Ever since I was diagnosed bipolar, I have struggled to gain understanding from my partners-despite their best intentions, nearly all my partners have treated me as though I were abnormal and have even tried to engage in the project of "fixing" me. This has led me to have a lot of anxiety around new relationships- particularly whether or not my mental illness will be a subject of scorn or whether or not people will be afraid of me once they find out that I am bipolar. 

This being said, I have only had two partners (wonderful guys), one neurotypical, the other neuroatypical that have not only treated me like a normal person but have vast respect for me when I am low or manic and even support me in kind and caring ways when I am having an episode. 

I want to hear other people's dating stories with relation to mental illness as well as any tips and suggestions for entering a new relationship when you have mental illness.