[hamster-bamster]

This forum has been a godsend to me. But how did I discover it last fall? No idea. My search and browsing history have multiple times been deleted since then, so I cannot track back. My own memory? A big hole, which is no wonder since I was inside an episode.

How about you?

I wish I could make it into a poll, but I do not even know how to structure/bucket the possible responses.

Very curious.

I think I just stumbled upon it while browsing for info on bipolar disorder, but that's only a logical guess.

[PAYNE2]

My wife suggested this forum to me.

[hamster-bamster]

Originally Posted by farmergirl

I think I just stumbled upon it while browsing for info on bipolar disorder, but that's only a logical guess.

I love your new pic, it is so upbeat and welcoming.

I stumbled across it a few years ago researching ADD. I don't know why I just now looked into the forums here. I've been posting for years on adhdmarriage.com, looking for ways to improve my marriage.

I'm glad I found this site, there is a very diverse group here

[rgb11]

learned my bf was bipolar 7 months into a tumultuous relationship. Started researching. Found myself in need of help. I post on another board now more for help with being a bipolar significant other. Though I'm no longer the 'other' I'm still learning about my experience.

Here I'm learning about what it is really like. This builds my compassion for him and my understanding of what might have really been going on. It also builds my accountability expectations for him as I see where his personality starts and the disorder may begin.

I hope to not be here very long as I hope this chapter of my life may eventually close. It may not.

Recently, I've felt more compelled to help where I can. Desired or not it is eye opening to see the kinds of trouble people can find themselves in. I didn't know. The genuine remorse is interesting.

Before I knew my ex was bipolar I thought he had narcissistc tendencies. But I knew it wasn't quite right. Too simple as he had empathy for his son and dog and family, less for me.

I can see this now as a grander picture and something that may wax and wane.

Originally Posted by hamster-bamster

I love your new pic, it is so upbeat and welcoming.

Thanks. My son took that on the 4th of July while we were waiting for the fireworks show. He finally got it posted on FB so I snatched it up. Posted a few more on my album here on PC.

[Clinte89]

I found it while searching information about bl disorder. Its been a great help and i apreciate everyone here.
Thanks

[bluemountains]

I started doing some research on PsychCentral and then discovered there were forums.

[~Christina]

I most likely found it while looking up info on Bipolar .. Im just glad I found this site ..It has become a HUGE support for me

[BuggsBunny]

A friend of mine who used the forum on a different topic led me here while I was in the middle of a winter depression waiting for meds to work. I don't know if she even posts anymore, but I bless her upside down and sideways for sharing this with me!

[BipolaRNurse]

As a nurse I've used PC as a mental health resource for years, but it wasn't till I was diagnosed with bipolar d/o myself that I started using it for support. I've checked out other BP forums but don't use any of them; especially since I moderate both a nursing forum and an NFL football fan forum, I'm pretty fussy about the places I frequent.

I did start a Mood Disorders Support forum on the nursing site where I spend most of my online time; we have members who suffer from anxiety, depression, PTSD, ADHD, and other disorders, although many of the participants are bipolar and we tend to take over sometimes, LOL.

Nurses are notorious for having extremely high rates of depression and anxiety; it's inherent in the nature of modern nursing. It's when you get into bipolar and other more 'serious' mental illnesses that things get dicey, and sometimes we end up having to report these conditions to our state board of nursing and attend a program for 'impaired' nurses. This does nothing for our self-esteem and complicates our lives in many unnecessary ways (why should I have to pee in a cup every week when I've never diverted narcotics, consumed alcohol on duty, or practiced polypharmacy?!).

But, since I'm the leader of said merry band of depressives, manic-depressives, ADDers and stress-monkeys, I have to maintain SOME clinical distance, so I come over here to blow off steam and whine about how bad things really are some days. I'm glad PC is here for me, and for all who grapple with mental illnesses.

[optimize990h]

I just needed a place like PC because lonely ppl like me find it therapeutic and informative and aypport.

[Trippin2.0]

I'm not quite sure, was looking for an explanation for what I was experiencing (episode) I think I then stumbled upon the Q&A section, and the sanity score led me here yeah, sounds about right.

...haven't had a computer for long, 15 months maybe?...yeah I know, what a caveman especially in this tech world but I am always reluctant to follow the trends.

...anyway I think I was googling borderline info and the forums popped up and I joined one last year somewhere and I was not well at all and had very little understanding of how to behave 'online'...and no big mystery I got the boot politely...

but I discovered in the process that I could express myself better with words rather than talking to people and even therapists etc...

so after getting over the first failure I looked for another forum and found this one and even managed to screw up here as well a couple times but they forgave me which was good and things have been better...

there are good people here

[regretful]

I was feeling pretty low, and found a resource called www.samaritans.org I corresponded with an anonymous person through their site. When I was on that site, there was a link to psychcentral...and here I am...still feeling pretty low. Mine is a unipolar depression, but I find some useful posts on this forum and the depression forum.

[mjpurple]

I found it by searching for bipolar info, have learned a lot by reading the posts

[Seaswept]

I found this while googling bipolar disorder, read some of the articles and then checked out the community, which I was really impressed with because the people were all so supportive of each other and it was clear and well organized.

I'm not on here all of the time, I do read more than post, but the topics and everone's stories make you feel like you are not alone in this. Manic Depression is not something you can just chat about with people like the weather.

[sjane23]

I did the sanity score years ago on it, only recently joined and commented on posts a few weeks ago but have been reading the forums for a long time

[faerie_moon_x]

I was on another forum at the time for relationship advice due to other issues I was having at that time. My life had been turned upside down and I was very lost. Anyway, the people on that other forum were being belligerant toward me about my questions, not understanding what I was asking, and giving me hostile advice. The administrator for that forum asked me to leave and seek professional help...

So I was floating around Google trying to find a new place while also seething with rage at that other forum. Well, I found a link to relationship advice section, and I made my account. It didn't take me long to realize there was a bipolar section, too. So, since I had just been told to "get professional help" by strangers, I decided to post in the bipolar area also.

I'm glad I did because my relationship issues from last year are now mostly resolved and I found helpful people and support for my internal issues. I think there's even a post I made in the success area about not going back on that other forum in full dysphoric rage attack mode like I wanted. LOL... I was pretty proud of myself because I was in a total downward spiral at that point.