So much to lose - advice
I have a long history with mental illness. I was first hospitalized as a teen, have had SI for about as long as I can remember, was diagnosed Bipolar around 18 or 19, and had over 50 hospitalization and three commitments (not involuntary hospitalizations, committed by a judge) by the time I was 25. I eventually landed in a state hospital and actually got a lot of learning and stability out of it.
Now through all of that I didn't have much to lose. It was easy to be completely honest about my symptoms, even the uncomfortable ones I felt shame about.
I had years a relative stability for about a decade. Graduated undergrad, went off disability because I got a full-time job, mostly kept that full-time job well, went to grad school. I have had episodes over the years, but nothing to sever, until now.
Now I'm in grad school, I have a nice life, so very much to lose, and I'm dealing with new symptoms where I feel like someone at my school is out to get me. I'm angry, having intrusive and repetitive thoughts. Stuff where I worry I'll get locked up if I tell anyone.
I am trying to get help, I know I need help. I don't have a psychiatrist or therapist right now but I'm working on getting those. I am medicated, my primary care doctor oversees everything right now and I made an appointment with them.
I don't feel completely hopeless, I just feel like this life I've built is in a precarious place and that scares me. Thoughts on what else to do? I'm fortunately about to do school online, so I'm limiting time in a potentially triggering environment. I've found my local NAMI group for peer support. I did call out sick this week to work on making calls to potential providers and trying to lower my stress. Anything else I should be thinking about?
Posted Oct 30, 2025, 3:55 PM UTC