That is true of all illness. Just because you have an illness, you are still the person you were before. I have bipolar but I am a lot of other things, too. I'm a mom, and a wife, and a daughter. I'm a writer and an assistant in an office and a singer. And I just happen to do all of this while being bipolar.
I think it is important for all of us to define ourselves outside of whatever diagnosis we have. Maybe write it down somewhere so that when things aren't going so well we have something to look at and hold onto. Just an idea.
From what I understand a diagnosis stays put unless changed to something else like ILADVOCATE said. The diagnosis doesn't define a person and who they are like he said and just because two people have the same illness doesn't mean they're going to be exact clones of each other or have the same things going on with their mental illnesses.
As treatments improve recovery rates will. A person's diagnosis unless it is changed by their psychiatrist and doctor will stay. A diagnosis doesn't define a person and who they are. I just say I am a person with a psychiatric disability. It depends on each person as to who they are and their recovery rate but as treatment improves people will not stand out from society because they have a psychiatric disability. Its just part of my life and can be for other people. Support groups can help people come to terms with it as well.