[Moose72]

When they describe bipolar why do they say "it's a rollercoaster"? I was just at webmd and they say it's euphoria, depression and just said mixed states are both of these. Umm..... This is not how I feel- overly happy or overly sad. Where are the depersonalizations, the unstable emotional states where you aren't sure what emotion you'rehaving? The buzzing constant anxiety or the inability to sleep but without doing a million things? They mention psychosis but why not explain it? Why the severe internal anxiety/restlessness and the fact that the meds then swing you the opposite diectuon so you can't function because you're sleeping? What about wanting to punch strangers in the face when manic? Is that a happy feeling???

[Rebound]

Hi,

I can tell you with certainty that while I sometimes do get quite high with grandiose ideas etc, but that generally changes to anger, aggression, probs with impulse control and feelings of tons of pent-up energy that I can't seem to release. I'm experiencing that now and it sounds like it's similar to what you are going through.

I hear ya about the meds too. In the two times I've seen my pdoc, he's prescribed 3 new meds besides the lamictal I was already taking.

[BNLsMOM]

My happy, "I can do anything in the world because I rock" highs turn very quickly to angry frustration at the first difficult obstacle in my path toward "greatness."

The info out there is less than satisfying, but the anecdotals including message boards are, in my opinion, far more valuable.

[Moose72]

But it's those that the general public reads..... Nobody would do a story on it and sit and read this bulletin board.

[Rebound]

I don't know if this make you feel any better or not, but I found this on the BP page on the National Institute of Mental Health, www.nimh.nih.gov :
Bipolar disorder causes dramatic mood swings from overly "high" and/or irritable to sad and hopeless, and then back again, often with periods of normal mood in between. Severe changes in energy and behavior go along with these changes in mood. The periods of highs and lows are called episodes of mania and depression

[BNLsMOM]

I just happened to find this:

Although popular culture tends to equate mania with happiness and depression with sadness this isn't really the best way to think about what is happening in bipolar disorder. Bipolar Disorder involves not so much a swing between happy and sad states, as it does a swing between high and low energy states. When in a high-energy state, people appear happy because they are motivated and excitable, whereas in a low energy state, people feel sad, and lack motivation and enthusiasm. As the energy level of a manic episode increases, the early happy mood tends to degenerate into a more agitated and psychotic state which may be experienced more as terrifying than happy, but which is nevertheless very energizing. Similarly, as a depressive mood state increases, people may go from merely feeling badly about themselves to literally not being able to leave their bed. Thus, the happy and sad moods that are thought to characterize mania and depression respectively are results of different energy states and not necessarily primary features of the disorder.

Here's the link to the article. I am just reading it now:

http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_d...&id=11193&cn=4

[perpetuallysad]

Gesus, that's the best description of my problems I've ever read, awesome find!

[Fire_Star]

Interesting article. Thanks for that!

[BNLsMOM]

Originally Posted by Fire_Star

Interesting article. Thanks for that!

Phew, all 34 pages of it...

[Moose72]

Thanks! I should thank the author! Books have been written from first person perspective on bipolar/mania but seems we need to write one that gives chapters for each perspective in little managable chunks ya know?

[Trying & Caring]

Well, I guess I'm one of the "lucky" ones in that my mania (really only hypo manic but dxed as bipolar 1 due to delusional thinking--paranoia & such when depressed)so it is a mixed blessing in that I went for about 6 mos. in hypo mania--not sleeping, feeling really great, high self-esteem (very rare for me), incredible energy & drive & creativity. But after all those mos. of not sleeping I suddenly fell into a really bad depression & overdosed on my psych meds.

So now my meds provider says I need to call her if I go 3 nights without sleeping at least 6 hrs. For some reason sleeping is very hard for me...

[Fire_Star]

I rarely sleep more than 6 hours max usually. Up - my mind won't stfu and down - i'm too paranoid and scared. So sleep is hard for me too! Though in my latest down episode I was sleeping most of the day which was new for me.

[leah0306]

hi, that is THE PERFECT explaination, describes me to the T. take care

[Tamale]

While I've only been dx with depression and anxiety--I feel like I experience many of these symptoms on the bipolar spectrum. My anger, rage, fast talking make more sense with bipolar, as does the times of heightened energy I experience--running around, trying to do a bunch of things at once, feeling like I can't sleep even though I'm tired.

Although I know I need to talk to a doctor about this and not self-diagnose, I can't help but see how the bipolar spectrum describes all of my symptoms more than just dep. or anxiety. My question is--how long does it take from one swing to another. The descriptions make it sound like it is a pretty clear change from one mood to another---and that the moods last for days (the article said 4 days to be classified as hypomania).
I don't know how long I feel the way I feel before I change. I guess I need to start a journal or something.

Some changes are quick; some are gradual. Some episodes last a few days; some for months. It's a very individual thing.

[Yoda]

Good thread.

[romanjames2004]

Haha... I know exactly what you mean. When I first studied biplolar and found that I had it. The doctor told me I will get certain "feelings". He basicly made a "manic" state out to be a beautiful thing or, "euphoric" as you said. Well, when I was noticing the different states of bipolar disorder that I was living, I started wondering. I hate myself at the moment, but really, I kept obssessing and delving into why and my thoughts would make me dive into this mental "black hole". I am glad you brought this tipic up because, Yes! I belive that you can be manic and be in a really crappy mood. Although I cannot speak for everyone, I belive that alot of us bip's can realate!

Roman

[missmoonshine]

Theres bipolar 1 and theres bipolar 2. Bipolar 1 is generally depression and euphoria (mania) and bipolar 2 is generally depression and irrational irritibility (hypomania) With all that stuff in between, it doesnt have to be euphoria (although lots of people thnk this is the case

[Moose72]

RomanJames, I have thought things into little corners too. A lot when I was a teen and in my 20s. I can't believe your doctor would say and especially THINK that about mania. If some medic said that to me I'd get angry.

[romanjames2004]

Haha I know. Well, let's just say its better to go to a PDoc. The doc I was talking about also told me that if I wanted to kill myself it would be a cowardly thing to lol. this was right after I tried. I hate going to General prac. docs for psch reasons lol.

[Fire_Star]

Whoa, Roman. That really blows.

I don't like going to GPs either. I *know* they don't get it and I don't trust them at all with mental health issues. Some really don't care but a lot just don't have the opportunity to get additional training etc to handle mental health even just at the basic level. It's worse in rural areas. When I was living in a rural area, my GP didn't know anything about how to manage my healing scars (I had a car accident and my injuries had to be treated like a burn victim's). I knew more about it so would I want to go to that GP about my mental health? Yeah, I wouldn't be comfortable. It's the reason I never got help years back when I should have.

[BNLsMOM]

My GP told me she couldn't treat someone with bipolar when I went in suspecting I had it. At the time I was really angry, but the more I know about it, the more I respect what she said. She can treat me for any of my physical things but anything that has to do with BP, I go to my p-doc.

[Moose72]

Gps seem to just prescribe antidepressents and refer you. One pdoc I saw 11years ago (once) tld me everything I was going through was normal. I think that's code for "get out of my office so I can go home". (this was before I was diagnosed - that was 2006)

[afterthefall]

Does anyone else's mania and depression follow along with each change of the seasons, i.e. winter= depression and spring, summer and early fall=mania.

[romanjames2004]

Well I get depressed when it's winter. I hate being caged up like an animal in my house where my family keeps the heat on as hot as possible lol.