[optimism]

Hi guys, I'm a new member.

I'm 22 years old, diagnosed with have ADD, mild autism last year, along with anxiety and depression.

Really young in understanding mental health. Hopefully I'll be able to gain something out of this community and return the favour as I gain more of an understanding.

[ggky59]

Originally Posted by Merlin

Welcome to our forum! Come in and introduce yourself to other members!! This thread is place for new members to get the attention and feedback of the older members, or older members to give more information about themselves. They can discuss diagnosis, treatment or another other topic of their disorder and older members will respond.

I created this introduction thread due to the number of introductions posted on the "Bipolar Chat" sticky. The Bipolar Chat that I lead is now scheduled on Fridays at 9 PM EST. It will cover a variety of topics which will be posted in the chat announcement and outlines will also be posted for those unable to make the chats. The first Friday of the month Wingin'it will lead an open Bipolar Chat. Those will Bipolar are also invited to the Depression Chat on Wednesday at 9 PM EST, but there will be significant overlap in topic.

Can you help me? Im living with a person who's not only bipolar but an alcoholic. My we're not married, yet the laws here in Ky. won't let me put this guy out of my home. He spends his SS and pension like a kid in a candy store, and I'm stuck paying all the bills and expenses. I work at night and I fear coming home every morning that he hasn't burn down my home. I just won't out of this nightmare, I want this guy gone. I have called lawyers, he's had 4 mental inquests, all deemed him just an old man (he was sober on each visit). I'm beside myself to the point of me not wanting to live, its that bad. I have no family support, no friends that understand, nobody. I live in constant fear of this man, constant fear. Even when you try to talk to him nice and slow, he gets angry. I can't take out a EPO because I have no scares, just mental scares of abuse. Please, can you advice me on anything, anything. I do call support hot lines when I've reached my limit, but it comes back as soon as I hang up. I'm so depressed, so overwhelmed, so so so so sad, I want to be free of this nightmare soooo bad.

Thanks in advance

[nelfien]

New member here as well.

Been Bipolar since I was 17 and am 34 now. Have had long streaks pf doing very well, and some real bad streaks pf not doing so well. Also have epilepsy. Married with two beautiful kids. My wife is my anchor. Not sure what i would do without her. I am classified as bipolar 1 mixed. And since coming to this site am finding out what that really means and putting two and two together. I go high and low real fast when i am going through my issues. Currently having problems right now. Really am enjoying the site as it helps to see how others cope with their problems.

[shelby623]

Hi My name is Shelby. I have been on medication for depression and anxiety for 22 years. Starting 7 years ago I was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder II. Despite the array of pharmaceuticals I take, I seemed to be losing the battle.

After 18 months in the darkness, my hypomania has arrived with a vengeance. I normally look forward to being a little manic, especially after the longest bout with suicidal ideation I have ever had to bear but this HM episode is an SOB. I am really angry and impatient. It is going to take a lot of effort to keep from reading the riot act to my managers and losing my job.

I just got out of the hospital when my GP thought I was having a stroke. It turned out to be a mix of exhaustion and depression. Afterwards my Psychiatrist doubled my SSRI. Maybe this has contributed to this harrowing HM episode.

Thanks for being here.

[mtty1991]

New member. Friday before Labor Day weekend.

Before being diagnosed with BiPolar II, I had been diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder, ADHD and Borderline Personality Disorder. However due to some pretty rapid cycling and lately some serious unipolar depression my pdoc has been treating it like BP II.

I first went on medication back in '96 (Paxil) and did rather well for about 7 years. Since then it has been med-go-round. Currently I am on 1500Mg Lithium, 20mg Brentellix, 60mg Ritilin, 3 mg Klonapin as needed.

I recently made an appt with a doc in Chicago to be evaluated for ECT just in case I stay med resistant.

Thanks for the forum. Glad I'm here.

[Slowbrains]

Hi!

Here's one more BPII, got my diagnosis couple of years ago. It explained a lot... Male, 40's, family, job, some hobbies... So i get along pretty ok.

Now on Lamictal, which seems to be working quite well. I was taking Seroquel before, but weight gain and continuous drowsiness were too much for me. Also it didn't help to my depression at all.

