Spring and mood swings

Hi, my pdoc told me that when Spring arrives (or it's about to arrive) many bipolars have a mood swing (mania or depression).

Actually this is happening to me right now and found it interesting that this happens.

Have any of you experienced something like that?

- Cat

Yes, I've noticed that every spring for the last 4-5 years I've cycled into hypomania during early-mid spring.

I just had a huge one - down deep depressed for 2-3 weeks, woke up Monday morning and I feel great! Nothing has changed in my circumstances...it's like a freaky switch in my head that I can't control....down....up.....down.....up. I've been diagnosed as severely depressed, but tomorrow I'm getting checked for bipolar. Could be spring???? I wouldn't be surprised. Spring comes sooner down here in South Texas. Today it's a beautiful spring day - about 80 degrees...it's lovely!

I feel the same way...though not quite so drastically yet (I live in not-so-Spring-like New England). Before I was diagnosed I just assumed that it was because of the switch from school to no school, but then my pdoc explained that with those diagnosed with bipolar it makes sense for the moods to shift with weather.

<3invisiblegirl

Yes. I tend to go into a pretty substantial depression....oh, about this time of year... late winter to early spring and have hypomanic spells in late spring to maybe midsummer. This is the first year I've been on a med that's been working, so it'll be interesting to see what happens. Recently, I've been feeling a descent, but I'm not sure if it's the usual seasonal thing...or being unemployed and really really bored... or that I moved in with my BF and he keeps the room where we spend far and away the most time dark all the time. I think it may be all these factors, but must admit that light really does effect my mood, and the dark room thing is really starting to wear on me. BUT, next week we're moving into an apartment that will solve that problem! (And will be finally able to look for jobs, which getting out of the house and having something to do should help as well.)
Sorry to ramble, but that's all to say that, yes, seasons and light have a substantial effect on my mood. (Last year, I had a huge shift on the day the clocks went forward -- usually it's not quite that dramatically calendar specific, lol!)

Yes, I have always ended up with a depression in the late winter/early spring followed by a hypomania immediately after.

Lithium isn't doing so well with my seasonal mood shifts, but it does well with my hormonal mood problems. Bah, I might have to tell my PNP this isn't working.....;(

I am just coming out of a depression which started in November and am getting a bit hypomanic or mixed at this point (can't decide which it is). Last year at this time I was depressed and I never got hypomanic. This year seems to be opposite! We'll see!

Yes--Spring (sunlight) has pushed me into hypo mania many times (I'm old!) & winters now that I live in the Midwest instead of Calif. have brought n depression. Do use the full spectrum light but have had to add Wellbutrin some winters.

Yeah, I guess April is a common month for "change." I was tired as hell for the past couple weeks. Now I think I'm getting wired. The weather is gloomy. Raining every day, but the snow is going away. It's almost completely gone. Yeah, I'm wired.

Yes, but this year (with thanks to Lamictal) I've avoided the early spring elation, which has caused me some problems in the past.

I was just told that I have BP this past summer and it's all new to me. Reading your messages here has put a lot into persepective for me! I'm understanding a few more things every visit. Today is really enlightening. I go through a somewhat mania (pretty low key) in the spring, but by summer I'm deep in depression and don't come out of it until about fall, then back into deep depression during late fall and all winter long.