Yeah, I did recover to that point...but it did take longer than 5 months x

Well, I know how you feel, I'm to get SSDI myself, and I can't hold down a job either, my parents are assholes some of the time, the way I look at, I can sit in the house and be sad, or I can get up and go do something that makes me happy,and then I go do it and I dont feel so bad. What I can tell you is, is that if you have negativity in your life from people around you, ignore it. Because they don't know how you feel and will never know, their not you. Just find someone in your family or a friend, that makes you laugh or makes you feel happy, and be around them then you'll fell better.

Laughing with friends.
Gee I have not done that in probley over a year.
What a great feeling that would be.

after my long stay in a state psych facility I had a problem getting into the groove of everyday life, I felt naked because there was nobody to help me.

it took a long time for me to get where I am at today, it started by finishing high school, I dropped out of that and stayed at home and did nothign but feel depressed, then I got my GED, afterwords I stayed in the house and did nothing. around this time I tried to file for disability but they said I could still do manual work.

so finally to please my family members I went to the community college and talked to a guidance consular and told him what i wanted to do.

it was that point in my life that I finally got my act together. thing started to speed up,

I was no longer tired to get up at 10 am,

I could set dates,

then i started school, at first I was getting c's then as I trusted myself more and the next semester I started getting b's

now the lowest grade I have is a b

think of it like dominoes, you can space the farther apart at first but to do some really amazing stuff you have to put them closer together.

then when you are ready knock them and watch what you have built go into motion.

Yeah, I was diagnosed, spent 2 weeks in the phosp and then had to go back to work. It was hard at first because of the side effects of Lithium but after a month I got used to it.

yeah, I had mixed state and missed 2 days of work and then had to go in and tell my boss what was going on and that my Dr. had referred me to Intensive Outpatient Counseling and I couldn't get in cause I didn't have a home phone. He was very understanding, had me sit in his office and use the phone until I got hold of a person and got into counseling. They gave me 2 weeks off and I went into counseling severely depressed. Four days later I was manic. They put me on lithium and at the end of the 2 weeks I went back to work. It was hard getting used to the lithium and I wasn't on an antipsycotic yet so I still had the paranoia and hallucinations which interfered with my work. Things were hard for a while. Hopefully things will get better for you soon. Talk to your pdoc about the symptoms you are still having. Good luck :)

Sometimes it is better not to try to work and focus on health issues. Getting better might be a 40 hour per week job for awhile.

I have suffered from this for 30 years. Had psychotic breaks in High School. Have fucked everything up and built it all up. Up Down Up Down. Moved every 3 months for years. Short story - I lived un diagnosed for 30 years. I have a succesful business and 2 grown kids and a great (poor thing) wife. An now (NOW) they tell me I am BP1. Nobody really pays attention to others. Your life can become great but you have to work at it and keep long term goals always in mind :) Be Good!

I'm different. After being Dx...it took be 9 months to become completely crazy and put in a hospital and on disability. Been off my job for 2 months now and sign of going back in sight.

I am working on 3 years of mixing medications, trying hospitals, partial programs etc. This has engulfed my whole life. I am on SSDI and that is thankful because there is no way that I can actually work. That is so sad for me to say because I am a damn good RN.

Well, I'm still a work in progress! First hospitalization was at age 13, 2nd hospitalization & DX at 18. It took 10 years & several more disasters before I really got serious about embracing truth, acceptance & treatment.

Now it has been about a year since my epiphany & I have finally finished my college degree (with a 4.0), stuck with a regular medication regimen & therapy 2 X a week. I have also taken on some part time work. This may not sound like a lot for a 29 year old, but considering where I started & the fact that I am not typical, I am very proud of what I have accomplished this year. Finding success, stability & our own 'ordinary worlds' is going to vary greatly for each of us. That negative self loathing voice is so easy to listen to, but the positive reinforcement is essential in order to stay on course. I think most of us judge our own success through a different set of lenses than we do everyone else's & that is a shame. Just stick with with YOUR plan & celebrate what you have been successful with. Best of luck with your plight, I know it is far from easy!