I am 38 and my doc just told me he thinks I'm bipolar. What I can say is I have endured trauma in many forms. At 16 I went to an adult prison for 10 years. I killed a guy that punched me in the face when I was at some strange boys aunties crack house. My life before prison is a blur of violence and gangs and sex and travel..i was psychotic, I was in a deep depression, and I was sent to an adult prison. I did my time and besides alllllll the fighting and solitary confinement, I did it well I think. Soaked up all education I could and since out have gotten a masters degree. I can' use it tho, cuz I'm a felon so not of any of it matters anyway. I finally decided to settle and be a stay at home mom and married a guy after 2 months and he already has hit me 3 times. He beat me a number of times throughout my pregnancy, other than that I was all alone in a big beautiful house. I drove myself to the hospital in middle of Montana winter on bald tires. Thank god my neighbor tried to keep my driveway plowed cuz I was usually trapped. I finally left him in September, but can' get even the simplest of jobs. My 1 years old son is developmentally disabled and ALL I WANT TO DO IS BE HIS MOM so I think about going back to dad just because. Now my new pdoc apparently thinks I'm bipolar. I get extensive testing January 10th. I told him I have a lot of trauma, but he thinks it all happened due to bipolar. I have recurring nightmares since I got out. I am always in prison still and one story or another. Needless to say it doesn't add positivity to my day. But it' been over 10 years and I'm used to them. But now since I left my husband, his scenario has been added on and these recurring dreams have all of the above. Was just given prizocin but I'm walking around dizzy I hate that and dreams are still with me. I started Lamictal and Latuda recently and am weaning off effexor rn which sucks. Anyways hello community this is me and it sure feels like I belong here.