So... just curious to join discussion... I went to support group and it gave me lots of relief to meet people like me. Too bad it was just 10 sessions, so i thought try to continue here...

[HeavyMetalLover]

Wow! I've been reading introductions on here before introducing myself and I have to say that I both relate to and feel deep compassion for many of you on here. I joined PC Forums a short while ago but never introduced myself in Bipolar Forum. So here goes....

I'm in my 40's, a mother of 2 grown kids ( my baby is 20), have a stable family and am disabled both with my MIs and physical disabilities. I was diagnosed with Bipolar I disorder at 14 but told my first pdoc off & walked out because ,even though I knew he was right, it totally freaked me out at the time. So several years and broken relationships and an abusive marriage and divorce, trouble holding a job longer than 3 years max( because I was dating my boss, I know, always a great idea. NOT!), years of poly drug abuse, to suppress memories of childhood abuse, eating disorders, and suicide attempts later.....


I FINALLY went back to get serious about getting help. That was in my 30's. I got sober and the mood swings didn't get any better. My then pdoc evaluated me and agreed with the first one. Bipolar I Disorder, but also diagnosed me with PTSD. Due to a lay off( I was working when I found the 2nd pdoc) I had to quit seeing him because I had no insurance. That meant going off meds, too, because I couldn't afford them. I hit another downward spiral, ended up hospitalized, and had to start over in therapy.

Fast forward to now... I'm in therapy again with a new pdoc( again) who kept the first 2 diagnoses and added borderline personality disorder into the mix. So I'm still in intense therapy, and taking Prozac and Risperdal and they're tweaking my meds yet again this Tuesday. I had to drop out of DBT(for borderline personality disorder) due to a string of physical medical issues this year that have landed me in the hospital 4 separate times this year, and it will still be awhile before I can re-enter DBT because they're currently testing me for colon cancer on top of everything else. So there is the soap operaI call my life right now.

I am pretty isolated right now and I know that's not good for me so I thought I would at least check this PC stuff out to reach out in any way I can right now. Since then, I've found some good people, at least some people in the same boat as me, and that at least makes me feel a little bit better. I look forward to hearing from some/all of you as we share this journey!!

Hope everyone is having a good Labor Day weekend!

[newblaabjerg]

Hello my name is Danny. I'm 25 years old and from Denmark. I have had heavy swings since my 17th year and I swing alot. I have very intense manias and depressions. I got my diagnose as bipolar about a year ago. Im currently on Delepsine and Truxal. Have tried lithium and olanzapin, but i put on alot of weight on that combo. Not very useful for me.

I am no way stabilized because my bipolar tendencies put me through substance abuse on a very high level. But I have been clean for soon 2 months from the very hard drugs. But sometimes i enjoy a beer when it all becomes too much. Every morning I have a very hard time to find my place in this world, so high music and adding new songs to my moodstabilizer playlist is a new hobby of mine.

I love reading and learning new stuff but I am currently not very good at sitting still and give the books the attention they need. So it's like read a page and then up and dance with the headphones on.

Someday I KNOW I will find the inner-peace between mind and body but it takes research and trial and error experiments

I hope I did not break any rules writing this. Only came to the midst of the community guideline

[QuietStorm1214]

Hello everyone! Just wanted to introduce myself. I'm Karyn and I live in Georgia. I have bipolar and GAD. I was diagnosed 12 years ago. I take Trileptal, risperdal, klonopin, and ambien. I have been struggling a lot lately and needed somewhere to get my thoughts out. I had been having a real hard time at work for quite awhile. But was trying to so hard. But my anxiety was overwhelming. I couldn't concentrate. And not to mention my boss keep bugging me about my moods. And she told me that I had missed 26 days in 13 weeks of work. So about 4 months ago I just quit. I had a panic attack again and I was just overwhelmed and exhausted. I couldn't handle it anymore. After I quit I felt such relief. My partner was very supportive. But now it's been months with no income. I've tried to get another job. But I can't even get myself to an interview. I have panic attacks when I try to leave the house. I just don't know how I'm gonna possibly have another job. My partner is supporting us right now. And a little bit of savings we have. But that isn't going to last much longer. I am so stressed out!

