This summer, I was fired from my job the same day I was hospitalized for some seriously erratic behavior. After a few days in the ER, I was involuntarily sent to the psych unit and summarily diagnosed with Bipolar I.

Later in, during attempts to save my job, I asked my employer's HR rep whether the ADA protects me in this case, but they indicated I should have requested accommodations while still an employee. This would not have been possible as I was only placed on leave one day prior to my termination, didn't know I had bipolar disorder, and absolutely wasn't capable of acting rationally at the time of the events that led to my terminations. I \*did\* however indicate that I was 'disabled' on my application for the job due to ADHD, but never asked for or was asked about accommodations for that disorder.

I feel so awful about this. Like, I could have gotten out in front of it if I'd known about it beforehand, but instead, my life has been turned upside down over a mental illness that snuck up on me and my solid career as a software engineer I built up over years - which nevertheless still requires good recommendations and few gaps in resumes to sustain - is in shambles.

I'm wondering if any of you fair souls have been through something like this before and can enlighten me on what my rights are in this situation and whether life goes on from here?