I'm similar to curiosity. I've either been a full time student or held a full time job since I was twenty.

I started my first year of teaching in September of 2012 and I think the stress might have flipped my symptoms into high gear. Prior to that I had had symptoms but been able to manage without treatment. But I also work in a high stress environment - I have emotionally disturbed kids who are very aggressive and are constantly acting out by cursing, yelling, throwing chairs, fighting, threatening, etc.

But a lot like other posters, I was raised to always wear a mask. Pretend everything is ok even when you're about to lose your ****. So I'm an expert actress. Even at the rockiest bottom of depression, I drag my *** out of bed. I might spend a lot of ime in the bathroom trying not to cry, but I get there. If I'm manic and irritable I might have to walk away from a student before I punch them in the face but I usually manage.

In April I was depressed and also a raving paranoid mess but I still made it to work and no one saw any difference. I just...turn it on for the camera, so to speak.

I actually find I am much worse when I don't have the structure of a job to go to. I mean sometimes I have to take off, like when I'm hospitalized, or recently when my personal life completely crumbled around me. And I do have days when I wake up and say there's just no way I can handle being cursed out today. So I call out.

As for coping skills I just try to breathe in between classes and take frequent breaks if I need them. I also try to make lists if I'm manic so I can focus on doing all the teaching paperwork.

I also work because I have to financially, especially now. If there was ever a time I would have taken off work it would have been now, fresh off the heels of my first non med induced psychotic episode. But I can't, and my doctor likes to tell me I'm just refusing to help myself because I won't take time off.