Why did YOU join PsychCentral - When you initially joined?

oct 2014...the manic episode i was having was taking a wide turn into mixed. At that point i was so sick of the swinging that suicide was on my brain. I had no one who could understand and so i found pc. I ended up in the hospital shortly after that first post but i came back here and it has made a WORLD of difference for me. i cant begin to express the gratitude i have for you all. This whole site is great but the bipolar forum truly is something special.

I joined a few days ago. I was diagnosed with Bipolar on Wednesday and I immediately started looking for information. This forum has helped me even in just the few days I've been frequenting here. I already feel like I have a place where I can go when I feel like no one else will understand.

This place is so cool with the variety of MI classes, and also it has an active multiple personality forum. Love the support here.

I joined because I wad lonely and wanted to make friends that I have something in common with who would understand the mental illness aspect of my life. Also my therapist recommended online forums as a social outlet because I am better I'm writing than in person. At least imo. I'

No living breathing friends, except family, out in this world. Told few I was BP and they split. Age 61 before being diagnosed and placed on meds.

I was a veteran member of another bipolar site, but my alters got me banned. I've got my fingers crossed.

Sorry to hear that! Yeah our MI can do weird and wonderful things at the best of times

I reckon you'll be fine right here on PC

Jan 11, 2014
I needed to find a community where I can say things like I did not shower for a week, and people understand. Some will even share their shower story
I needed a community that understands, does not judge me, and can offer help and support when I need it

Sometimes, when I am on here, I feel so blessed for have this safe harbour

Hugs to my family. Each of you nourishes me every day

Are you willing to share why this forum was the one?

I was diagnosed with Bipolar over 4 years ago, but nobody really explained it to me. It was not until recently that I decided to research it and really understand what it meant and how to cope. Joining this forum was a big part of that. It's where my username comes from. I am Becoming a better version of myself.

What prompted me to understand and managed my Bipolar was the ending of a tough relationship. I had showed some terrible behavior toward her after we broke up...sometimes during the relationship too. I realized I needed to get a grip on my emotions and Bipolar in particular. I had to learn to care about myself. That would keep me from getting into another relationship where I didn't feel cared for but kept fighting for it. Why people enter a relationship with people they aren't entirely interested in is beyond me (that is a different topic though).

November 2009. Why? Because I'd FINALLY come up with just the right username(!) Silly, but true! ;p

Ok, there is some backstory though. I'd finally been dx'd, stumbled into PC somehow, and had read for months before finally joining. It had always seemed such a good place, and people had come to feel familiar, like I knew them, and they "got it". Never had that before.

I love this place and the people here and honestly don't know what I'd do without you all. To me, this is both family and friends. Mwah!

I joined PC because I needed to know if there were others in this world who were struggling with their therapist & talking about abuse. I Googled lots of things & more often than not, it took me here for both articles & others experiences.
I too was fairly sceptical, as I'd never been part of a chat group before. I have made many friends here & many of them have very different issues to mine. That's what makes this site so, so brilliant. We are all here, from different places, with different issues, but all of us need support. I am so grateful for this site. Thank you to all of you. Xxx

I joined PC because I needed to know if there were others in this world who were struggling with their therapist & talking about abuse. I Googled lots of things & more often than not, it took me here for both articles & others experiences.
I too was fairly sceptical, as I'd never been part of a chat group before. I have made many friends here & many of them have very different issues to mine. That's what makes this site so, so brilliant. We are all here, from different places, with different issues, but all of us need support. I am so grateful for this site. Thank you to all of you. Xxx

I wanted to meet people with the same diagnosis in order to share my own experiences, and to better understand what part of me is bi-polar.

(I was diagnosed in the late 70's, twice in the 80's, and again in the 2000's). I lived so long with ignoring it and avoiding treatment that I don't sometimes know where normal response, and bi-polar response begin and end.

The forums has been a sanctuary, has provided me a feeling of worth when something I said was appreciated, and has helped me to clarify when I can know my response is normal versus bipolar fueled.

November 2014

Everything I thought I had under "control" had come crashing down around my ears. I had just gotten out of the hospital and was looking for a place for support and understanding.....and I found PC! It is amazing here and I am very grateful to be a part of this community.....

LettingGo - we joined at the same time

Imah - I totally get that - I was looking for a place to "be" where I wouldn't be judged because ppl have the same experience as I do

Cool Hooli! I knew I liked you

I needed a safe place to give voice to my thoughts as I was overwhelming my wife and had no one else who I could talk to at all hours of the day. PC come up under a Google search. I joined just for the fun of it, and never thought that in 12 months it would become one of my key coping mechanisms.

I needed to find others like me to socialize with, relate to, compare notes with, confirm or validate my thinking, some where to ***** at...turn loose my cray cray, help others, seek advice, do a reality check, to watch each other's back, to name a few.

I'm like a crowded island, but still alone.

To meet hot crazy chicks with low self esteem...

Seriously. To have somewhere to vent anonymously.

I was looking for help with procrastination. So far not much progress with that but I enjoy the site.

I liked you first I just forgot to tell you

I love your sense of humour

Yeah I find being able to relate to others here a great help to me.

Yeah it wasn't really explained to me either.

I've read a lot of books / done research online etc etc etc

But I just feel like I don't even know myself.