Whats the most frustrating thing about being bipolar?

For me, the side effects from all the meds I have to take. Weight gain, sleep problems, difficulty concentrating...

Can't keep a job or study reliably.

Sleep problems too much or not enough its my biggest beef second would be the money I spend when I'm hypomanic

most frustrating is the cost of medications and not having enough money to afford all of them for myself and my son

emotional range gets too wide. life becoming too crazy to comprehend.

and the *thoughts*.

the most frustrating thing about being bipolar is having bipolar

Not recognizing myself during an episode.... Who is this mad woman???

Worst thing for me is the social stuff-being uncomfortable at work functions, not wanting to be around people and reading them wrong when I don't feel well.

it is that i am fine, and then i snap and am furious. i hate that.

side effects are more than a problem for me as well... i have tried them all and ****** thing is all have their own different thing to deal with... especially shock treatments i have had those for almost a yr now and man since i stopped those months ago i feel better every day...

The lack of motivation. Before being mentally ill, I had so much motivation in life to succeed and accomplish my dreams. Now, going through a depression for about 90% of my Bipolar Disorder, the motivation is basically out the window. There is a glimmer of motivation in my life, but nowhere near where I used to be. It's VERY discouraging.

One word: Misunderstood

I would 100% definitely agree with that. The 90% time spent in depression is horrible! I think most "normies" have a concept of BP associated with mania. People don't realize how much time we spend in depression. I've had ONE truly manic episode, and hypomania few and far between. The motivation is nearly gone. As you say, there is a "glimmer" but it is difficult to maintain...

I think it's what the meds do to us. They cause all sorts of problems. I wish there was one pill to be able to take that had no bad side effects, but know that will never happen in my lifetime.

The depression and needing meds

The rollercoaster rides....I just want off!

MEDS!! Why cant there just be a standard pill that everyone can take that will take care of all the depression/mania symptoms without any side effects that would be guaranteed to work 100% of the time?

This. I used to have so much ambition, I had a promising career, now I'm having to step back from all that. I'm finding myself having to limit my workload now, to prevent myself from winding up going through another episode. I'm worried I'll have to give up my dreams in order to stay stable.

the thing is... that often it is genuine emotions... so there is not definite cure...

my problem is when it gets irrational.... or when it feels so. Like now,... I am hypo and i feel annoyed by myself.... because it is not me, I am not a "happy person". Other times I can handle the same emotion or stronger pretty well and enjoy it.
same with the lows. at times i just sit with it and cry and it does not seem toxic.... other times I feel like ungrateful whiny little *****.

I wish I could be more acceptful of my feelings.

The worst thing about being bipolar for me is the need to isolate. I would like to have a rich and fulfilling life and relationships with people outside my family, but at the same time, isolation is so safe. The other worst thing is the violent thoughts I have toward myself.

For me it's been the slow process of losing everything I have. First it was money from manic spending, then friends, family, and most recently my job of 11 years along with healthcare that came with it. I guess the good thing(?) if you wanna see it like that is other than a goldfish and my car it can pretty much only improve from here. We'll see how that works out.

(Sorry for being a negative nancy, in the mid of a two month depressive episode)

Accepting the label...but knowing it doesn't define who I am...yet I keep it from most thinking they won't understand.

I think for me it is the constant need to readjust myself, during and after each episode. I find that absolutely mentally draining. Right now I am in the process of adjusting to stability and I am sure a soon as I adjust to this a new episode will come along and throw me off the tracks again, time to re adjust. Uggggh don't even want to think about it.

Not being taken seriously bcos i'm bp... I had every right to decide against meds ( tried them for 2yrs ) but fellow bp peers and MH team treat me like i'm irrati0nal,or d0n't kn0w my own mind. I kn0w that it probably c0mes fr0m a go0d place, but why can't i be believed? Taken seriously? It's frustrating...

heh, yeah.

I have been told I must be not really BP if I can do it without meds and I must not really suffer and it is just average person's sad.

It is frustrating. I hate to whine and I hate to talk about some things... I mean, this community as helpful and all, but lot of time when one says something they get the blanket "talk to your doctor" statement. As if they could help. The system is broken and even many therapist refuse to go beyond the surface and standard cliches (I had my friends, students of psychology tell me to just stop reading philosophy books...). I am thankful to deities for sending few people in my life who can just chill with me when I feel lowest of the low...

So the most frustrating thing about my BP and au naturale is there is very few places to turn to. That is why I am kinda hesitant to waste money on therapy, because I would probably hear "you need meds" each time I would come in and be off. People take meds and are still mess and yet they recommend them to you as mean to be get "stable". Well intentioned, but... you see the problem here.