This is one of the most cruelest disorders,ok  there is no physical sign.However this thing wreaks havoc on the sufferer and their family and friends.I know 1st hand as I have lived with bi-polar all my life.I would like to try and put you all inside the mindset of a person who has this disorder.........If you have lost some-one dear to you,harness all that emotion and sense of loss,pain and emptiness ,toss in helplessness despair and a pinch of worthlessness.This is what a downer is like.Bipolar has  mood swings above is the downer.The upper or high can be magnificent incomparison.........good and bad eg;with a flick of a switch you can be down then up and vicer verser.Good I say cause all of a sudden you feel on top oft the world(without drugs)you seem to attract people to you like a magnet.You can actually be over confident and make rash life changing decisions.See now we are heading into the not so good side of the high.This is when people usually decide to stop medication they see themselves as cured.........wrong wrong wrong I don't think there is a cure only management!!!! This is where family and friends can help the most....please encourage the sufferer to a)keep up the medication or b)seek professional help.Be vigilant Be persistant this disorder is nearly as bad for those around the sufferer as it is for the sufferer.When the downer has a hold,you can tell the person 50 million times a day how great you think they are,they wont believe you.Be patient you are helping just being there for them.on the high you can warn the person about their rash behaviour and ditto they wont believe you.......frustrated yet?????? this is what F &Fs(family and friends)deal with on a daily basis.My brother suicided 12 years ago at the age of 19 we now believe he had Bipolar.I think the sufferer hits the skids at some point and sometimes this unfortunately can manifest into a suicide attempt or worse suicide success. The worst thing you can say to a sufferer is buck up there you'll be right.........as a sufferer I cringe and clench my fists every time I hear that phrase........just bloody well say nothing if thats the best you can think of.I know life's bumpy road can set off swings and has a bearing on the duration and severity as well.We the sufferer at times seem to those watching us as if we are on a self destruct mission.......you know what????I think sometimes we are!!!!!! T he worst thing is when as a sufferer you have children.My first,Billy went through hell and back and as a result I've lost him.......you see I just thought I was mental(still do)but at least now I have a name for what is wrong and I can try and treat it.The biggest problem is the lack of knowledge for F&F's to know how to deal with the disorder.The biggest thing you can do is research the problem and arm yourself with the knowledge so you can better understand the disorder yourself and help your bipolar sufferer.Please note pregnancy can bring on an episode for a sufferer so be forwarned.It did in my case multiply all those hormones...........I am still married though.take care regards Merle             PS Hope this has been some help to some-one