Mid-February of the 2024 spring semester marked a major depressive episode which hindered my academic progress. As the semester went on my depression got worse and less manageable leading up to my suicide attempt late April. I was admitted to an inpatient care and prescribed medication. Unbeknownst to the hospital this medication was a potential trigger to my manic episode that happened prior to my hospitalization. Upon concerns from classmates, I was sent to the ER by IUP counseling. I was admitted into inpatient care and hospitalized again for a month during the remaining weeks of the semester. Upon discharge, I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder which really made me realize the weight of what I went through. I was then prescribed mood stabilizers, and completed a safety plan. I finished five weeks of IOP (intensive outpatient program) and participated in weekly therapy sessions. However, several months into taking the medication, I stopped because I wanted to be “normal”. I then was hospitalized again causing an early end to my student career at IUP. Once I was released I yearned to get better and was adamant on making a change. Now, focusing on my mental health and substance use recovery helped me become a better student and a healthier person overall. Back when I first started college my mental health and substance abuse took a hold of me and made it extremely difficult to maintain myself in a school environment. Education and my dream career became the least of my priorities. I struggled with many setbacks including hospitalization, mania, depression, and suicidal ideation, which ultimately led to me dropping out. However, after a new year of med management, extensive therapy, some intensive outpatient therapy, and a critical safety plan, I’ve found the courage to attend classes once again. I'm now working with my new campus’s disability office to ensure I get the help that I may need. In doing so it's been easier to focus in class and on my school work. I now have the motivation to attend classes and feel excited when I do well. Excitement that wasn’t there before. I can finally excel like I knew I could. School is my top priority and I’ve learned that without all the trials and tribulations I went through, I wouldn’t have held school with such high value. Not only did it affect my school life, but it also changed my well being for the better. Who I am now is leaps and bounds beyond who I was when I was first diagnosed with bipolar. I’m so proud of the person I’ve become.

Focusing on my mental health and substance use recovery helped me become a better student. When I first started college back at IUP, I was diagnosed with bipolar. That and my substance abuse made it extremely difficult to maintain myself in the school environment. School became the least of my priorities. I struggled with many setbacks including hospitalization, mania, and depression which ultimately led to me dropping out. However, after a year of med management, extensive therapy, some intensive outpatient therapy, and a critical safety plan I’ve found the courage to attend classes once again. I'm now working with my new campus’s disability office to ensure I get the help that I may need. In doing so it's been easier to focus in class and on my school work. I now have the motivation to attend classes and feel excited when I do well. Excitement that wasn’t there before. I can finally excel like I knew I could. School is my top priority and I’ve learned that without all the trials and tribulations I went through, I wouldn’t have held school with such high value. I’ve grown so much more from who I was when I was first diagnosed and who I am now.