol abuse). Pre diagnosis, I had received treatment for depression and anxiety. Those times didn't include extensive psychiatric evaluations, etc., plus they were more basically one-time GP or psychiatrist visits. When my last GP saw me a few times (single visits spread out over time) he referred me to a psychiatrist. I saw that psychiatrist a number of times and he diagnosed me correctly with bipolar disorder. He observed a mood switch. I still go to the last mentioned GP (for general medical stuff). He's a good guy. His father is, coincidentally, a psychiatrist. Having a psychiatrist parent doesn't always yield a suspected diagnosis, though. My father-in-law was a psychiatrist and neurologist. I never met my father-in-law. He died before I met my husband. Early on, my husband knew something was wrong with me, but didn't push me to get help right away. He recalls calling my mother about me. Well, my mom basically just laughed it off and told him "it will pass". I don't blame her for that. Such extreme behavior was normalized in my family.

Yeah, another long response from me, but I thought the background story a bit relevant.