Nice thread, feels good to not feel like I'm the only one.
I was diagnosed manic depressive and bipolar type 2 when i was 15. I spent a lot of my youth in and out of psych wars, and drug rehabs because I tried to self medicate using opiates and benzos, and have tried commiting suicide.
everyday was a struggle. hell, im on meds now, and everyday still feels like a struggle. the smallest task, seems like you're climbin a mountain.
it's especially hard to deal with when people who don't have a clue about mental disorders and have lived perfectly normal lives try givin you advice.
my best advice if you plan to seek professional help is make sure you tell your therapist EVERYTHING. don't be embarrassed, they are there to help you. and try your best to force yourself to go to your therapy appointments even if you don't feel like it. if you don't, you'll be dropped and have to seek another place. and if you think you need meds to deal with it, you won't be able to continue to be prescribed them unless you continue seeing a therapist.
meds take a while before you feel a difference, so try not to get frustrated, and wait a bit. if you don't feel a difference in a month or 2, talk to whoever is prescribing your meds and they'll do some trial and error.. it takes a while to find the med that works for you, not everyone is the same so try and be patient!