The way others view us.

I read a post in one of my online communities today where a women was speaking about her husbands bipolar outburst. And it got me to thinking. How do other people really perceive others with bipolar. Bipolars are the butt of many jokes and many times when someone freaks out or is acting "bitchy" people make cracks about them being bipolar. The truth is, while many times it is difficult to control our emotions and behaviors, we do go through stable periods where we seem normal to the average person. I know my husband has dealt with more crap from me that any one should ever have to deal with. But it's not fun for me either. Others can get away from me. I can't. Though sometimes I feel like I'd like to crawl out of my skin. And I'm sure others can relate to that feeling. At my worst with my bipolar, I was in a long term unstable episode. I was depressed and severely manic. I was mean. Really mean. And I didn't care. It was the disease that caused the behavior, but I wasn't unaware of how mean I was being. I loved being manic. I felt invincible. I don't think that any drug  on this earth could match the high of being manic. Even now, when I look back on that time, I cringe at my behavior. Well what I can remember of it. Most of it has been blocked out or become really hazy. But when people go " hey do you remember?" I know that whats coming after it cant be good if it was in that time. And I regret it. Some of it makes me sick to my stomach. So, how do people see us? Well, crazy, mean, unstable and I'm guessing sometimes psychotic. But the truth is, were still human. We are often times just trying to get through and make sense of all were feeling. Anyone care to chime in on their feelings of being or being with a bipolar?