[lullaby109]

Hi!

First timer on these forums, long-timer with bipolar.


I'm not sure where to start. I guess the beginning would be a good place!

So I've had bipolar since I was fourteen. I've definitely had my manic episodes, but I was mostly depressed for the last fourteen years. I basically had no friends and lived an incredibly sheltered life without experiencing anything. I lived with my parents and didn't have a job for years. I was extremely overweight and never had a girlfriend. I was a shut-in who spent all his time playing video games and watching TV, and I was in and out of mental hospitals and mental health treatment. I basically wasted half of my life.


Thankfully, things really started to turn around for me this year. I decided to take charge of my life at 29-years-old and make some positive changes. Now I'm living on my own, have friends, a job, I'm going to college, I lost a ton of weight, had a girlfriend, and I organize a social group. It was a strange feeling realizing that I've never been happy before. It was even stranger realizing that I could be happy in the first place.


I have yet to meet anyone else who has experienced something akin to my unique life of quiet desolation. Many other people my age I've met who suffer from mental illness have experienced much more than me. I figure I'd broaden my net a bit and see if there are any other late bloomers out there.

In addition, if anything I said resonated with you, know that there's hope. I never thought I would get better, and yet, here I am. Things aren't perfect, and they took a lot longer than most people, but I'd rather be where I am now then where I was.

[Skeezyks]

Hello lullaby: Although this is your first post here on PC, it appears you're an 8 year member. So... a belated welcome to Psych Central to you. It's great you've been able to do such an amazing job of turning your life around. I hope you find PC to be of benefit.

P.S. I'm fond of lullabies.

[Moose72]

Welcome! This community is a great place- the people are friendly and helpful. We are all friends here. Check out the check in thread- its pretty active.

Thank you for sharing your story, lullaby! I am happy for you. This was a lovely thing to read today. Now that you have experienced what you have, you can take it further. I hope you do not struggle with serious episodes in the future, but you know what is possible, despite. At any age.

I was not so much of a late bloomer, even though like you, I believe my bipolar disorder started at age 14. I have slowed down significantly in my middle-age, but I still know joys in life. I sometimes have bigger ones, and try to savor the teeniest ones daily. I am extremely grateful for many things I've experienced in life. Even though my life was upended in my middle-age, I have learned a lot and grown a lot during this period. I'm thankful for that. I still see many interesting times in my future.

[cashart10]

Welcome to pc! While my story is a bit different than yours as far as time lines go. I, too, was diagnosed at 14 (well, MDD at 14, bipolar at 15). My life was pure and total hell for lots of years after. I don’t wish it on any young person! It finally got better...long enough for me to marry and start a family with three wonderful children. Then it came back with a vengeance. It was that way for just a few years and I’ve been in and out of episodes since (thankfully with sometimes a couple year breaks in between). I’m now 36.

I am so happy that your life has turned so positive and I hope it remains so forever! You deserve it! My recommendation is if you are taking meds, don’t discontinue them. I did and an episode went so long untreated that by the time someone noticed, I way too far gone!

[fern46]

I wanted to say welcome and I'm so happy you turned things around. Thank you for sharing your story of hope!

[lullaby109]

Thanks for all the support and hugs! It's been a weird ride. Like, if I saw myself as I am ten years ago, I don't think I'd even believe it, much less know what to make of it. It's unfortunate that I haven't met someone in a similar situation, but that doesn't really matter. All that matters now is that I'm moving forward with my life, at last.

[Victoria'smom]

I had a rough start. Homeless with a family a couple of times. We've moved a lot. I tried school several times. Eventually we decided to concentrate on getting well and we're slowly making progress.