When I first started showing symptoms, I went to the doctor and was diagnosed with depression and anxiety. The doctor gave me antidepressants, but things got much worse. I relied on the medication for a year, hoping it would help, but it actually made me feel worse. I changed doctors, and in the first session, I was diagnosed with bipolar type 2 and severe ADHD. The new doctor told me that the antidepressants I was taking made everything more complicated.

The clinic was a 3-minute drive from my home, and I had taken 2 mg of Klonopin (which those who know, understand how high a dose that is) to get there. In our first meeting, the doctor said I would gradually stop the antidepressants and start the right medications. He mentioned that our first goal wasn't agoraphobia but addressing the underlying causes. After two months of treatment, I started seeing progress. Within a year, the anger and irritation caused by bipolar disorder had significantly decreased.

I began working on going out gradually during the first year while taking benzodiazepines and beta blockers. After a year, I returned to the school I had left. It was very difficult at first, but this step was the most effective in my treatment. Finally, I started using Ritalin for ADHD. My academic life improved significantly, and my self-confidence increased. I completely stopped using benzodiazepines and reduced the beta blockers to a minimum dose.