I'm kinda the opposite of you, twelvebars. I was living a life that was pure hell because I knew for thirty years that there was something not right with me but no one could tell me what it was. Then, I was misdiagnosed with major depression. I took meds for that over and over and over and when the SSRI's like Prozac came out, wooah......if you take SSRI's for BPII without the mood stabilizer (Depakote) it only makes the hypomania worse. So I did that roller coaster for 19 years.

In 2004, I was finally correctly diagnosed. My life changed dramatically. I was so relieved, I cried and cried. Depakote ER, now I also take a small dose of Topamax (topiramate), Zoloft (sertraline) and Effexor ER (an SSNRI). No more swings. Sometimes the depression gets deep, depending on circumstances so we have to adjust for that.

Getting a heavy-duty diagnosis like bipolar II can be really scarey, I know. Especially since most "mental illnesses" have a stigma attached to them that make you "crazy" or unstable or whatever. Believe me, I understand.

Oh, and I can identify with the overdrinking thing, too. Before my diagnosis, I quit drinking and attended AA for nine years. The drinking made it possible for me to function when I was hypomanic. But it didn't help the depression any. It just became a problem.

Anyway, welcome to PsychCentral, and I hope that you find lots of support and encouragement here. You can always PM me if you like.