Mania / Hyper-mania

The word "mania" implies way out of ordinary behaviour.  It can be that at sometime during a sufferer's life but usually a manic spell is far less outlandish.  If you find this revelation boring then move on now to a more sensational website.

These are typical symptoms of mania (or a manic episode):

• Increased energy, activity, and restlessness (up all night or very early rising).
• Excessively "high," overly good, euphoric mood. (I am everyone's friend)
• Extreme irritability with mundane works or people. (bored bored bored)
• Racing thoughts and talking very fast, jumping from one idea to another (I call my spells "butterfly thoughts")
• Distractibility, can't concentrate well (eg staring at computer screen )
• Little sleep needed (up all night or very early rising).
• Unrealistic beliefs in one's abilities and powers ( I am the greatest!)
• Poor judgment (spur of the moment decisions, very exciting but often wrong!)
• Chopping and changing ideas (she loves me, she loves me not)
• Spending sprees ( You see it you buy it, and not always for yourself)
• A lasting period of behaviour that is different from usual (ask you family or friends)
• Increased sexual drive (affairs, internet flirting, texting, masturbation, or middle of the night disturbing of partner)
• Abuse of drugs, particularly caffeine, cocaine, pot, alcohol, and sleeping medications (self medicating, it makes matters worse)
• Provocative, intrusive, or aggressive behaviour (I am great your need my help)
• Denial that anything is wrong (what me bipolar? nah! I am just having fun)

What Bipolar Mania Means for Me

Being on anti depressants without a mood stabiliser has always resulted in me going high! So beware of antidepressants on their own, if your are bipolar

The word mania is misused and misunderstood.  I believe that my episodes into the state termed mania are actually hyper-manic which is the medical term for a less severe mood than full blown mania.

Those amongst us who have taken LSD have visited a state of madness.  Bipolar's do not experience LSD type symptoms but some sufferers experience a psychosis which may be LSD like, I am guessing, as I do not get psychotic.  Psychosis is seeing, hearing or sensing something that isn't real.  Spiritualists do it every day for money!!  The bipolar majority behave more like a happy drunk on speed.  Mania revs up the sufferer. We get high but not like the high of a pot smoker. So how is it an illness? I will tell you.

Read on: -

In my normal mood, I am sensible, sociable, cheerful, talkative and helpful.  I make friends easily (but don't keep them as friends long term) and I am at ease with the world. For me there is a thin dividing line between these attributes and hyper-mania in which these traits become exaggerated causing me to be to-pushy, to-intrusive, to-selfish, to-energetic, to-elated, to-irritable and liable to spur of the moment decisions without much thought of the consequences. 

Some spur of the moment decisions will be good and some bad.  I cannot make plans properly as that is hard for me, so I jump from one idea to another and may just carry out an impetuous idea that normally I wouldn't. I have bought-cars-that-way. I left-my-family-on-the-spur-of-the-moment.  I came back to my family-that-way.  I have-bought-a-house-that-way.  This impetuousness does upset people.  I know to my cost and it is almost impossible to get anyone to believe that an illness caused me to act so out of character.  It just sounds like an excuse for bad behaviour. Well! I have an illness, it's called Manic Depression.

A typical higher state for me is that I become extra jovial, more outgoing, more talkative.  I write many letters, send e-mails, use the telephone more. In the past I have drank heavily in hyper-mania, which played havoc with my moods and medication.  I become heavily involved in good causes and lame ducks alike.  It seems I cannot always tell the difference between good and bad in a manic mood.  My conversations become difficult to follow as I hop from one topic to another.  I make new friends and sometimes drop old ones whom seem boring to me in this mood.  I will make spur of the moment decisions and try and involve others in sometimes unrealistic trips, schemes or purchases.  I am non violent in all moods tending to walk out / away when I feel edgy.  Time on my own brings me down a bit and then I walk back in if the other person will let me.  Does this sound like anyone you know? Yes well there are 1 in 100 people with Bipolar but only a few get diagnosed.  One of the main ways a Bipolar sufferer gets a diagnosis is after a period of depression that their GP is treating with an anti depressant and they go high.  An antidepressant used alone without a mood stabiliser very often pushes the patient into hypermania or full blown mania.  It was certainly the case with me. 3 major highs when I was on antidepressants without mood stabilisers.

