I have a friend who has just been diagnosed with bi polar, and he is stressing about it.?

Can you live a relatively normal life, if you are on the right medications etc.?

He was leading what he thought was a normal life, but had the huge ups and downs, and bits of his life were missing. I am just wondering if anyone knows anyone who is on the medication and it has made a huge difference to the persons life, and made them more normal, as in not the ups and downs of an unmedicated person with bi polar.

Relatively is the key word. I don't know what a normal life is because I was diagnosed 11 years ago and my medications have changed over 200 times since the first time I was given them. Getting it right can take a long time for some people. My life before the diagnosis, however, was a detestable nightmare. I am so grateful to the person who invented Lithium.
On the upside, once your friend's medications and dosages are stabilized, then his symptoms will decrease and eventually be very manageable. Please let him know that it is not the end of the world. It may seem like that at first (it did for me) but once he accepts himself with this illness and does not only identify himself because of it, he will be okay. He will need LOTS of support, so if you are his friend, you will need to be there for him, even during the rough spots. I did not have any supports (my parents abandoned me, my friends dropped off and went away) and I still made it through okay. Every day is a great day when you're not "mentally irregular".

Hi. I have bipolar and live a fairly regular life. The diagnosis is a very big blow even if you already knew something probably was not right. It's a label, that's all, but it takes some time to accept the only real purpose of a diagnosis is to determine appropriate treatment. The trial period for finding the right medication can take time and be tough at periods. Once the right meds are found, however, life changes immensely for the better. So, the answer to your question is very much yes, a normal life is very common for those who manage their health with meds, lifestyle, and therapy when needed.

On a side note, there are some who have "minor" cases of bipolar, leaning more towards cyclothymia, who can do fine without meds. Whether they can stay off meds indefinitely while maintaining healthy functioning is a question. Bipolar is a progressive illness. There also are many unmedicated others who are in denial about the severety of their illness and the pain it causes their close family and friends when they swing. This is an age old story with bipolar disorder.

Help your friend best manage his health. He will need your support while coming to grips with having a chronic illness, which really is all that bipolar is.

Well, allow me to turn this a bit on its head.

There is more than one way to treat mental illness.

I am bipolar, in therapy, and unmedicated. I set sleep schedules for myself, chart moods, and take Omega-3 for my mood symptoms (there's actual science behind this - take a look). I'm moody, sure. But I'm under control and live a full life.

I have another friend who is schizoaffective, in therapy, unmedicated, and has finally gone back to school and will soon be finishing his degree. He also has a pretty full life.

Of course, I know other bipolar people who have a lot of success on medication. But don't let big pharma trick you into thinking there is only one way to deal with it.

What he should do if find his OWN way of handling it. Maybe it will include medication. Maybe it won't. Maybe meditation will work well. Maybe Omega-3. Maybe Chinese medicine. Who knows.

But he has options. And that's the most important thing that most doctors won't tell people with bipolar.

of course he can live a normal life.my friend has bipolar disorder as well and i have a more mild form of bipolar,not as severe but I get mood swings often,but we go to school,we hang out with friends,anything someone without it can do we just have to deal with it in a different matter with extra help.bipolar is just another form of depression even though it's the most severe one there is hope.good luck to your friend

Yes,I have bipolar disorder too,since 2003,I think I have a relative normal life although sometimes I have some crisis.I don't take my medications sometimes,only occasionally.I try not to pay a lot attention to this problem.I don't really want to affect more my life thinking a lot about this problem .I distract myself in other things.I have therapist and it help me a lot.tell your friend to go to a therapist.

the label that the medical profession place on us is enough to freak anybody out my list goes on. Bi polor can be treated very successfully with the right medication and the right health professions ask your friend to contact a psychiatrist that will assess the diagnoses and give the proper meds for you friend to live a mormal happy life.

If your friend has already been living a normal life with bipolar, why would being diagnosed make anything worse? At the very least, knowing about it will make it more manageable.