I suffer from bipolar II which tends to have more depressive cycles and less extreme manic cycles.

I think I can actually track when my bipolar began to manifest itself (at the time I didn't realize it, but looking back it matches up with what I've learned to be my different cycles) and it actually matches up with when I became aware of and actively interested in BDSM and my submissive side.

I know that when I am going through my depressive cylce I want to rely on someone else and need them to take care of me. I justify my self worth off if I am pleasing them and making them happy.

I know that when I am stable I still want to submit, but I don't need someone else to take care of me. I am able to enjoy other aspects of life. I care about my own wants and needs yet still am able to make sure my dom is happy.

When I go manic, I have a tendency to be... wild... I get out of control a lot, and suffer from something that is like an axiety attack, but it isn't... yeah I never can explain it right. My head gets overloaded where I'm thinking about a million different things at once but I can't process any of it and I panic. I start with rocking and need to get out and away from where I am. Once I actually bolted out of the car I was a passenger in, and took off down a major roadway. Needless to say once again I need someone else to take control away from me. I need for my own well being to be submissive and be taken care of. At this stage I don't always like it though. I'm actually far more interested in the sex and all the physical aspects. Luckily like I said before Bipolar II has less of these manic phases thankfully.

So I think in my case, yes my need to submit seems to be linked with my mental disorder.