5. Do you need to take medication at a specific time each day? What happens if you don't? In many cases, effects of your medication are determined by time of day when you take them. For example, if you take some types of drugs too late in evening they may interfere with your ability to sleep or to wake up in morning easily. Make sure you talk to your doctor about exactly how you should be taking your medication, as well as ramifications for deviating from that schedule.

6. Will drug alter your motor vehicle skills, mood, or behavior? Medications are used to treat certain problems but that doesn't mean there aren't sometimes unforeseen consequences of taking drug. Many prescriptions come with warnings about not using heavy machinery or driving a motor vehicle while taking drugs. Doctors may also alert patients that drug may cause them to be grumpy or to have other mood changes. Take these warnings seriously and let those around you know of potential changes.

7. What side effects should I watch for? What if side effects worsen? Today, medications often cause mild side effects in patients, such as nausea or sleepiness. Your doctor and pharmacist should tell you what those side effects are. If they don't, you need to ask so you'll know what to expect. You should also find out about potential serious side effects, such as an increase in heart attack risk or possibility of liver damage. If you experience intense side effects after staring a drug, you should talk to your doctor immediately.

5. They don't plan for future episodes. When I started planning for my mom's future episodes, people in my family said I was being too pessimistic. They're wrong. I was being realistic. Bipolar disorder doesn't go away, so you need to have a plan in place that will make those future episodes easier for you and your loved ones to deal with.

6. They don't have a support team. If you have bipolar disorder, you can't do everything on your own. You need help of friends and family members and that's why it's critical that you put together a support team of people you trust most.

7. They don't take care of their physical health. When someone suffers from a mental illness, it can become that person's primary focus and he or she often loses sight of other health issues. Eating healthy and exercising will not only keep you in better shape but may also prevent some of triggers that led to bipolar episodes.

8. They don't apologize after an episode. During episodes, you may say or do hurtful things to people you care about. If you don't apologize after an episode, you may lose that person from your life forever. Don't let disorder rob you of your closest relationships.

9. They don't listen to others about episodes. In most cases, your friends and loved ones will be able to see signs of an upcoming episode while it's still in its initial stages. They may ask you about them or suggest that you contact your doctor. If they do, you should listen to them. Bipolar disorder clouds reality, so you can't always see how things really are.

10.They don't realize there's nothing to be ashamed of with disorder. You have nothing to be ashamed of when it comes to bipolar disorder. It's also not all in your head. Research has shown that bipolar disorder is a real condition that is caused by an imbalance of brain chemicals. Instead of feeling bad about what you can't change, you should be working to educate rest of world so that they'll change their perception of disorder.