I have bipolar disorder. I'm 24 now. I was diagnosed at 19. I've had it since I was at least 14, though maybe earlier. It was a long struggle, mostly with the depressed side of things and suicide. I had a mixed episode a few years ago and I have to say that is the strangest experience! I've also been paranoid and worried people would kill me. I would hear the voices of people in my family yelling at me in my head. I also had social phobia ontop of that.
But I'm happy to report that I am fine now. It takes a long time and a lot of work to recover, but I concider myself recovered. Of course, you are never cured. It could come back at anytime and I'm always watching for it.
As for the dating scene. I was so sick as a teenager with the bipolar and social phobia that I never dated. And I still haven't. I'm 24 and I've never been on a date or in a serious relationship or anything like that. So I'm quite freaked out about the possibility of dating. I thought I would just stay away from it, but I've now started to desire a romantic relationship. So now its like, first off, how do you tell them you have bipolar disorder, and second, what are they gonna think if they know you've never dated before?! |