I often hear the argument that I am a special case or that my success is because I have such a mild form of bipolar. The implication is that following the advice of this book will not work because it only applies to people with minor conditions or possessing special traits.
As you can read in this and my previous books, my condition is as extreme as most and was once just as "disordered." Just ask anyone who had to deal with me before getting my condition "in order." They have the scars to prove it. It does not mean that I have a minor condition just because I no longer exhibit behaviors as reckless as I once did. The truth is that my condition has gotten much more intense as I learned to function in it, not less. The only thing that has diminished is the power that my condition has in controlling my reaction to it.
It is very common for anyone to think that his/her case is worse than everyone else's. When I was first diagnosed, I read as many books as I could and did not find anyone as bad off as myself. I now understand that my perception was delusional, but it seemed very real at the time. No matter how intense our condition, if we look hard enough we can find someone with similar circumstances, yet functioning with greater self-mastery.
Getting past the belief that our own condition is worse than others or that those who have found success are somehow special is a critical step in the process toward Bipolar In Order. We need to understand that the "my case is worse" argument is part of the problem. Because that attitude feeds the false belief that improvement is not possible, it will keep us from making any effort at all to better ourselves. We can all achieve clear and measurable results if we develop a realistic plan and make the effort to carry it out.
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