It's not an easy thing to do. I've been diagnosed since I was about 22 and now I'm almost 30. The thing to remember is the illness is not YOU. It is a part of you, yes. But there are so many other aspects to you than just bipolar disorder. You have completed the first and one of the hardest and most important steps of adjusting... acceptance. You should be proud of that!! You even said that you've altered parts of your life to accomodate the "bipolar side" of you and that's great as well... It's more than what most newly diagnosed people have done for themselves!

Is it inconvenient and hard to deal with? Yes, it is. But it's just an obstacle of your life. Don't let the illness define who you are, because like I said, there are so many more aspects to you... so much more than just "bipolar disorder." Maybe you haven't discovered them yet and maybe you should consider some therapy with a good therapist to help you find those qualities in you. I know some serious outpatient therapy has helped me big time. I wish you all the best, sweetie. Hang in there... it's not easy, but it can be done.