Sarah, I'm 48, so I was 47 when the manic episode happened. I realize that's unusually old for a first instance.

Thing about it is this was very powerful, weeks long, and didn't feel like anything substance related if that makes sense. The lack of sleep was ridiculously strong, I would lay there all night and try to relax but sleep would never come. Having to talk all the time was close to uncontrollable, I was calling everyone I knew and talking for hours (international rates lol). And when I wasn't talking, I was typing up 8-10 page emails. The physical sensations were powerful as well, tense muscles and jaw, that sort of thing. It was impossible to relax. But I felt pretty good at the same time, if that makes sense.

To me, that's totally manic, though I never felt that before (or since, except for one mild case 7 months or so ago). I just don't think that's something that drug withdrawal might cause, though I'm curious if anyone has any experience with that.

FWIW, my doctor said she suspected I had Bipolar II, and that was *before* the hospitalization so I might've been "upgraded". I could ask, my current psychiatrist is the same guy who was my primary in the hospital a year and a half ago.

Thanks for the welcome Skeezyks!