Back to work and grad school

It hasn't been easy, but I survived my first week of grad school and being back at my part time job. The new meds seem to be at a good dosage. I am keeping all my therapy appointments. I have plenty of things to keep working on (especially the school assignment due tomorrow and exercising), but I am ok. I can actually see that grad school won't last forever. I feel relatively stable, not insanely high, angry, nor low. I'm a little lonely, but my uni support group starts back on Tuesday. I went out to dinner last night with my best friend.
Overall, I am getting better.

DW

Hi Designing Woman. Glad you are having success with grad school and managing bipolar. Staying on the meds is important to not having manic or depressive incidents. Talk to pdoc if the meds do not keep you stable.

Glad you are part of our community. There are a lot of caring people here. Besides being an active participant in helping oneself at Psych Cental, many people also help support each other by replying to other people's posts. Many people who are actively involved in Psych Central find it helps take them out of their own problems to develop empathy for others. And their problems are more manageable the more they help others.

Many people here at PC find they can share these feelings and what they are going through with the confidence that people go through similar things and can empathize. So many forums are offered as well as Chatrooms (after you have 5 posts or comments on others posts). Depression chat meets on Thursday night at 9pm EST and Anxiety Friday at 8PM.

Please feel free to private message me or any of the Community Liaisons by left clicking on the name in blue to the left of their post) for questions or just to share.

Very cool! What are you studying?

Thanks!
I am getting my master's degree in elementary ed. I already have another master's in library science.

Everyone thinks I am crazy. Maybe I am. Who goes into teaching little kids when she is over 30 and has a career job? I definitely want to teach in a public school too. So, I gave up my secure full time job with benefits to go back to school to learn to be a teacher. Honestly, without the onset of the bipolar I never would have. I would have remained at a job I loathed until I retired a bitter old lady someday. Basically the mania pushed me, gave me the courage/insanity to take huge risk. While I am committed to staying on meds/out of the psych unit, I guess in a way i am thankful to my mental illness.

Thanks for the welcome. I have chatted twice and am trying to stay active here. I do find it therapeutic to read the posts and respond when I can. Sometimes I don't know what to say though.

Wow this is a big accomplishment and I'm so glad you shared. I love to read the success stories for hope that things get better. Thanks for this!

I admire that. It takes real courage to just up and leave a steady job to follow your dreams.

I get what you're saying about being thankful to mental illness. As terrible a thing as it can be, I've always believed that bipolar mania/hypomania magnifies pre-existing traits of our personalities and many times pushes us to pursue things we otherwise wouldn't.

Good luck in school!

Lots of people do it. You are far from alone. My mom is a professor of education and a majority of her students are coming in as adults after some other career. I can't say that most have another MS but many are making a career change at 30 or 40 or 50.

So definitely not crazy.

I'm glad you're doing better, and I don't think you're crazy at all. Getting out of a job you loathe and pursuing a career you want is very sane-- and takes some real courage. Teaching is more rewarding than I can express-- and you're going to make a great teacher!

Congrats - happy for you!

Sounds like you're moving forward in a positive direction. Definitely take advantage of the structure and resources offered in educational environment--miss having the drop-in counseling center.

I am a grad student too, its funny when I tell people I'm not so good at sleeping or organizing or cleaning or not looking around all the time, but I'm good at books and stuff! lol