Episode 3 is by no means a unique story. A diagnosis of major depression with anxiety was standard before the bipolar II diagnosis came out in the DSM-IV and for a few years after when all the doctors starting slowly realizing, no, that's bipolar II. Among the people living with bipolar II that I know personally, at least two have had the unpleasant experience of being launched into hypomania by antidepressants or stimulants. And, at the hospital, I was not the only one who had been abandoned by a significant other.
As for the repeated bad experiences with mental health professionals, I can speak only for myself. I have had bad luck, but I have also made poor choices. I've never had much of a support network, which means that most of my referrals come from people who are out of touch or only know the people they're recommending professionally. I don't recommend the random method of choosing providers that I have practiced. I hope that others see my story for the cautionary tale that it is meant to be.
