How long does your mania last?

[Bunkyburman]

Ok another question.  My Pysch asked me last week at my appointment how long my last manic episode lasted.  I thought back and advised about 1 year.  She said that was abnormal and that most rapid cycle.  At the time of the appointment I had been manic already for about 3 weeks and almost 4.  My depression lasts that long too.  The more I think about it, I know I am right except there are mixed episodes in there as well.   How long does everyone else last?

[kristimreed]

I have recently experienced mania, it lasted about 3 weeks. When I told my doctor, he said that was odd because mania does not typically last that long. I went off my medicine cold turkey, bad idea! I was very happy and had a very elevated mood, I forgot that with every episode of mania the depression will eventually set on. I have also been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder which for me was easier to handle than the bipolar. Honestly, the bipolar which is a chemical imbalance used to scare the living daylights out of me. I was more comfortable with the borderline because it was behavioral and I could control it. Recently however, I have discovered, that I do not have to fear bipolar or be in control of the borderline. I have begun to use my positive and healthy coping skills. I find that in offering an encouraging word to someone as well as of course taking my meds as prescribed helps a lot. In addition for me, my faith has played a great role in my recovery! I Believe that Jesus Christ loves me and that even in the darkness and despair of a mental illness, He will see me through. I have been diagnosed yes, but the diagnosis does not define who I am. I live my life now to encourage others. I desire to see people learn to accept themselves even with bi-polar. To remember that seasons of life will occur, as mentioned the episodes are different for different people. For me, I pray and journal. I give Jesus all of my mood swings and ask Him to help me through them and he does because He cares for me. He cares for you too :) I am no longer bound by mania or depression. I am not hopeful and joyful. I am in a mental health day program currently and my peers actually often come to me for advice and suggestions. I am able to offer them hope because I though once very negative and experiencing a lot of swings am now stable. I encourage you to take you meds as prescribed, to use your positive coping skills, and to find a way to bring peace into the chaos.    

[Bunkyburman]

I am really sorry you had a bad day!  let me know if you want to chat.  Remember you go back up!  I had a bad day as well.  I can feel the agitation growing and I was finally tired but now I am exhausted, I also am hearing negative voices and fear returning which means my mania is lifting and I am sinking.   I will fight this - good luck my friend

[Bubulous]

Well the mania finally got me back today.  I fell into a deep depression this morning and it was extreme.  I couldn't stop crying and I felt like I was going to lose it.  It is unfortunate that this still occurs with me taking all my meds and never breaking my routine but at least it usually doesn't last long.  I took a nap and I woke up fresh and ready.

[Bunkyburman]

Triazolam.  how are you today?

[Bubulous]

What sleep meds do you take?

[Bunkyburman]

Well I am not sleeping either.  I thought I would try no sleeping pill last night and test if i am still as manic.  Well that was dumb.  when I could not sleep I still just layed there.  I did not sleep but maybe 2 hours off and on all night.  I am still manic.  I am cleaning all the time and cannot concentrate for more than a few minutes on any one thing.  I do think I am getting more agitated, which means I am moving through a new phase.  But this has lasted a long time.  I love the euphoria, but I am scared of the fall.  I can feel it in the distance.  Maybe I won't fall either.  We can only hope right?
I have to say, my mania came on quick and was strong as well, hard to control.  weird.

[Bubulous]

I misspelled your name on purpose...know why?
Yeah I took my sleep meds last night and I finally got some sleep.  I am a lot more stable today but still pretty elevated.  I started hallucinating last night which usually doesn't happen until I have been up for a long time.  I also cut myself, I know, I have already heard it is dangerous and wrong but it happened and that is why I love my mania but I fear it.  I don't understand why it got so out of control, I typically handle it better but I could tell it was going to be a bad one as it kept getting more and more powerful.  I am so glad that I didn't fall into depression after that.  I had a feeling I wouldn't but I am usually proven wrong.  Anyway what have you been up to?

