It's definitely not too late to turn your life around in a big way. The most important thing is that you want to and that you are actually taking steps to make a difference. I know that by the time you're 18 years old, it can feel like you're getting older and quite set in your ways. Now, looking back at myself at age 18, I was so much younger than I actually felt at the time. I didn't start to receive help until I was 23 and I've managed really big changes. Before then, I couldn't live a normal life, find work, or even pick the phone up to make a simple call. It's been really hard work and my progress has often felt slow, but gradually things started adding up and eventually it made a big difference.

I haven't personally found that a particular diagnosis from a doctor is overly helpful. It doesn't change the way I struggle, it only gives it a label. A label can help guide treatment, but the label I was given matches me in some ways and not in others. Maybe having a better diagnosis will be necessary for you in terms of medication options. Perhaps if you find the right therapist they can get to know and understand you and then they can write a letter for your doctor, which might help to communicate things that the doctor is missing.

I've found that a good therapist is willing to work with me and all off my issues, regardless of the diagnosis. It's mostly been a good therapist (and then my own willingness to push myself) that helps me the most. I think that that it's important to see the right person and when it comes to dealing with a number of long term complex problems, a therapist with a lot of experience is usually quite important as well.

It sounds like you're really struggling. I hope you find the help you need. Life can be really, really hard. It's also possible to turn things around and at 18, you really are still young and there is definitely time.