My Intro
Hi y’all, I was just recently been diagnosed with Bipolar I and to be honest I’m scared. I’m young, 19 years old. I’m afraid for the rest of my life I’m just going to have this emotional whiplash. With this diagnosis my dream career that I wanted for more than half of my life I’m now no longer eligible. I honestly feel lost and alone. My few friends don’t understand why I’m devastated but everything is changing and I don’t know what to do. This is scary, all I know is media representation of Bipolar and I hope those aren’t correct. I don’t really know what I want out of this post. Other resources to read up on? Some hope? Honestly anything will do.
@PipsTheHedgehog
Hi, Pips. Welcome to 7 Cups. I hope you find lots of support and encouragement as you discover this wonderful community. You may want to check out this forum: Bipolar, Schizophrenia & Psychosis Support - 7Cups - this may give you an opportunity to interact with others who have had similar experiences. Take care and know you are not alone.
I too was very frightened when I got diagnosed. I was hoping against hope it wasn't true. I wasn't happy about having depression, but bipolar was a whole new level for me. I still have days where I really question the diagnosis. What a lot of people don't understand is that bipolar is a HUGE spectrum. There's bipolar 1 and bipolar 2. There are manic vs. hypomamic states. There are mixed states. Some people might hear about a manic person spending their entire savings or something like that and then think that must be all bipolar people. Nothing could be further from the truth. People use the word bipolar as a pejorative and people like that need to be sat down and educated. I recommend reading Ronald Fieve's book on Bipolar: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/1594862249/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_FSAG9TMENMD16HP1XAG6 I also recommend reading the following book by Harold Bloom. It's the best book I've ever read on depression. It's hard to find copies, but check your local library for hard or digital copies. https://www.ebay.com/itm/193317268679 Also, join a support group through NAMI or DBSA. They have plenty of resources where you can connect with others who share the diagnosis and where you won't feel alone. With medication, therapy, and self-care, you can thrive and live your best life. Don't stop believing in yourself and cultivate your faith, too. I hope this helps!