what is your advice on manic episodes

[Alex_X_18]

I would just like to know how other people deal with their mainia
how do you keep others from knowing your manic and when you get manic
how do you treat it....are you able to see it comming or does it just hit???

[ILADVOCATE]

I would say you might be rapid cycling but only a psychiatrist would be able to provide a conclusive diagnosis but if at any time you have suicidal ideations it would be essential to speak to a psychiatrist as soon as possible.

[b1944]

help me
i want to fly but always crash and burn
i am wonderful but flawed
it follows me everywhere
hurts my wife
confuses my friends
chases many away
help me
i wanna die

[paranoid_cataclysm]

I have not been manic but I can relapse and not realize it until it is blatently obvious and bipolar disorder can do the same.  I have someone who lets me know when I am getting worse.  As for hiding it that is a tough thing to do and it's better just to prevent it from happening in the first place by figuring out your triggers and the right medication.

[adel_ezz]

I agree with you

It does come without warning, by less sleep or stresses or an extra antidepressant if more depressed for a few days. seroquel is my God send one more capsule of 25mg puts it off. In fact it does extinguish the mixed states too. Yesterday for instance I was alarmed and sent a mail SOS when ILADVOCATE as usual answered it. I had rapid cycling and mixed states. I was perplexed and thought it's the end of the world. So I took an extra 1/2 tablet of seroquel (they come in 25mg capsules) and today I woke up like no best. I hope they keep producing it though it's said the patent ends in 2010, most probably astra Zenica will keep producing it under a generic name.

Incidentally how did your pdoc stabilize you towards the manic side, because if he could do that then he can stabilize you as normal (in between) which is better. The manic side is still horrible since it triggers along with it a mixed episode sometimes.

I am optimistic that bipolarity can be understood in the near future. Everyday new antipsychotics and new mood stabilizers. Perhaps they can come up with something effective soon. Hope so. The more they focus on it by movies and in serials the more it's worth doing research since it will pay off

[bipolar1958]

I deal with my mania by taking Seroquel. I don't have the ability to perceive my mania until it's full blown and too late. In other words I can't see it coming. It's the same for my depressive moods, although those are less frequent now becasue my Doc has stabilized me toward the manic side becasue I become suicidal when I'm extremely depressed.

[Vikkttoorr99]

My mania was hypo. I have learning disabilities that have gone undiagnosed. Yeah I made it thru college without help. I could have gotten help but had no idea. I had trouble keeping focused cuz I'm ADD. I didn't know it. I did figure out that if I kept myself from sleeping for many days and pounded caffeine I could get myself into mini hypo mania. I eventually figured out how pop myself into a full blown hypo. I could think great at first, enough to get my homework done or take a test. But heck if I could remember any of a few days later. My "method" would last 4-6 days then I crashed. My mind was pudding and you could hear the wind blowing through my skull. I'd wait a day or so then I'd start it all over again. I thought that I had to try as hard as I could to be normal, but I got myself on the edge of psychosis way  too many  times. Mostly all for that stupid "A." I  gave myself a great schooling in regards to my illness by poking the bees nest. Not necessarily a good way to go about it though. After a couple of  years of that I didn't see the loo loo of an episode that left me completely out of it for almost 2 weeks. That left me disabled. I've been trying to get my mind back since 98. The brain gets injured and it needs time to heal and "rewire" itself. Everyone's different, obviously, but from what I understand, to the brain manias are not  good. After my huge episode I used a mood chart to map out as many things as I could to see what my triggers might be. It's kind of a pain and a little time consuming but once you get a basic understanding it's not as big of one.  As far as anyone knowing you're manic...if they know you at all they will know cuz you're probably not like that all of the time. If your friends are comfortable enough to give you some freedom then consider yourself blessed. To me my illness is like a troll that's chained to me. I make it walk behind me. I try to ignore it but it just gets louder and stinkier. For me I have to clean and bathe my troll, take care of it and make sure it's in its place. Sure it walks behind me but I try to know as much as I can about it, know where it is and clean up after it. The more you know about yourself the more you will know about your illness.

[ILADVOCATE]

After recovery as regards psychosis I know when moodswings will occur. Things just don't seem right. Then as now the first person I talk about to about it is my psychiatrist. That goes for everyone imo. As for not letting other people know if you feel the urge to say something that might be inappropriate don't. Think about it first. But if you have friends that you trust let them know. Especially if some of them have bipolar. Its a good system when people who are both coping with the same issues can be a kind of "alert system" for each other. Same as sponsors for AA. I know in the past if a friend of mine who also had a diagnosis told me I was manic I'd take it seriously and then I'd speak to my psychiatrist about it. One thing that I learned the hard way (but that was way in the past) is that if you want to tell the whole world your life story all of a sudden that's a good indication of being manic so don't. Every person's emotional trigger points and warning signs of mania differ though. But its always worth talking over with a psychiatrist.