I'm Sive, I'm 28 and I've been living with a bipolar diagnosis for 5 years now. I'm here to tell you that it *can* get better. Bipolar disorder has a 15% death rate and half of us attempt suicide at least once. When I was 21 I tried to drown myself and was misdiagnosed with depression. I dropped out of university, I was put on 6 different kinds of medication, none of which worked, and I was told by my therapist that I was too "masculine" for a woman and needed to explore my "feminine" side. It was a tough time, and it was 4 more years before I got my proper diagnosis and got stable. But during those 4 years I changed totally as a person. I dropped people who just stole my energy and gave nothing back, I got hobbies I enjoyed and the friends who stuck by me through that shit time are still in my life today. Suffering either leads to bitterness or to empathy and understanding. Learn now, to vocalise your emotions and find someone safe to talk to, who cares about you and listen back! It doesn't matter whether it's a real life friend or someone online, find your community. Above all else find a good therapist and a good psychiatrist. It's that combination that led me to getting the medication that helps me remain stable. I went from trying to die in -3 temperatures in the sea on a January night, to coming out of the closet and being in a long term relationship with a wonderful and understanding woman. If I can do it, anyone can.