scott

How long did you have bipolar symptoms before actually being diagnosed. For me, my doctor is saying that according to my description of my life up to this point, I was needlessly suffering for almost a decade before just recently in late december getting help for the disease.

I wish there was a way to reach out to other suffering addicts of bipolar disorder and to encourage people to tell their doctor the truth. If I had done that from the beginning I would be in so much better shape than I have been. Things still aren't perfect though as i've been unable to sleep more than 2.5hrs over the past 3 days.

mxchaos

I too suffered with symptoms for many years,self medicating and living life on the edge of death.

Glad to be sober and working on a healthy life.

historyteach

sschreiver,
Many people go for years misdiagnosed with depression or completely undiagnosed. It's not uncommon at all.

There's links up top in the stickies that may be helpful for you. See them in the research thread. In particular, I recomend Bipolar II, Mood Swings without Mania; Brain Tours; Stress and Depression; Hormones and Mood; and more... and the NY Times article on bipolar condition in that research thread.

I hope you'll stick around. Join us on the Bipolar Town thread. It's a fun place to hang around and share anything going on - good, bad or even just goofy.

Shalom!