Hello,

My names is BJ and I've just this past week been diagnosed Bipolar 1. It came as quite a shock to me. I've been living with depression for about a year and a half. I lost both my parents within the span of a year due to heart attacks. My dad died first and then 6 months later my mom had a massive heart attack. I really think she died of a broken heart.

This is when all my problems started. I was being treated for depression but I knew something was not right. I felt my life spiraling out of control with my mood swings of intense highs and then extreme lows where I couldn't even get myself out of bed. I couldn't sleep (still can't) and I "forget" to eat most of the time. It's affected my work and my relationships with my co-workers and friends. So after psychological testing and evaluations I was diagnosed.

How do I feel? Very alone right now with all this and scared.

I hope to make some friends here to share my fears and also maybe I can be of some help. But it's all new to me.