To much stimulation.

Do others find that being around other people that are all talking creates to much stimulation and then turns into mania? Its like I don't know this about myself and get surprised when I yet again flip into mania. But I find it hard to have to keep watching myself during my waking hrs. Being in a party of people can have the same effect on me as alcohol use too.

Hi earthmamma,
Yes I find that too much stimulation effects me that way too. Even too much noise, or touch throws me for a loop. I find it necessary to not drink or put myself in those situations as it is a recipe for disaster for me. