I think that dealing with bipolar symptoms, for example, can be a wake up call to other issues we might have. I had to start solving who I am and what I think, to separate my real self from this illness.
No one teach us how to deal with emotions or life for that matter, we have to do our best with no manual in how we should live or think to get the best results. I have trouble imagine someone who prefers to hide behind their illness than to work as hard as he or she can, to be in control of the way they should deal with it.
I don't know about retirement as an answer, but must depend on how serious a person is affected by BP. I still think we need more info and more support from professionals, for some reason they are not easy to find, and sometimes I ask if some of them really went to college.
Maybe it's just me but I don't see specialists, at least in my country, promoting more info and support groups online or else where. I've never heard much of it before I saw Oprah or Doctor Phil doing shows about BP disorder.
All I see is society not knowing how to deal with us and not wanting much to do with it until someone in their family becomes a BP patient. Even then, they most likely don't want to know... One thing I have learned about people in general and differences, they prefer to live on the surface and not be near those "minorities" that can shake their boat and "image". That's society for you. Very easy for those in the "wrong" shoes to feel weak and get angry for not being able to function as the rest because it's very hard to find support in family, friends, co-workers, you name it; for them, it's too much trouble to deal with their own issues so why bother with more problems...
I don't believe in victims, I just wish we could support each other no matter the challenge and what others may think. I can't get over the fact that even for simple things we haven't evolved much.
Hi. I like the way you see bp and the dif. between it and yourself. The way i feel and think is simmilar. but thoughts can grow and mature. feelings do as well. to separate old from new is ok (what i used to do) but i now just let my thoughts develop and then deal. and then i deal w/the feelings. some of the thoughts are needed to do this. but you are right: there are bp thoughts. and bp feelings. those go to go!!! so to separate them is a very good thing!
darkangel
I wish I could figure out what you guys are talking about cause it sounds interesting. I definitely struggle with my thoughts and feelings...I think you're meaning something more complex though. (?)
hey, we are as humans, people who have emotions. these feelings can take over and really mess up things. or, if you controll them, they are really fun and pleasant!
you have to start to use some thoughts in order to deal with them. then you can experience your emotions in a more organized way. then you can start to deal with the feelings with your thoughts. and vice/versa!
this isn't that complex. it is easy once you get it started. you need to know what you are thinking, first. then you need to know what you feel. then you can control your feelings with your thoughts. then your feelings won't dominate your behaviors. then your feelings and your thoughts will co-incide very nicely. 
you are good when you are in control of your feelings.
darkangel
Yes that's it. We have to be rational with or without BP disorder. It's very common not dealing with emotions and thoughts just reacting to them without even questioning why or what is going on, we just feel it there for, we are...
We have to be in control of what lives in our mind, thoughts and feelings if you want to be in control of yourself, not to be controlled.
For some reason we got the notion that our brain, like our heart or other organ, works by itself without any guidance, noting could be so wrong...
It's like I said before, our brain is collecting all kinds of information without being filtered most of the time, by us. that's one of the reasons our mind can be so confused and so full of thoughts that we don't feel good nor have a sense of our true self because we are just reacting to everything we see, think, or pops out of our mind no matter how crazy it may be.
One good example is watching good parenting, children are taught to do as they told because they absorb and do everything without thinking about it, they don't have the right information to do it yet. We need to do that to our brain all the time too.
After our brain is completely formed and ready to function 100% around our early 20's we don't notest our internal dialogue, the lies we let in, the fears growing for no reason, etc. Until we get to a point when we have to stop and put our ideas in order, clear our mind of floating information that is harming us and damaging the way to reach our goals, you name it.
One thing I heard so many times is: "This is the way I am, I can't change that, this is who I am..." or: "that's to much work..."
I ask if that's who you are, what made you? How did you built yourself and with what, your thoughts and ideas or just picking up information that is all around you from others, who don't filter their information either?
Just making sure what comes up in your mind is real for you or just mere reactions to thoughts and emotions you have no control of but still you say it's yours.
just remember, we are not our illnesses, we are people...the illness is what is happening to us!?
darkangel