Handwriting

[ApRiLGeTsAngry77]

I have always prided myself on nice,neat handwriting. I have noticed that my handwriting changes depending on my mood. When I am manic, it is very sloppy. Has anyone else noticed a difference in their handwriting when they are experiencing a bipolar episode?

[Anneinside]

When manic I tend to skip words or leave out letters because I am trying to keep up with my thoughts. When depressed my writing gets big, loopy and scrawling. I keep a written journal in part to monitor my moods.

[ehenage]

This happened in the extreme to me one night during the month I was awaiting the right medication.  I discovered that if I spoke out loud the words I was trying to write, I was able to slow down enough to write relatively nicely.  I have also experimented (when neither manic or depressed) with different size handwriting when writing in cursive vs. print-- neat writing in one style was obtained by writing in a different size than neat writing in the other style.

[DEJ4120]

I am glad you asked that question.  I realized that my handwriting would change for periods at a time-just as a lot of things would fluctuate with me. I always referred to myself as capricious because I never could attach to something enough to even have a favorite anything (color, fruit, movie, etc...). After reading your question and the responses, I now realize I am not as capricious as I am Bipolar.  In short, yes, my handwriting does change (now I know why). I am not happy that that is the case with you, but I do appreciate your question.  Thanks for sharing April...

[Xila31]

Speaking of typing, I get into these urges to just type and type and not even make words, necessarily. It seems that when I'm manic, the motion or the sound of the keys or something effects me. Also, typing becomes difficult, too, in that I can't spell or think clearly. I make tons of mistakes.

When I was a teen / young adult and was psychotic and didn't know it, I wrote an entire book of poetry inside a journal. It isn't written in nice neat little lines, oh no. It is all over the place, in many colors of marker. Wavey lines, spirals, lots of pictures, different sized lettering, and it is really strange to go back and read it. So yes, I think our handwriting and just what we write down in general is very indicative of our moods and well being.

[wj74]

My handwriting is crap LOL while I'm manic. It literally looks like I'm on speed. Depressed, it's more sloppy than usual and you can prob tell I don't feel like writing at the moment. It's short and not sweet. :)

[betty_blue]

When I am manic, I have will go over and over it, tracing.  Or if I have the chance, I will write a simple note until I see it as perfect (the way it looks, grammar, etc.) - sometimes up to 20 or more times.  (The person usually comes back before I am done leaving it..:)  

When depressed, or fatigued, my handwriting (printing really) gets pretty sloppy.  If there is a lot to do - forms and such - I pay or trade the work off if I can because it is so taxing to me that it has triggered several panic attacks in the past.  

In sum, I think there is a huge connection between your writing (even maybe the meticulous, tedious nature of typing and how sloppy grammar and spelling can get, how much if at all it fatigues you, etc.) and where you are on the bi-polar scale.  

I think it is a mood indicator, honestly, more than an indicator to your personality that stays fairly steady.  I mean, I don't know how much handwriting readers can actually tell about a person in the way they claim, but as a general tool for overall mood, yes, it seems to be an indicator of how one is feeling.

Does anyone else think so?  Or think handwriting can be "read" as clearly as graphologists say it can?  

[hell1971]

Absolutley, my writing changes depending on what state I am in, when manic my writing is messy, all over the place, when im writing its like im shaking inside, when depressed its slow and untidy, when normal I have neat consistant writing, its mad.

[monkeyc]

Ive noticed the effect of drugs on it. Since starting Seroquel my handwriting has become terrible especially in the mornings, I think its down to the tremors and cogwheel stiffness in my arms but either way its bad.

Also have trouble typing first thing as well.

[Xila31]

I also notice this. My handwriting gets sloppier, bigger, and I get frustrated at how long it takes. I also notice that it is much harder to spell words, put things in alphabetical order, or even dial a phone number without having some sort of trouble. I am actually a pertty good speller, not the best but not bad, but when I am manic even the most basic words become alien to me.

[braccio]

Yes, I have noticed during depressive episodes that it is hard to write, and my handwriting gets increasing sloppy.  I also usually have nice handwriting, so it really bothers me.  I find that if I slow down it usually helps.