I realized there was something really wrong when I started hallucinating and rambling absolute nonsense right in front of my kids. I lost all control over my actions and it was almost like consequences didn't exist in my mind. My boyfriend thought that I had started taking really heavy illegal drugs. I went to my Dr who sent me to a sleep specialist. The only thing the specialist really did was tell me to stop taking this over-the-counter antidepressant called 5-HTP. For 2 weeks these symptoms continued until I decided to drive to Walmart at like 2am. I fell asleep about 3 blocks from my apt and hit the ditch. I dug myself out in about an hour, drove back home because I had realized I forgot my wallet. I took off as soon as I found it and started falling asleep driving again almost immediately. I can remember seeing big brown garbage dumpster things flying over the hood of my car ad I hit them. Next thing I knew I was waking up in the ditch again. As I was trying to get out a police officer pulled up. He came up to my car, I told him that I thought I fell asleep. I guess I was acting pretty out of it cuz he asked if I was drinking, "NOPE" and he gave me a breathalyzer. My BAC was 0.0000. Then he asked if I was on any illegal drugs and I said the only things in my system are my prescribed medications. He had me do a field sobriety test which I failed miserably. I was then put under arrest for a DUI and agreed to a blood test and a search of my car and purse. As the police were about to take me to the station, the cop that searched my car approached me with a picture of little white pills. He asked me if I knew what they were..I had absolutely no idea and I was completely confused as to why he even asked me that. I wasn't confused for long..I was informed that they found 3 little pills in a cellophane in my wallet (Ritalin apparently). At first I thought they were totally lying until they also informed me that I was not only under arrest for the DUI but also 5th degree possession of a controlled substance. I was completely baffled as to how all this was happening to me. Back at the station I was telling the police that I saw little flying fairies painting golden murals on the walls..: obviously I was hallucinating again, I was taken to the hospital for a blood test and then thrown in jail (about 4am Fri morning). Saturday afternoon I woke up and it was like I was totally back to normal again.,like I had woken up from a bad dream that I could not control. I was released Monday and after giving it a lot of thought, I came to the conclusion that I suffered from serotonin syndrome. The only thing I had done different before I went crazy was start taking 5-HTP (over-the-counter antidepressant) and on top of that I was taking 3 other meds that could cause SS. A couple months later I had my first appt with a therapist. He almost immediately diagnosed me as bipolar. 2?mo later he retired so I started seeing a new therapist. I explained to her that I didn't think I was Bipolar..I also explained the whole SS incident. I told her it must have been serotonin syndrome and she told me that it actually sounded EXACTLY like a very severe manic episode. I was shocked and I didn't believe it until she told me the symptoms of severe mania and every single one matched what I went through. She also told me that thr was how my 1st therapist diagnosed me as BP. He immediately recognized my behavior as severe mania. She also told me this would probably help A LOT with court because in as severe mania as I was in, people can black out (I barely remember anything from the 2 weeks, not even my son's bday party), people lose control of themselves - cant stop yourself from doing certain things - you feel as if there is no such thing as a consequence - people completely lose the ability to make safe, smart, or good choices. It can cause people to ramble on nonsensically and it can cause hallucinations..and irritability. I suffered from ALL of these. My next court case is the 19th when I will be pleading NOT guilty (by reason of mental defect or insanity). If anyone had ANY experience with arrests or charges filed against you during a manic episode, please tell me about it and the outcome. I am really hoping once my therapist's letter is admitted into the court that the prosecution will either drop or significantly lower the charges because I have no memory of the crimes I allegedly committed and I had ZERO control of my faculties. I've never been in trouble before - totally clean record - and I'm a 4.0 college student that is graduating pretty soon. I have 2 young children and I want to become a criminal psychiatrist or psychologist but I would never be able to work in the health care industry again if I had a conviction of felony drug possession. So theoretically, my entire life could be ruined because I decided to try an over-the-counter antidepressant and the stupid medication caused me to have my 1st EVER severe manic episode. That would just be so absolutely ridiculous and unfair. Hopefully it works out for me..keep u posted if possible m