I am going to be 33 on April 1 of this year.  I have lived with mental illness most of my life but didn't get diagnosed or treated until I was 20.  For twelve years my doctors struggled to treat my Major Depression with every antidepressant out there as well as ECT and CBT/DBT therapy, talk therapy, multiple hospitalizations, commitment to state hospital and 3 different group homes.  Finally, this year my awesome psychiatrist realised that I actually had bipolar II and that the antidepressants were causing rapid cycling and worsening my depression. 

Now I am trying really hard to get off Paxil and titrate up the Lamictal.  Unfortunately I am really struggling with the Paxil discontinuation syndrome and despair that I may never get off it.

IRL - I have a degree in music education but have been working the last 7 years in a hospital emergency room as a paraprofessional.  I started nursing school but when I had to withdraw for a semester due to medication reaction, I was told by the Dean that people with mental illness should not be nurses and she would not support my return to school.  So, i decided to go to med school.  I'll hopefully take the MCATS next summer and apply for 2010.

On the recommendation of my therapist I have been doing alot of writing about my experience and would love feedback... please visit my blog.  She feels I have something to say and should work on getting published.  I'm still trying to decide if I believe in myself enough to do that.

Anyway, if you want to chat or share experiences or whatever I'm looking to connect with people.