u/Open-Situation-284

Hi,

I’m currently living at home, on 389/week (disability + half rate carers).

14K saved. I’ve done my fair share of traveling and I’m very VERY minimal with my spending right now (approx. €40 outgoings/week). Got myself through college with SUSI and part time work, been self sufficient and moved out at 17, back with my family now.

I’ve been recently diagnosed bipolar 1 so I’m working with my psychiatrist on a back to work plan so I can give graduate programme interviews a proper go this coming September (September 2027 start).

I have a university spin-out opportunity in the coming months too, some decent funding has been secured for that and I won’t be touching my personal money for it.

Assuming I remain on welfare until September 2027, prediction for my savings is in the €25k-28k range.

I’m in tech, so the graduate programme will probably earn me around €35k-€40k in the first 2 years. I have a free travel card (valid for 10 years even if I stop claiming welfare), so I’ll likely commute to Dublin and remain here. I don’t own a car.

All of my money is in cash and BOI, I don’t want to start a savings account yet until I have a
bigger buffer to put in for good that I won’t touch.

Is this wishful thinking or am I in a decent position? I would love to become a home owner earlier rather than later!

Recently diagnosed Bipolar 1 + currently stable(ish), looking back on my 2 best friends I lost through my depressive episodes which I didn’t know were what they were.

They ended on very bad terms, I self-isolated and pulled back entirely. I’m sure they both hate me, which I don’t like.

I’ve been dealing with a lot of “I need to disclose my illness to everyone around me so they don’t think I’m just a weirdo”, since my diagnosis, and I know I don’t owe anyone anything. But it’s been eating me alive and I really want to send a quick message to explain my side of the story.

But then again, I don’t expect forgiveness, I don’t want to reopen those chapters, and I don’t need their validation, or a response at all really. Regardless of whatever I was going through at the time, I still acted the way I did and the hurt remains on their side.

Anyone have advice on this? Has anyone reached out to past relationships for self-closure? Did it help at all? Do you regret reaching out?

I wanted to share an experience that I think may be relevant from a harm-reduction perspective.

Recently I experienced what appears to have been my first manic episode and am currently undergoing assessment for bipolar disorder. Prior to this, I had never considered that I might have bipolar.
Looking back, one of the most striking things is that the episode did not feel like an illness at the time. It felt like clarity. It felt like I had become a better version of myself. More confident, more insightful, more connected, more creative, more alive.
What I now realise is that sleep deprivation, intense stimulation, substances, and a general culture of pushing limits can become a very risky combination for people who may be vulnerable to mania without knowing it.

I am not posting this as a criticism of Berghain or club culture. I am posting it because if someone had described the early signs of mania to me a few months ago, I might have recognised what was happening sooner.

The biggest warning sign for me was not feeling bad.

It was feeling unusually amazing.

If you find yourself sleeping less and less, feeling invincible, becoming increasingly grandiose, believing you've unlocked special insights, taking risks you normally wouldn't, or having friends express concern while you're convinced everything is perfect, please take that seriously.

I thought I was having a breakthrough. In reality, I may have been having a manic episode.

If this helps even one person recognise the signs earlier than I did, it's worth sharing.

I wanted to share an experience that I think may be relevant from a harm-reduction perspective.

Recently I experienced what appears to have been my first manic episode and am currently undergoing assessment for bipolar disorder. Prior to this, I had never considered that I might have bipolar.
Looking back, one of the most striking things is that the episode did not feel like an illness at the time. It felt like clarity. It felt like I had become a better version of myself. More confident, more insightful, more connected, more creative, more alive.
What I now realise is that sleep deprivation, intense stimulation, substances, and a general culture of pushing limits can become a very risky combination for people who may be vulnerable to mania without knowing it.

I am not posting this as a criticism of Berghain or club culture. I am posting it because if someone had described the early signs of mania to me a few months ago, I might have recognised what was happening sooner.

The biggest warning sign for me was not feeling bad.

It was feeling unusually amazing.

If you find yourself sleeping less and less, feeling invincible, becoming increasingly grandiose, believing you've unlocked special insights, taking risks you normally wouldn't, or having friends express concern while you're convinced everything is perfect, please take that seriously.

I thought I was having a breakthrough. In reality, I may have been having a manic episode.

If this helps even one person recognise the signs earlier than I did, it's worth sharing.

Hi everyone i’m wondering does the free travel pass get me on the belfast train from connolly or do i have to pay going to the north?