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

My name is Ashley I am a mother of 3 and live in Ontario, California. I suffer from Bi-polar disorder among others like anxiety and depression.

[the red queen]

Originally Posted by Merlin

Welcome to our forum! Come in and introduce yourself to other members!! This thread is place for new members to get the attention and feedback of the older members, or older members to give more information about themselves. They can discuss diagnosis, treatment or another other topic of their disorder and older members will respond.

I created this introduction thread due to the number of introductions posted on the "Bipolar Chat" sticky. The Bipolar Chat that I lead is now scheduled on Fridays at 9 PM EST. It will cover a variety of topics which will be posted in the chat announcement and outlines will also be posted for those unable to make the chats. The first Friday of the month Wingin'it will lead an open Bipolar Chat. Those will Bipolar are also invited to the Depression Chat on Wednesday at 9 PM EST, but there will be significant overlap in topic.

I am a mother and a grandmother I live in Columbus Ga.. I was diagnosed with bipolar 1 rapid cycling after I got married in 2001 I also have PTSD, Anxiety/panic disorder its an understatement to say I struggle daily my marriage has been in shambles the whole time on and off for years trying to reconcile after 2 1/2 yr separation its hard and confusing.... I'm here for help, resources and understanding... Glad to be here hope to meet some good ppl.

[starshaped]

Hello, I just joined the site last night. I was diagnosed with bipolar at age 17 and am 21 now. It is not generally something I talk about with most people. This is the first time I've reached out online since I was 17-18 and first coming to grips with it. I posted a more detailed thread last night but I guess ur hasn't been approved by a mod yet?

[RunnerIM]

My name is Jill. I'm the mom of three awesome kids and married to an amazing husband. I was diagnosed Bipolar 1, GAD and OCD. First diagnosis when I was 23 I'm now 41. I'm so excited to be here. I feel very a lone in my diagnosis. Only a small circle of friends and family know my diagnosis. And as you all know it totally sucks at time. This forum is just what I need☺️

[penname]

Hi all. I was diagnosed with type 2 in June. I'm also dealing with some trauma stuff and it's been tough trying to untangle it all. My family isn't taking my diagnosis well at all. Which sucks because I'm havig a hard enough time coming to terms with everything.

[Lzayche]

Hi. I have bipolar ii. I'm 62 and was diagnosed about five years ago, and, looking back, I think they probably nailed that dx, tho it's been very hard for me to accept. I've always been a loner, single mom, but I find that I'm really isolating now that I've retired, and I can't seem to get out if it. I'm happy to have found this place and hope to be able to shed some light on some things for others while they light my way. I really did have trouble accepting the dx, and I think it'll be really good for me to see how others cope.

Welcome

[GoldenSnitch]

Hello everyone. I just joined the forum today, after receiving my BP diagnosis recently. I've dealt with anxiety and depression for years, but my problems kept recurring and cycling, which lead to my diagnosis. A recent bad manic episode has really frightened me, and I'm on some new meds now to hopefully make me more stable. I thought I would join a forum to get some support from people who understand what it is like to live with BP. I'm looking forward to getting to know you!

[Mehiguess]

Hi. I'm 23 and struggled with my mental health my whole life. Was recently diagnosed as bipolar with phsycotic features. I was honestly surprised and didn't believe it. After being forced to see what I've been doing while cycling so much these last few months, I'm trying to get help. I'm still learning things and have tons of questions and fears. I needed this forum today. I was really losing myself in my fear and thoughts. I'm hoping I can ground myself enough to get through these next few months. I don't know what to expect and I think that's the hardest part.

[K_vd_W]

Hi everyone, my name is Karla. I live in Pretoria, South Africa and I'm 22 years old.

