[hahayeahtotallylol]

What was your life like before and after diagnosis?

Before: Worked in finance, lived alone and was self sufficient, had no debt and was optimistic about the future.

After (now): No job, living on parents dime, massive debt, not optimistic about the future.

Strange how a disorder can be so destructive not only to the psyche, but to ones environment.

[hahayeahtotallylol]

If summer doesn't make me hypomanic i'm going to lose my *****.

[Faltering]

I'm sorry this illness has impacted your life so much. I began to have bipolar symptoms at age 11, so I feel like it's stolen some of my childhood and all of my adulthood so far. I suppose I was initially a happy and carefree child. I was depressed and isolated as an adolescent and my family mocked my suffering. As an adult I am even worse. I have somehow managed to make it through undergrad and graduate school while experiencing some severe episodes. Yet I have no friends and I am plagued by elevated mood states and psychosis. I fear my condition will worsen and relying on my strengths will no longer be effective. Fortunately my family became supportive once I was hospitalized and they realized how serious my mental illness is.

[Moose72]

If I look deeply enough I can always see my bipolar symptoms before diagnosis.

[BipolaRNurse]

Before DX: working as a nurse manager, lived in a nice big house in the woods, made good money, had the middle-class lifestyle

After DX (now): broke, on disability and living with my son and his family.

'Nuff said.

[scatterbrained04]

My life before diagnosis is pretty similar to my life now except the meds and appointments. I started having symptoms when I was 13/14 so I don't really recall a "before bipolar".

[5150DirtDiva]

I have not been arrested for a while...

[CherryGlazer]

Before i got sick: in highschool, very independent, worked all the time, cooked for myself and others, went to the gym, had really good greats, had friends and a social life, etc

When it started: in college, completely dependent on parents money, never cooked or cleaned or showered, failing every single class i took - got kicked out, no friends, not functioning in any area of my life

After meds: back in college, still no job, do basic things sometimes, somehow passing classes - barely. spending time with people - somewhat. not completely drowning but also no where as together as I was before

[LadyShadow]

Before bipolar: great job, boyfriend, self-sufficient, making good money, no debt, money in the bank, hot body and beautiful hair.

After bipolar: living on disability, living with parents, no job, mountain of debt, no money in the bank, fat and losing my hair (thanks meds)

Nuff said.

[rwwff]

Originally Posted by hahayeahtotallylol

What was your life like before and after diagnosis?

So much luck plays into it... Do you commit a felony while manic? Does someone see you commit that felony? Do you try to convince someone the bells are real, or do you do a single reality test, and never speak of it again. Heck, does your first treatment plan work well enough that you can recover? Just luck.

Before diag, I was kinda a mess, but no one ever saw me, and I could coast on prior work. So, I've never lost my job, income was steady, and my credit cards and body bore the brunt, but I'm the one paying the bills and feeling the result, so no complaints.

After... I just have a long list of chores to clean up after myself, and a few projects for the future that I want to complete before retirement.

Then I think to myself, what if I hadn't gotten help, or my first stabilizer failed and I wrecked the company or something else unfixable? Just luck, no great skill, effort, or merit.

A couple weeks to lose or save everything.

[Sunflower123]

Before: climbing the corporate ladder as a CPA/MBA, nice house, good marriage, beautiful daughter, nice cars, world travel, great social life, fit & healthy.

After: the beautiful daughter remains.

I've mostly come to terms with it but some days it's hard.

[jacky8807]

Originally Posted by scatterbrained04

My life before diagnosis is pretty similar to my life now except the meds and appointments. I started having symptoms when I was 13/14 so I don't really recall a "before bipolar".

same here

before:

lived with an abusive family

had a memory I could be proud of

had at least some Idea of how I wanted my life to go

every day held an element of excitement.. will anything good happen today?

I could sleep for more than a second

after:

no goals or motivation

housebound

can't sleep

too many helusinations and other issues

horribly stigmatised

lost all family support

not really any reason to get up, every day's the same

[Unrigged64072835]

Before: had a good job but personal life was hell
After: Have a good relationship but on disability for depression and anxiety

I guess it all balanced out.

[hahayeahtotallylol]

It's reassuring to see we are all in similar situations and still alive. I am still having a lot of trouble getting over my past. Everything change. No wonder SI is so common for BP/me.

[Wild Coyote]

I'd like to contribute to this thread. However, bipolar is just a part of my limitations. I have many medical issues which also play a part and exacerbate the depression, too. The picture my story paints cannot put it all just on bipolar issues. I think I'd be doing a lot better without chronic pain, additional meds, other medical hassles, etc.

I am very saddened by the losses so many have also experienced.
I hope it gets better.


WC

[19J82]

Before: Married to the love of my life, had my dream job, great home, very good career prospects, great physical health, I was the envy of many.

After: Getting divorced, lost my job, lost my home, no career prospects at all, had 2 x dvt's thanks to Quetiapine, so no physical fitness at all, Court next month in relation to behaviour whilst manic with a possibility of prison.

BUT, it will not beat me. I've always had a dream to have a boat and explore the world on it, so I'm looking at small sailboats that I can live aboard and then when I'm ready, sail off and have an adventure like I always dreamed. Need to get stable first though, manic me in the middle of the ocean would not be great!