Manic episodes

Been bipolar for most of my life but did not understand it.  have been manic since jan 2010 and it could'nt have come at a better time.  my spouse is ill and had to get her through it.  I'm concerned that this episode will end and i will go back to being depressed again.  Are there any steps to take to avoid another mood swing?

[adel_ezz]

unfortunately no. incidentally mania is nice at the beginning, but is not great fun because you may get into mixed states later. the latter is worse than depression.

as to understanding it, none of us do, it's an unstable phenomenon in which you can oscillate between episodes and you may not also have them. you may be euthemic for a whole year. it occurred to me once. the worse the BP the high frequent you get (kindling).

I congratulate you though. Because am only 27 and have the worst symptoms so having been BP for most of your life and are 54 is great meaning you survived a lot of episodes.

I also have been manic for the last 2 months and am beginning to fall down, i told my pdoc what abt when depression occurs, he said how can you become sure that it will happen automatically. Usually pts have mania then mixed states then depression then mixed states etc...depends on whether you take antidepressants or not, the more you take them your mania worsens in symptoms and you get rapid cycling therefore mixed states etc...

i would not try to alter anything neither extend your high mood, just wait and watch out then modify accordingly.
good luck

[113]

I've been bipolar for over 40 yrs. The best advise that I can give is stay in touch with your pdoc. I know it can be hard not knowing what your going to feel like from day to day. I just try to keep a positive mind and try to stay away from negative thoughts. I wish you luck. Try to keep your head up, take one day at a time and communicate with love ones. After all that's what their there for. I've been married to the same wonderful man for almost 40 yrs.