I haven't been diagnosed, but through all the research that I've done (I've done a lot!) I'm afraid there might be a strong possibility that I have bipolar II, as most of the symptoms describe me.
Thinking back a few years I noticed that I've always had these 'dips' and 'peaks', but I and my family just assumed it was teenage hormones.
About six month ago I went through a very traumatic experience where I lost my partner of 5 years.
Initially I just thought it was depression because of what I experienced, but I noticed I got better after about two months, and the I was doing great for a couple of weeks.
I've made peace with what happened, I've accepted it, but after that last good spell I fell into another deep depression, I hurt myself, I still have suicidal thoughts every day. This happened to me twice in the last few months, where I was doing great, making plans for the future and the I just fall back into this depression that no-one seems to understand.
I went to see a clinical psychologist for the first time this week, I haven't mentioned that I feel like I have bipolar, I don't know how to bring it up with her. I'm afraid that she thinks I'm self diagnosing something that isn't there. I'm afraid she thinks this is just depression from what happened. But I feel like I should try and bring it up, in case I do have it, because I wouldn't want it to get worse if it is bipolar.

Can anyone give me some advice on how to bring it up and talk to her about it?

[Ruby C.]

I'm 34 and was diagnosed bipolar II, obsessive compulsive last week. I've always known my emotions were a little more larger than life than my friends, but I come from a family of very destructive manic men. Many of my cousins have bipolar 1, but it just never occurred to me those thoughts were rapid cycling and that my anxiety, depression and ADD were not the only problems. Accepting not just this label, but what it means for the rest of my life was one of the hardest things I've had to do. I'm glad I found this forum.

[valerie1206]

Originally Posted by Mehiguess

Hi. I'm 23 and struggled with my mental health my whole life. Was recently diagnosed as bipolar with phsycotic features. I was honestly surprised and didn't believe it. After being forced to see what I've been doing while cycling so much these last few months, I'm trying to get help. I'm still learning things and have tons of questions and fears. I needed this forum today. I was really losing myself in my fear and thoughts. I'm hoping I can ground myself enough to get through these next few months. I don't know what to expect and I think that's the hardest part.

Hello, I am a new member around this site, too, I hope we can be friends. I'm also 23 and suffered from Bipolar Disorder for a long time but I didn't realize it until few years ago. In my country it's hard to get help from therapist or psychologist, as well as if you are diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder, people around you will look at you as a different human being.

[valerie1206]

Hello, I'm a new member here. I'm 23 and I think I have Bipolar Disorder when I was in Junior High, but I didn't realize it until few years ago when I experienced extreme emotions during college.
My life has fallen apart because of this personal issue. I've never had serious relationship with anyone, every close friendship has been destroyed because my ups and downs; I distance myself from my family, I don't talk to my mom or my sister; my career's heading nowhere and I'm still studying to earn a Bachelor Degree. The only things help to calm myself and release negative emotion are meditating to God, drawing and praying.

[Elipsis]

Hi I'm Lina, 26. I suspected that I am bipolar for years but I have only been diagnosed with depression in my teens and only now with BP as my hypomanic phases seems to become more severe. I have always had phases of grandiose feelings but nobody of hte close people around me ever took it as a bad thing cuz they were glad that I wasn't depressed any more, even if only for a while before falling into a hole again. I hope to get a better understanding of my condition here.

[Linkyann]

Dear "Simmering Depression",
I'm quoting you because, like you, I am new here, and like you, an incoming fog ("simmering") depression seemed to be my middle name. I always thought I was like a character in the old Li'l Abner Sunday comics, a creepy little guy dressed all in black who lurked behind trees spying on everyone. There was always a black cloud over his head and it seemed wherever he showed up, trouble followed. I used to joke, "I've been down so long it looks like up to me." The black cloud is still there, BTW.

[Linkyann]

Originally Posted by Lzayche

Hi. I have bipolar ii. I'm 62 and was diagnosed about five years ago, and, looking back, I think they probably nailed that dx, tho it's been very hard for me to accept. I've always been a loner, single mom, but I find that I'm really isolating now that I've retired, and I can't seem to get out if it. I'm happy to have found this place and hope to be able to shed some light on some things for others while they light my way. I really did have trouble accepting the dx, and I think it'll be really good for me to see how others cope.

Hi, Single loner 62 years young. Our histories are very similar (in terms of feelings, isolation, late in life diagnosis.) I am new here also. a mother of three grown daughters, and reaching out, finally at age 70, to make a more social connection (rather than only to doctors or the latest "wonder-pill".) Hope to hear from you again.