I always thought I was a little depressed and almost 2 years ago I decided to go to the Dr to get treatment. What happened in the following 6 months was a mess. I had bad reactions to antidepressants and was told last February that I was Bipolar. That day turned my world upside down. I was overwhelmed by the diagnosis because I never thought I was that severe. In my perception I figured people who are bipolar can't work, can't function in the world in general. I thought I was doomed. This has turned out to not be the case. I am a nurse and while I did have to make changes to my job to something less stressful, I'm still a nurse, working on my Master's degree, living on my own, supporting myself. There absolutely were changes I had to make and changes that I still continue to make in trying to gain stable ground. There are days when I feel horrible and days when I feel great.

I guess the biggest thing is listen to the treatment team. I think this can absolutely spiral out of control if you're not an active participant in treatment. Take the meds, go to therapy, be honest with the docs, be honest with yourself. Eventually things will even out but know that it can take a long time. It's a rough road but it's survivable. Good Luck!!! Take care!