Recently Diagnosed

...and new to this site, and the whole concept of forums in their entirety.

I was recently diagnosed with bipolar 2, and it is not so much the diagnoses itself that I need support and talk to someone about its the stigma, the fear surrounding sharing that information with friends and family, and the fact that I don't feel like I have anyone to talk to who understands.

I am finding quickly that not everyone goes from cranky to irritable to full out hulk smash in a matter of minutes like I do. Nor do they lose their job in one state, slip into a hypomanic state, sell everything they own and move to another state three days later, leaving their cat behind and becoming homeless in San Francisco for two weeks. Nor do they come home from work and cry themselves to sleep or end up in the hospital because their psychiatric provider prescribed them citalopram with their lamotrigine for depression and anxiety symptoms and it backfired so greatly that they ended up in a hospital on the bathroom floor screaming and crying at the nurse because the nurse wanted them to put on a hospital gown.

These arent things my family or friends have had to deal with. And unfortunately the ones that have, are gossips, and cannot be trusted with this information.

I desperately need some peer support, and a huge as hug.

Its been a long couple of months since my diagnoses in October 2014.

K

Hi lunakate

It's good to see you here on the Bipolar forum.

Yes, I remember the feelings that I had when I was first diagnosed too. Can all seem a bit surreal as we process our way around it.

I sort of felt a "little" relief as to understand what had been happening (I was diagnosed during somewhat of a strange episode).

I guess each person is different as to whom they choose to disclose to and whom they choose not to disclose to. It's a matter of personal opinion and comfort zone. You don't have to disclose to anyone really if you're not comfortable. You're certainly not obliged to. I know plenty of members who openly disclose, this works well for them too. I guess it's dependent on the individual, the circumstances, age, nature of relationships etc.

Many things can happen to us during episodes. Our stories I guess would be unique and yet at the same time similar too for a lot of us in terms of behaviour and outcome during episodes.

And I know about "gossip". Oh I hate gossip. I loathe gossip. It isn't right.

At the end of the day you know the truth.

Hold your head high.

Soldier on forwards.

Onwards and upwards.

Keep tabs with us and thank you for sharing.