I believe that people like me more when I am in a hyper mood, but I am not the best judge of that.

I can be very productive in this mood and take on useful DIY projects that normally I couldn't face doing.  I play my guitars really well, create websites, write letters and start books.  I can also become heavily committed to new ideas and spend all my time working on them.  I am also susceptible to suggestions from others and would likely say yes without a second thought to someone else's interests.  I can walk out on people I love without much provocation particularly if my mood is fuelled by alcohol. The same applies when I am depressed but I don't have any energy then to do it unless it is an easy option.

This high mood can last a few hours, days or many months with a few fluctuations where I regret some of my actions. 

It has to be pointed out here though that some decisions are bad and some are good even at the height of a manic spell.

Manic Depression affects many literary, artistic and musical people.  Maybe due to the greater range of moods endured by a sufferer.  This is comforting for us working class sufferers, to know we are in good company.

My advice is to get good medical support ask your GP if your area has crisis teams and whether you can have a CPN assigned to you. Put off making any life changing decisions until you are well again.  If a big decision is made and the sufferer goes from mania to normal or depressed and back to steady state and the decision seems right in all moods then it is ok to go with that decision.

I Forgive myself

As I forgive myself, I leave behind all feelings of not being good enough,
and I am free to love myself

Affirmation for self forgiveness

1. Make note of changes in sleeping patterns, especially if your friend or loved one has lots of energy on just a few hours of sleep.
2. Is he restlessly searching for ways to work off extra energy? Washing the car every day? Make note of this.
3. Be alert to increased talkativeness. If her mouth runneth over, this could be another symptom, especially if the talk seems pressured.
4. Be aware if someone starts making "clang" associations, i.e., gets distracted by the sounds of words - such as going on about microphones, xylophones and ice cream cones.
5. If your spouse/partner is suddenly more sexually demanding, it could be a symptom.
6. Check your phone bill for calls to 900 sex numbers. This, unfortunately, is another symptom of bipolar hypersexuality.
7. Study your credit card bills diligently! Mania can cause disastrous spending sprees. Consider taking the cards and checkbook away.
8. Notice if he complains that his thoughts are racing uncontrollably.
9. Be on the alert if she starts having delusions of grandeur - for example, making exaggerated plans like "I'm going to quit my job and write a novel" or "Let's move to Yemen this weekend!"
10. Watch out for unreasonable irritability and/or hostility. This is not just a symptom - it can be dangerous. Be cautious!
11. Increased religious zeal or involvement can be another sign of mania. Make note of this if you see it.
12. If she describes auditory or visual hallucinations or shows paranoid behavior, contact her psychiatrist immediately. These are serious symptoms.
13. During a manic episode, a person is likely to wear brightly colored or flamboyant clothing. Note this if it occurs with other symptoms.
14. If manic symptoms occur following a change in medications, contact the prescribing doctor promptly.

• Very happy and excited
• Irritated with other people who don't share your optimistic outlook
• Full of energy
• Unable or unwilling to sleep
• Full of new and exciting ideas
• More important than usual
• That you are hearing voices that other people can't hear

• Jumping very quickly from one idea to another
• Making plans that are grandiose and unrealistic
• Very active and moving very quickly
• Behaving in a bizarre way
• Speaking very quickly - if your mood is very high, it can be difficult for other people to understand what you are talking about
• Making odd decisions on the spur of the moment, sometimes with disastrous consequences
• Recklessly spending your money
• Less inhibited about your sexual behaviour

I know that I can create miracles in my life and I chose to do so now

The following link is to a word document that can help diagnose the illness so if you think you or a friend or family member may have Bipolar print it off and complete it then discuss the result with the family doctor

diagnostic questionnaire

I scored 22 on the questionnaire,

John

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Revised: January 13, 2008 .