This is nice Mark

I'm Jan..... I've been on DS about as long as Mark but came here for caregiver support

I cared for my folks in their last years and I went through the grieving process on here.... It's been an amazing support for me and truly I think saved me at one point

I can't remember just when I came onto the BP board regularly probably about a year later

Yikes me and my memory don't always do well together so I'm not just sure how long I've been a CL for here either......smile

I live in a cute little apt within a home in Toronto with my wee pooch Rascal and my landlord/dear friend and his cat Cozette

I was a nurse for years and I specialized in psych which I really was passionate about specifically stigma became really important to me

I have been married but it didn't work out and I don't have children

I was diagnosed bipolar in a mixed state about 30 years ago.... prior to that anxiety/panic disorder and depression

Although BP 2 I have heard voices and seen shadow people but never a full blown mania fortunately for me

I was put onto disability about a decade ago now.... My memory banks were really effected and the struggle with depression was bad

I have been fortunate to receive some help in the way of disability from the government

I have a great pdoc and now live quietly and peacefully

I'm presently trying to get off of some of the meds due to weight struggles and am now off of Tegretol and have started tapering off Seroquel with support from my pdoc

Anonymity helps me feel freer in opening up, so you can call me, "The Arf" for short. I started my therapy in 1972 at 18 years old and have more dx'es in my psych portfolio than I care to type. Some days I think my very first, unofficial dx was the best. JPC (Just Plain Crazy). I've been with DS since ? ? ?2010? Mas o menos.

I've been wandering my entire life, first with unstable parents and 10 siblings across North America. Later on my own, international with the US Army, considerable mission and environmental work. I'm currently on the Southern Great Planes of North America. My therapy network is pretty unanimous in believing my wandering ways are a form of PTSD flight. I don't argue, but I does like road life.

Been married 38 years and have 2 sons (34 and 38) and 2 grandchildren. It takes a brave man to marry a JPC wandering woman. It takes an even braver one to stay with her for 38 years. At least, I call it bravery.

I joined DS in 2007 for support for my bipolar disorder. In 1997 I lost my job of 16 years as an EEG Technologist due to this disorder. I lost friends also. It has been a painful journey. It took me many years of trying different meds to get stable. In 2007 I divorced and moved from Colorado to Minnesota to live with my sister and her family. It was the best decision I ever made in my life. I've been able to find meds that work and without the constant emotional upset I had during my marriage have gotten stable. I am on Social Security Disability and work part time at Target as a cashier. I'm happy with my life now and haven't been able to say that since I was a child.

DS has been a great support system for me and I'm very grateful for this group.

I love cats and have 2. I also do needlepoint as a hobby, though I haven't gotten very good at it yet. Still learning. I have a good tdoc and pdoc who support me.

I"m Kat, I've been on DS since 2008, I was DX'd BiPolar w/Severe Suicidal Ideation when I was 20, immediately after the birth of my first son. I've been on meds for 29years, I've been seen by a Pdoc every month for 29 years, and I've done Therapy off and on for those 29 years. I also have multiple medical issues, Cluster MIgraines, a Seizure Disorder, Dengenerative Cartilage Disease, Advanced OsteoArthritis, Liver Disease, Atelectasis, Chronic Kidney Stones and I'm a MRSA carrier. Basically my body is crap.

My brain is pretty good though, I graduated High School at 15, then went to University and worked on 3 Degrees, one in Computer Science, one in Accounting and a Ph.D in Clinical Psychology, I finished my education in 11 years and was working with newly diagnosed BiPolar patients in my early 20's. My dream job, using my unique view of BiPolar Disorder, as I lived it each day, to help others learn to navigate it. I was able to reach long periods of Stability.

Unfortunately in my late 30's the medical illnesses became to advanced and I had to retire from the Career I loved and go to one of my fallbacks, Accounting. That is what I do now, I work part time as an Accountant, 3 days a week. I've had 30 surgeries in the last 18 years, and I deal with Chronic Pain. I just finished detoxing myself off of all the heavy Narcotics I've been on over the last 10 years, and I feel like a new person. My body feels "happier", my brain feels clearer. Yes I'm still in pain, but I've been in pain since the day I was born, I use other things to deal with that now. I Volunteer each week with a Teens who self harm group and also a group of Newly Diagnosed BiPolars, I also work a Suicide Hotline one night a week. I don't think I'll ever get away from helping in the field of Mental Health.

For relaxation and to put joy in my soul I garden, I plant large flower gardens and a veggie garden each Spring and I let the earth and soil and plants regenerate my Spirit each and every day. My gardens are full of green tree frogs and they bring my great joy playing in the bird feeders and talking to me as I water and talk to the plants.

I was married for 25 years and I have been very happily divorced for 8, I have 2 sons who are 19 and 28, the 19 year old is in College, the 28 year old is a Firefighter and just finished his stint in the Army National Guard.

I live on a 500 acre Horse Ranch, I enjoy hanging out with the horses, or just walking the trails and sitting down by the creek and reading. I live a simple life these days and on Friday - Monday I tend to be by myself, the less people the better. My son is around, but that's okay.

DS is a great support site, hopefully it will remain so.

Hello everyone! My name is Jessica, and I typically go by Jess. I just turned 23 years old in June, and I was diagnosed bipolar this past March, although everyone who truly cared about me knew something was off before then.

Currently between regular jobs, working at a summer sleepaway camp in the interim, while me and my husband move from New Jersey to New York since he got a job in his field (YAHOOO!!!). It's definitely both a point of celebration and a point of stress, which I might write a post about if it starts getting to be a little too much... might be sooner than I think, but for now I'm taking it one step at a time. I want to go back to school by fall of 2019 for either social work, psychology, or teaching.

I am currently on Lexapro and Abilify, and it seems to do a decent job of keeping me stable as long as I still take care of myself. I still have wackadoodle thoughts here and there, but I believe the medicine helps me rationalize myself out of those lines of thinking, as well as a good relationship with my husband of two years who I can talk to about this stuff without judgement, albeit lacking a bit of understanding from time to time. That's when DS comes into play. It has been a great source of support for me so far, and I like to offer support to others while I'm here too.

For fun, I love to dance (almost tried to do it professionally in a bit of mania haha), read, color, arts and crafts, video production, and write once in a while. I can be very artsy and enjoy partaking in creative projects of any kind. I also really like to exercise once I'm already going. Starting to exercise is the real struggle for me.

If you have any questions, or want to know more, or simply want some more support, feel free to private message me. I try to get on here at least once a day although recently that's gone down to about once a week simply because of how busy this time in my life is.

Sending positive energy and love your way <3

Hi, im Autumn... i just came to DS. sometime during January. im still a teenager.. i have bipolar and quite a few more. but im growing, i have a lot faith and hope in others... i love to help people because it helps me at the same time...
Here is something that I love to do..
1. listening to music
2. singing
3. writing
4. reading cetchy books... and I love to exercises its fun i guess people could say all those are coping skills but I still love them...
for anyone out there who is struggling to get through im here for you.. be yourself, you are strong, you are brave, you are beautiful and brilliant. love yourself because you matter... share what you have to say where not here to hurt you.. were here to help each other feel better.. im here for you...

Like the arf, I like the anonymity of an online support group.

I'm in the beginning of my bipolar journey. Relatively new to DS and to the disorder itself. I was diagnosed Bipolar 1 after a antidepressant induced manic episode last year. Dealing with the aftermath of my manic episode and coming to terms with my diagnosis while in the swing of subsequent depressive phases and mixed states has made the last year of my life absolute hell.

DS has helped me so much. It's nice to know you have people that understand your condition to ask questions and share concerns with. We all fight the beast and together we are stronger.

Mr. Mojo Risin is a lyric from the Doors song LA Woman (and also an anagram of `Jim Morrison').

Found DS in 2009, and this board in 2010. Can't really say I've been an active member for a long time, but I like to pop in now and then. I'm Canadian and have lived in quite a few countries around the world. I want to move to a sailboat in the Solomon Islands and drop off the map completely.

I have been around for a few years here on DS. I’m grateful for the community here bc my work schedule doesn’t allow me to make local support groups right now, so this is a great substitute. I was diagnosed with mental health issues like depression and insomnia in college in the nineties, around the same time of hashimotos/hypothyroid diagnostics. Had my first hospitalization at age 26 when mania seemed to be seeping in, and it’s been a long road to almost age 42 now with medications and therapy and groups and further hospitalizations at times. Went through pregnancy, and sadly lost my child, and had severe depression and grief that I continue to work on in therapy and in life. Had breast cancer, and currently being screened for recurrence in recent medical findings.........and I like to think I’ve learned so many amazing coping skills dealing with bipolar and anxiety that I have strength and resilience and I’m thankful for that.

I learn a lot from others here, and offer support when I can, and empathize greatly when new folks stop by in the overwhelming steps to getting a handle on this very difficult disorder. But it can be done. I jumped around so much in the years....had to move back in with parents on several occasions, got out of a marriage with someone who could never offer support, had difficult bosses who never took me seriously after a medical leave.....

But you live and learn, right? Collectively there are so many wise peers here who care.

