I've known my whole life I'm a very intelligent person, but academically I have always underachieved. REcently I was diagnosed with BP II, but now we think it may be Cyclothemia. I also have ADHD. I can't seem to finish school! I am constantly dropping classes because I hate the professor, or because my grades are too low, I struggle terribly through long readings....the list goes on.
Has anybody struggled through college like this, but found a way to graduate? What worked best for you?
I know once I graduate I'll do great, working in afield that greatly interests me, but right now it feels like it will never happen.

Thanks

I am also an intelligent person whose Bipolar Disorder made it impossible for me to attend college and get a degree in the same way as everyone else.
Are you on any medication? I was not diagnosed until I was 30 - so i was trying to do things that my chemical imbalance made impossible for me.

It's hard for me to factor in the ADHD because that can have a tremendous effect on your learning curve but I don't have any clue what ADHD & Bipolar will do to the whole situation.

It may be that you would be able to work and take a few classes a semester rather than do the traditional 4-6 yr college schedule. Are you at a spot in life where you could have cheap housing (home still?) and just take longer to graduate?

In my book it is just pushing it too far to try to do things in a normal fashion with a disorder like Bipolar. I'll be interested in how others did.
By the way I'm Type I Bipolar so I was at the severe end of the Bipolar landscape...
:angel:

I am not bp, but I did all of what you described above. What I did not do was drop courses despite a lower grade or a prof I hated, I showed up to class when I could take it and struggled through it. It is hard, but you need to keep your mind focused on the ultimate goal, your graduating. I too did not have any attention to sit and read, so I took notes after I read a section. It helped me to retain what I read b/c I am not the type to sit for a long time without doing something active. I then was forced to slow down and think about how to apply what I read. It is time consuming, but you need to just read what is assigned to you and try not to get overwhelmed. Take it one class at a time. As far as the prof's, I had some that needed shot for imposing their beliefs and views on me in their negative ways, but you must put that aside for your own benefit. Do not let THEM ruin your chance of graduating, then they have got you and you do not want that. Just remember you want to graduate, then do what you need to do to get there. Good luck.

By the way, what Ruth6:11 said about taking it slow is also good. Do not stress yourself out about it or rush yourself. It is not worth it, you do what you need to do to get through. Do not concern yourself with what people tell you or what people around you are doing, you know your timing and stress tolerance. Graduating is a wonderful acheivement, so do it in your own pace and be proud of what you have already accomplished:)!! It is not easy, but you are already doing it so you know you can finish it, just go at your own pace.

Thanks guys, those are good points....Actually that is what I've been doing....one or 2 classes a semester, but at 23, seeing all my peers already with desk jobs, and my younger sister about to graduate very quickly, it's very frustrating. I feel like I should be done with all that right now, finally fulfilling my potential, rather than being an underpaid shoe salesman paying my cellphone and school bills!

To answer your other question, yeah I am fortunate to have supportive parents, whom I live with (no rent to pay), The biggest enemy for now is time I guess. That's what has me the mnost frustrated,.

Becks...I can completely understand what you're going through!!! I'm 27, finally got my associates degree in 04 but desperately want to get my bachelors, although now I've changed my education path a little because I want to become a nurse and may settle for another associates for that. It's so hard because I know I'm smart enough for this and I see stupid people getting through college all the time! So I start thinking "why can't I do that?" This semester I once again dropped all my classes due to depression and just not being able to get to class. I don't know what the ADHD is like because most of the time I have no energy and would love to just have an hour of being somewhat hyperactive! (not trying to minimize what you deal with, but I would just like to get moving a little!) I'm also fortunate that my parents are providing my housing. They actually bought a house for me and I have a roommate who pays them rent. I'm also on disability, which helps some but not much. I've spent most of my 20's feeling so far behind everyone else I know. My friends from high school have master's degrees and are finishing up med school and other professional programs. I dread my 10-year reunion next year because I'm not where I want to be.
The best advice I have for you is to realize the pace at which you can succeed (meaning to not drop classes and get good grades) and do that. Take summer classes and/or intersessions if possible because that's one way to speed things up and you only have one class to concentrate on. Ignore everyone else!!!! (Talking to myself here, too!)
Good luck!

:) Thanks, I love that last sentence....ignore everybody else. Kind of puts me at ease thinking about that. One credit at a time, we will get there. the best thing to think about is once we ARE there, our intelligence will help us catch up in no time.

becks- I'm not bipolar (possible cyclothymia, though), but I do suffer from severe OCD, and it's torture being in school! I'm a college freshman, and even though I'm getting my work done, it's a struggle. My anxiety and obsessions just overpower my abilities, and make me do poorly in subjects like math, where there isn't an obvious, resolute answer, causing me to doubt myself and get it wrong... :rolleyes: You're right, though- not only are we smart and creative, but we're all strong! It takes a lot of willpower to have to deal with the regular stress of college, plus having to slog through every day with a mental illness! We just simply can't let our mental illness win- that's what they want! Good luck and God bless! :angel:
-GatsbyLuvr1920-

Hey there! :wave: Just wanted to hopefully give you a little bit of hope when it comes to making it through college!! Please, forgive the rambling length of this post. It has a point in here somewhere!!

I have only been diagnosed as BP for the past couple years. When I was in college, I just thought I had severe depression only. I'm a pretty intelligent person, but it took me 7 years to get my degree (going full time!). I would drop classes, just stop going, etc. I also changed my major about as often as I changed clothes. I just couldn't find something I really wanted to do with my life (still can't)!

I felt a lot of pressure to do certain things, major in certain subjects, get particular careers. But, I finally found a way to get my degree. :)

I transferred to a college near my hometown and moved back in with my mom. It was a lot easier because I didn't have the added pressure of working to pay rent, etc. I commuted to school and the classes seemed easier...but I still didn't like my major and I felt like it would never happen. Then it hit me that I REALLY wanted to graduate from college and I DID NOT want to be a teacher like my family was pressuring me to do. So, what COULD I do?

My solution was to just choose a major I enjoyed regardless of what I could use the degree for. I love history and politics, personally, and I had quite a few credits in those subjects, so I found an advisor in the history department that was mega-cool.

I had totally beat myself up over my GPA, because in high school I had a perfect 4.0 and had always expected myself to be an A student, but this advisor reminded me that D=Diploma. *lol* His point was that I should lighten up and just do my best. Once you get your degree, your GPA isn't going to be on any job applications!

I finished my B.A. in history with a minor in poli sci. Then everyone was like what are u going to do with that degree? I didn't want to be a lawyer and I sure didn't want to teach. What mattered though was that I had a degree, which raised my employability considerably!

I have a job now that requires a degree. I earned the job because of the SKILLS I acquired as a history major...not because I know when the Norman Invasion of England occurred. I can write like crazy, because that's all history majors do! So, I write newsletters, press releases, etc.

So, long story short (too late!)...find your niche. Figure out what you love and study it! It's worth all the headache and pain to earn that degree! Don't worry about what others think or what job you can get...just remember that no education is wasted. All those different classes just make you a more well-rounded person. :bouncing:

Ginger