[sleepless0515]

Okay, let me, for once; spare you the hell of my current mixed episode and talk about something positive.

I have been recently diagnosed, and somehow, I am relieved. Now, many of past actions and behaviors make total sense. It's like having found that one piece that was missing of the puzzle.

I grew up in an environment that rejected mental illness, and did not even believe in it. It's thanks to my first manic episode that I broke free and explored the world.

My knowledge of my disorder has allowed me to uncover facets of my personality that I've never known existed. My journey in researching and recognizing my triggers is helping me be a better person...I have found a whole new kind of intimacy in sharing my symptoms with my husband...

I'm the same person, everything is the same, but yet everything finally makes sense...I don't know how to fully explain it, but I am so thankful for my diagnosis!

[~Christina]

I could have written that post..

When I was told " Bipolar" I was like Ooooooo that explains a lot

Yes I finally was able to put a finger on things and able to find all the help that I needed to get to a better place. Knowledge is power so the saying goes

I do hope your mixed madness go away asap , that is just pure exhaustion and hell on earth.

[Crazy Hitch]

I understand what you are saying quite well.

I am thankful for my diagnosis too.

[scatterbrained04]

I'm thankful also. As Christina said, knowledge is power. The more you know, the better you can prevent episodes or at least manage them.

[wiretwister]

Still working on that....

[loophole]

I'm thankful these days. I'm on 3 meds that have helped to get me to episode free for five months..

Sent from my iPhone 6 plus using Tapatalk

[Moogieotter]

I feared the diagnosis for a really long time since my father had serious issues with bipolar 1 his whole life. I was very afraid and this often fueled denial in me. After my last and most powerful episode, there's really no denying it now and embracing the Dx and focusing on solutions has been good.

I hope accepting and working on the solutions helps each of you find peace. Thanks,

moogs

[tipper1492]

Yes, medications probably saved my marriage. Pills working.

[Sideways12]

I'm thankful too! I always knew something wasn't right. Now I know. I wish I would have got help earlier. It explains a lot.

[butterflypower]

I'm thankful too!

[BipolaRNurse]

In a way I'm thankful too. The diagnosis explains so much of what I've gone through my whole life. I don't like dealing with BP but it's better to know so I can work with it.

[Resident Bipolar]

Definitely. Not only has it led to much, much more effective treatment but it's also taught me what signs I need to look out for, and has helped me understand events in my life that I'd otherwise still be struggling with coming to terms with.

If I was still diagnosed with depression, they'd probably still be throwing a load of different antidepressants add me to no avail. So I'm glad I've got that key to treatment and self discovery

[Victoria'smom]

I'm not sure.

[quasicrystalline]

Yes and no. I still want to deny it at times, but it's nice to have a diagnosis that explains my symptoms so well. (I think the denial is a part of it, too, haha. At least for me.) It has gotten me the help I needed, and for that, I am grateful.

It's a love/hate thing . . .

[Manic Trance]

So thankful! Mostly I am thankful to belong somewhere!

[dillpickle1983]

Diagnosed yes, the consequences of being diagnosed, no. I'm fixin to lose my CDL because of it.

[jackicee]

Hello! I can certainly say that I have been much better since my diagnosis in 2012, while I haven't stopped the disorder - it makes more sense to me now than it did before I was finally diagnosed. I may still suffer from various episodes, but since diagnosis I have found they don't bother me as much as before, because I recognize the signs and symptoms of what is happeneing to me. It also helps to know what signs and syptoms to look for-instead of just feeling like i'm losing my mind for no specifc reason around me.

Like you, i'm the same person, but things do finally make much more sense than they did before I found out what was going on in my world.

[RisuNeko]

I'm thankful for being diagnosed. Like others have said, it explains a lot. Makes me feel like less of a freak for the way I've always been. And it makes me hopeful that I can be treated successfully even though the past 3 years since I was first diagnosed have been a rollercoaster. It's at least been a mellower rollercoaster than my life used to be when I had no diagnosis and when I was diagnosed with just depression and put on all sorts of antidepressants.

[yanks7]

Still on the fence but working on it

I was so relieved because the last 45 years has been brutal. This is also a doorway to getting treatment which possibly will make the next 45 even better!

[cmorales]

Yes! Having a psychiatrist make it official finally gave me the opportunity to get the help - and meds - I needed to get it under control. I regret not getting help sooner, esp. when I had my breakdown back in 2004 where I avoided the hospital at all costs. Stupid.