Hi ItsMe - welcome to PC.

I'm glad you're feeling well enough to try to work again. That's a big step. How is it going? What are you studying in college?

I'm 41 and know how you are feeling right now. I went on disability at the age of 30 with a new bipolar diagnosis and, like you, it took some time to get back on my feet again. Three years into disability, I felt well enough again and went back to work full time. There are so many safety nets now with Social Security, it's worth the risk if you're feeling up to it. Are you familiar with the Ticket to Work program? I've posted extensively about it in other threads (and I think people may be tired of hearing me go on about it, lol...), but if you need information on it, let me know. I was able to work in a very technical and demanding job for about seven years with just a couple of setbacks. Even though I am back on disability now, I am very proud of the seven years I was able to do it again. Many people never go back on disability after returning to work. I've got dissociative issues besides the bipolar, so I think that made it even harder for me to continue. But you may very well go back to work and never look back. But through the Ticket to Work program, even after working for seven years, I was able to get my benefits reinstated pretty quickly. And you get to keep your Medicare for almost eight years after you go back to work.

Even though I am back on disability, I do consider myself a success story. Six months before I went back to work, I was one signature from being sent to a State Hospital for six months. I had also lost my children to the state because of a bad postpartum OCD episode. I went back to work and had a successful career and my family was eventually reunited. I learned to manage my bipolar very well, and was able to keep myself safe when I didn't feel well. I learned about my rights in the workplace and was my strongest advocate when I needed to be. Going back on disability last year wasn't a failure in my eyes. It was a controlled, mature decision to do what was best for my family and my health and I have no regrets.

If you feel like you can do it, it's worth the risk.