I, too, tend to have a manic upswing in the spring. I'm at my most vulnerable between March and May, but sometimes it starts earlier. I've already experienced my upswing this year, and have already had a medication increase. That has calmed it quite a bit, as has "laying low" and having my husband working from home because of the pandemic. Knowing that I am vulnerable in the spring helps me plan accordingly. My tdoc, pdoc, hubby, and I can be more on the lookout knowing my tendency. That helps a lot. I won't say that my upswing is over, because it can start up again.

A while back, my husband had wanted to travel to Europe in May. I reminded him what happens during the spring, so we both decided to make the trip in the fall, when I'm less vulnerable. It's just as well, since a trip in the spring would've likely been cancelled, anyway. My psychiatrist had a spring trip to Europe planned, but I'm certain that's cancelled. I'm glad, because not having him available at a vulnerable period is scary. He usually takes a long summer trip, but by summer I'm usually OK. Plus, he has a backup in place in the summer and/or he is not abroad. He spends his summers in Martha's Vineyard.

Really, traveling in spring is a no-no for me, since traveling itself is a huge mania trigger. It's not just the time of year, but the stress involved with travel. The more triggers added on, the more out of control and severe my mania can get. Kind of like adding gasoline to a fire.

I tend to stay in an air conditioned house or building in the summer. I just hate extreme heat and humidity! I do get out again in the fall. Often my mood has a milder upswing in the fall than spring, but during the winter I'm usually quite blah feeling....until February or March.

I usually don't have a significant depressive episode unless it is triggered by something significant. Or, such depressive episodes are relatively mild and/or pass quickly.