Treatment for bipolar disorder in general involves medication to help stabilize the individual’s mood, and landing on the right combination of drugs can take some amount of trial and error. “But it can also be extremely disconcerting or even dangerous for a person when they still feel this sense that something is not right, that they are not fully in control of themself.” Prevention and management of bipolar episodes almost always involves medication, but therapy can also be incredibly beneficial. “Mania can feel like a wonderful, exciting, productive place to be when it is going on, that absolutely does happen” she says. Marsh agrees that hypomania or mania can bring on periods of great creativity or confidence for a person with bipolar disorder. ![]() “Even now, people call me energetic, though I don't see myself that way at all.”ĭr. You feel confident, like anything you do is right, and there will be no consequences for your behavior.”Īndrea, 46, says that the bursts of energy she gets during a hypomanic episode can “lead to lots of creativity.” (She was diagnosed with bipolar II in 2010.) “When I was younger, I could get by on less sleep and be active all day long,” she tells SELF. “It feels almost as if you have taken Adderall or cocaine. Sarah*, 25, who was diagnosed with bipolar II last year, has felt these types of urges during hypomanic episodes: “You feel like you want to spend money and have as much sex as possible,” she says. “These are classic examples of risky behaviors associated with mania in bipolar disorder,” Dr. Mania may also lead someone to become very sexual and behave sexually in ways that may be totally out of character for them. I’ve had patients waste their fortunes or go into debt,” Dr. “It’s a common experience for people with bipolar disorder to spend a ton of money during manic episodes. Manic episodes can also make someone act impulsively or carelessly even if they feel “up” or euphoric, and as a result, can lead to serious consequences. Initially, I felt shy, then I got over it,” he says. “How did that feel at the time? Normal.” During another, “I thought I was being watched by everyone on the planet when I showered took a bath. During one episode, “I thought I was teaching English to millions of Chinese people telepathically,” he tells SELF. Bradley, 54, who was diagnosed with bipolar I when he was 48 years old, remembers a few distinct examples of extremely out-of-character behavior during mania. On the more extreme end of the spectrum, a person may completely lose touch with reality during a manic episode. Even the most unrealistic goal seems easy and attainable,” he tells SELF. Mike, 66, who has symptoms of bipolar I, describes mania as feeling like you’re on top of the world. ![]() “I got three hours of sleep on that schedule for two months. ![]() “I was out of the house, on my feet, in rehearsal for 16 hours a day,” Emma says. Her worst hypomanic episode was the summer before her senior year of high school, she recalls. ![]() It's like living life at hyper-speed,” she says. When she’s experiencing manic symptoms, it “feels like you're high on life, like nothing can touch you. “Your brain is racing, and you don’t need to sleep because you’ve got so many ideas and so much energy to do all these activities, and you’re frustrated things aren’t happening even faster.” Everyone’s experiences during mania are different, and manic behaviors, thoughts, and feelings can vary greatly.Įmma, 20, has bipolar II, so she experiences hypomania, “which means my manic episodes are not too high of highs,” she tells SELF. You can’t wait for someone to respond to what you just said because you have three other ideas you have to get express to them ASAP,” she explains. She adds that many of her patients express mania with irritability as feeling as if things are taking too long: “You can’t sit there at the red light it’s taking too long. “So you’ve got this extra energy, your thoughts are moving fast, you’re trying to do ten things at once, you’re easily distracted, but you’re agitated,” Dr. For example, a person may have a mood elevation with irritability or anger.
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