Ever since I got this diagnosis, I have difficulty trusting my ability to distinguish whether or not I come to like people because even when I am stable, I am still a very intense person. By intense, I mean that I can really get passionate about knowing the other person, sometimes to the point of mirroring them unconsciously (when this happens, I distance myself a little to gather myself and respect their space). It just happens to go off-kilter all the more when I get manic, and while I disclose my status to potential partners early, one way or another I end up hurting them even eithout meaning to. It's tough, and it makes me sad because I want to be confident in myself and my ability to love people and nurture a healthy relationship.

So. How do you really know it's not just a manic-driven infatuation? How do you really know that you've come to like them for real? And how do you manage relationship highs and lows apart from ensuring honesty and maintaining proper boundaries and communication?