"Is bipolar disorder my fault?" you may have asked yourself.  If you have, you're not alone.    Many people with bipolar disorder have also asked themselves the same question.  Is your bipolar disorder caused by something you did?  You and/or your supporter may be pondering this question as well.

A common question for many people with bipolar disorder to ask is, "Is it me or the bipolar disorder?"  If this is a question you have asked yourself, you are not alone – other bipolar survivors have asked themselves the same question.  This is because they have experienced the same strange thoughts and behaviors as you have at times.

Bipolar disorder has two sides to it – the depressive side and the manic side.  It's like a magic coin – if you were to flip it, you wouldn't know which side it would land on.  One time you might be on the manic side, while another time you might be on the depressed side.  Imagine living like that, as people with bipolar disorder do.  If you have bipolar disorder, you know what I'm talking about.

After you have been diagnosed with the bipolar disorder, are taking medications or undergoing medication trials, and seeing a therapist, you will discover that there are other things you can do that may assist you with this disorder.

Bipolar support groups can be found in virtually every state in the United States. Because Bipolar Disorder affects more than two million adults in America, this should not be a surprise. However, it may be a little more difficult to find a support group in your city, or somewhere close to you. In this case, it may be easier for you to find a bipolar support group on-line, or to participate in an on-going bipolar chat room on the Internet.

So far the drug is called simply RG2417. It's made by the Repligen Corp. and it's an oral formula of uridine, a substance that stimulates brain phosphatide synthesis. It may be the next drug in the arsenal against bipolar disorder.

"There are many people who are of sound mind and have good jobs . . . who will do stupid things." These are the words of Dr. Alireza Amirsadri, a psychiatrist at Wayne State University School of Medicine.

Did you know that 25% of Americans will suffer a diagnosable mental illness this year?  That's 1 in 4 people!  Mental illness disables the lives of nearly 60 million Americans each year, making it the leading disability for people aged 15 to 44.[1]  In addition, 4.4% of our population is diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

STAY SAFE (however you have to)—stay in your safety zone. Do not be alone, if at all possible (be with someone who is aware of bipolar mania symptoms and can help you control them).

Bipolar medication—although there is a long list of many names of the medications themselves, they can be classified into three basic categories. The three most important types of medication used to control the symptoms of Bipolar Disorder are mood stabilizers, antidepressants, and antipsychotics.