Okay, I'll try not to make this a lengthy response, but I tend to be long-winded. I've gone through the same thing, though.

When I was officially diagnosed bipolar I was a wreck. I had stopped going to work, I was getting migraines all the time from an unrelated medical issue, and I felt like I couldn't do anything. The counselor who did my intake at the clinic I go to looked at me very seriously when I was in tears about how I can't handle anything and said, "Why don't you go to school? You're so smart, and you can take out loans for living expenses."

I just looked back at her and blinked, then said, "Well I didn't know you could do that. I would love to go back to school." I didn't think, "Can I handle this?" I didn't think, "OMG I'm bipolar I can't do school." I just thought, "Awesome, I love to learn." I signed up as soon as I could, went through orientation, and gained a tremendous amount of self-confidence. I did great my first semester, I made friends, I joined the Honors program and the Honors society, Phi Theta Kappa. I kept up with my work and stuck to my planner.

Fast-forward to the next semester, when the newness of school wore off (as well as my hypomania). My depression kicked in and I struggled to get to class. I struggled to do my homework. I struggled to be bipolar and function as a student. I made it through, but it was tough. The next semester was worse. I missed more days and my GPA dropped slightly, and finally, to bring us to the most current semester, last Spring, I actually was admitted to the hospital for three days due to depression and missed two weeks of school. My teachers were great when they found out why I missed so much school and I only had to drop one class. They worked with me and I got caught up; however, I did make two C's, when normally I'm a straight A student.

Over the summer I questioned whether or not I could handle school again. Look how I messed up last semester! Not doing my homework, not getting out of bed, and eventually in the hospital! Well, I was trying to take 19 hours worth of classes, I was VP of Service, Webmaster, and Reporter for my PTK chapter, and I was in the Honors program to boot. I was simply doing TOO MUCH because when I got hypomanic I thought I could do everything!

So eventually, I decided to return to school, but only take 12 hours of classes. That's still considered full time so I can qualify for my Pell grant, but is a lighter load (even though I'm taking Calculus III, Linear Algebra, Physics and Psychology), and I'm not going to be involved in as many extracurricular activities. I'm going to use my planner again, and do my homework, make a schedule and stick with it.

Maybe you can return, but only go part time, and cut back on any (if you participate in them) extracurricular activities. School helps my mental health when I stick with my schedules because it puts me in a routine. It may help you. However, if you're too stressed and spinning out of control, you could seriously mess up your GPA and put yourself further behind. Put your health first. If going to school helps you stay healthy, do it, but maybe cut back some. If school is a major stresser, take a semester off to focus on you. Those medication adjustments can be HARSH at first, and may contribute to you not doing well in school. If you truly love going, you *will* go back even if you take a semester off.

Anyway, I hope some of that makes sense. Sorry for the length.

Blessings,
Aeylania