Medical literature overwhelmingly agrees that the myriad of genetic markers that contribute to bipolar do not express themselves unless there is an external environmental trigger. For me, it was sophomore year of high school. I had serious scoliosis and was put into a back brace, a kind of iron maiden torture device. That brace caused permanent damage to my left shoulder and, in the same year, caused my left lung to collapse twice. In the same year my mother casually informed me (all important family information is casually informed) that my father is an alcoholic and my grandmother killed herself. That year my high school grades plummeted, I began to heavily self-medicate with alcohol, and I began a roller coaster of euphoric mania punctuated by severe depression and suicidal ideation.

For whomever wishes to share, I would really like to hear about your experiences.