My goal would be to get more involved locally here in the Midwest with destigmatizing mental illness, and I’d love to work with companies and organizations to help with work opportunities somehow.....I know there are caring people out there who aim to help where help is needed and that alone gives me great hope.

Sometimes I get paranoid with personal details online, because humans and corporations can do really weird things with the interwebs, and we are like a little Petri dish for nosy observers who can stumble across these online groups. So y’a gotta be careful out there. Street smarts are good to have in this day and age, and good to have when navigating mental health issues and treatments.

I'm Catherine and I've been on DS for a few months now. I wasn't diagnosed with Bipolar until my late 30's. Before that, I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety. I do believe that I self medicated during my late teens and in my twenties, when I exhibited signs and symptoms of bipolar. When I was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder, I was also diagnosed with OCD, ADHD, and Panic Disorder. I've been on many meds since then. Too many to mention. I'm now on Seroquel, Abilify, Adderall, Klonopin, and Ambien. I've been basically stable (no mania or major depression) for about the past year now. Fortunately, I've never been hospitalized for my psychiatric problems. I have dealt with suicidal thoughts and ideations many times in the past. This is a good support group to be involved with. There are many knowledgable and caring people on DS.

It's so great to see everyone and read about you.... Really nice!!….. Big hugs.....xo

My name is Chris. I am 46 and live in the greater Chicagoland area. I was diagnosed at BP1 back in 2005 or so. I had lots of odd adventures in years prior to 2005 starting in 1999. I ran away from home many times. I found my self in a few different places in the US, just across the border into Canada and even in Sydney, Australia. Luckily nothing bad happened to me in those trips. Long stories....I was a bit delusional.

I am more boring now a days, and stick around my home. When I do have the chance, I enjoy taking road trips. Mainly out West. I love the American Southwest. I also am a photography hobbyist. I love taking photos on my road trips. I enjoy taking scenic photos and photos of rusted trucks, and general quirky things I see along the trip. I have driven a bit of Route 66. Still have make it to the coast in Santa Monica one day.

Currently I am waiting on a job to start. I hope the gentlemen contacts me soon with a salary offer (like he promised he would).

I am otherwise having an ok Summer and have been on DS for a few years now. I try and offer constructive feedback.

48, divorced, no children, live with boyfriend of 7 years and 1 dog, Carys. Diagnosed BD in 2000 at the end of my marriage. (diagnosis was reason for divorce). My diagnosis was updated to BD2 in 2003. (I have only ever had 1 manic episode.)I haven't worked in 7 years, and I am currently awaiting my disability appeal hearing in September. I haven't had any friends for about 5 years now which is what led me to DS. I was feeling so alone that I was starting to make a plan to permanently change my situation. That was when I first posted here. I have seen more doctors and tried more meds than there is room to discuss here. (That seems to be a common theme among many of us.) I came to DS for non-judgmental support from people who share my diagnosis and to learn from others what their lives with BD are like and how they cope. I also came in the hopes of finding friendship. Really I was looking for a peer support community who would accept me for who I am instead of rejecting me for it and making me feel ashamed because of it. I love to read when my concentration will allow, and I am an avid mystery buff - particularly those from the UK. The "Nemo" in my username should not be capitalized, but I don't know how to change it on here. The word "nemo" is Latin for "nobody or no one." My avatar is a caricature of the author Virginia Woolf, who also suffered from BD.

This intro thread is a great idea.

My name is Amy, I'm in my mid-fifties and I live in North Carolina (obviously). I've only been on DS for a few weeks. My therapist recommended it when we were discussing my binge eating. I started by joining the eating disorder group then found this one.

I was diagnosed with depression and generalized anxiety disorder when I was young and under-treated for years. Eventually in my forties I was properly diagnosed with bi-polar 2 disorder. I attempted suicide twice and have been hospitalized three times. I am now on disability which has improved my life greatly.

I divorced the father of my only daughter when I was in my 20's. She is now 30 and living a good life in New England. I'm so proud of her but I miss her terribly. Neither of us can afford to travel often.

I live alone with my new cat Miko in a lovely little apartment in a very small town. There is a small area in front where I have a bird feeder. It provides lots of entertainment for both me and Miko. I also enjoy tending my indoor and outdoor plants. I love movies and watch something almost every day. Art, antiques, fine craft, decorating and just driving around looking for small towns to window shop in provide a lot of pleasure. I love animals and used to have a horse when I was younger.

Being in such a small town in an area that doesn't seem to have a lot of like minded people has been hard. DS has helped me feel part of a community. There is also a NAMI group that just started nearby and I am enjoying connecting through that. Thanks for sharing your stories. It's nice to meet you.

anyone else?