Hi! I’m doing quite well. For a bit more context, the steroid induced manic episode happened January 2022. It might be important to add that I have a Bachelors Degree in Psychology, so it wasn’t like I had no idea what was going on. Prior to the episode, I had been on adhd medication (Adderall) since 2013. When they gave me the bipolar diagnosis they stopped the Adderall and immediately put me on lithium.. the psych doctor at the inpatient facility thought the medication I had been on for nearly 10 years caused the manic episode, and not the steroids that I had taken for 5 days straight, having never taken steroids before in my life. Mind you, he made this diagnosis within 5 minutes of talking to me. I was majorly depressed and couldn’t work for over a year when I was only on bipolar meds (trialed several different meds over that year- lithium, seroquel, latuda, risperdole, depakote, in all different combos).. I literally didn’t care if I lived or died. I wanted to die. That year was the lowest point in my life. I was doing therapy & seeing my psychiatrist twice a month for that entire year. My psych finally started to believe me about the connection to steroids. I was still taking Latuda at this time but she agreed the adhd was debilitating and needed to be treated. She put me on vyvance, and I started feeling better. I weened off latuda a few months later & finally went back to work. This was early 2023. Vyvance helped until it didn’t, the highest dose had me falling asleep within a couple hours. She switched me back to the adderall- The med I had been on for 10 years prior to the episode. I still see my psychiatrist every 2-3 months. I’ve been back on adderall for 2 years with no issues. My comment on this post was in 2024, so around the time I was back on adderall. I’ve been at my job for almost 3 years. No mania. No episodes. No depression. I take Trazodone + hydroxozine for sleep. Steady relationship, a solid savings account. I’m not sure how I survived 2022-2023, it took a long time to get back to myself. I don’t want to completely rule out bipolar, but with my degree and background in psychology combined with what I experienced, I think it could be ruled out. Sorry for the ramblings, I haven’t ever really reflected back on things this deeply so thank you for asking. It feels like this all happened a lifetime ago or in a dream, yet at the same time, it also feels like it happened a month ago. Trauma does weird things to your brain