Hey guys,

Just wanted to share with you a small success.

Well, last summer, I had a fantastic summer job, but a month in, I just stopped showing up. I wouldn't leave my apartment, and I had a mixed episode. Since I lost that job, I've been in a rut, and avoiding all the Big Things in life, instead obsessing and getting manic over dumb things (like coupons and ikea furniture and colouring books). But I haven't been dealing with LIFE. I was just too anxious to even THINK about big stuff like finding another summer job, y'know?

Well, about a month ago I started depakote, and my anxiety has been so radically reduced. And in the past few days, I've applied for THREE summer jobs! I feel like I've FINALLY turned a corner in this illness, and I'm feeling back to my old self.

Hoping that this is not the start of another hypomania (I was starting to get hypomanic exactly this time last year). Hoping this is just the effect of depakote and getting well. My pdoc called, and said my blood levels for depakote are in the high end of the therapeutic range. So it must be doing something, right?

Either way, I'm just glad to finally be getting some stuff done. I feel like I had my head stuck in the sand, and I just pulled it out!