[Bunkyburman]

I completely feel the same way and can fully understand.  I went three full days with no sleep then took sleeping pills.  Still need them to sleep.  I tried to sleep without them and it is not happening.  Writing is a great idea.  I play my iphone

[Bubulous]

Still going, batteries haven't run out yet.  My body gets tired and I think I'm sleepy so I go lay down and think I'll take a nap right......wrong.  As soon as my body gets comfortable my mind starts spinning again.  I keep saying "I'm gonna go lay down", then walk in the room, lay for about 5 minutes and jump back up.  I finally started taking a notebook and pen to bed with me so my body could relax and my mind could wonder.  I have started 2 new poems and a book today.  I have the beginning and end to all of them I just have to fill in the middle : )

[Bunkyburman]

I know that is why I told you lol

[Bubulous]

LOL That's the pot calling the kettle black.  I don't know that I would be pleased with a "normal" relationship, or a "normal" life.  This new one may be a mess but I just closed my eyes as I run through the field of "red flags" leading up to her.  : )  Here we go again.

[Bunkyburman]

your BiPolar - you're a mess!!! lol  We can't choose who we fall in love with and everyone needs someone!  My husband is an alcoholic - who am I to judge?

[Anuket]

I find it's pretty much impossible for me to remember when certain moods started or ended, without using the mood tracker.  

[Bubulous]

Your right I am not a mess....we are lol.  I think I have finally found a girl that can handle me.  I met her in treatment.... I know what you guys are thinking, and yes it may be a mistake but I like to learn the hard way.  Anyway I met her in treatment while I was cycling super fast.  She helped with my depression and supported me.  She also got elevated as I went manic.  She is not bipolar like the last two were but she is a spunky, complicated "normal" person. lol
Anyway I lost contact with her when she left.  I tried to call and she didn't answer so after a couple of weeks I gave up and met Carolyn.  She was the one I just got out of the relationship with.  She got out a little before me and  came to pick me up from the hospital.  The beginning of the relationship was fun.  We were both manic and I can't tell you what it is like to be with a manic person when they are manic too but I'll just say it was a life changing, unstable, beautiful thing.  Anyway as I stayed elevated she went into depression....blah, blah, blah....long story.  We broke up about a month ago and haven't had any contact for a few weeks.
Then a few days ago I get an email from the other girl from treatment.....told you I was a mess : )  She told me that she had to go to another 90 day program somewhere else and she was afraid that she would never talk to me again.  It refilled my spirit and most likely has something to do with my mania.  I was elevated anyway but this sent me over the top.
Still think I am not a mess?

[Bunkyburman]

During mania I don't complete this tough - as you can tell from my page!  lol

[Bunkyburman]

Great Idea!  Someone else is journaling daily in the morning to help and I will start the same.

[Bunkyburman]

You are not a mess!  you have helped me more than you know - daily journaling is what I will do.  Mania makes me want to cheat on my husband and I quickly fall out of love with him.  I know how you feel.  Keep breathing my friend

[Bubulous]

Yeah I love the mood tracker on here.  You can print it out and it is easy to use.  It also shows all the emotions or behaviors that you experience day by day.

[Crystal413]

Everyone is different. I really mean that. The illness itself is unpredictable. Add meds into the equation and it's more complicated. Reason being, some meds work, some don't, some set off a particular mood or symptom, you may change a med or drop/add one etc. All of this adds to the unpredictability. I have rapid cycling, some mixed. My mania and hypomania lasts for different periods at different times. For me there is not a set amount of time. The only thing consistent with me is the depression. What I did start doing was keeping a log of my emotions, feelings and anything that might have taken place that stands out. I will read it in the present and may refer back to previous entries and I can actually see what was happening at the time. For example, I will see that I was hypomanic and how long it lasted. Another example, it helps determine when and if the hypomanic became manic or straight to deep depression and so on.(doesn't have to be long if you don't have the time or energy). This way I can have answers for the dr and keep track for myself. It also helps you and the dr. To figure out if your med/meds are working and for those who may need a med. I hope this helps answer your question. Crystal413

[Bubulous]

My cycles pretty much run elevated most of the time, the depression breaks through before the manic symptoms and the mania doesn't last long, usually a day or day then that next morning.  If it makes sense, when I went to treatment I was coming off of a 9 month deep depression because of a relationship I got into.  This wasn't the same I talked about in the other post.  This was a different girl and there is one more that is starting right now : ), classic bipolar, why wouldn't I look for love and fall out of it shortly after it starts.  Anyway, I'm a mess and I am elevated right now, but it is a great life.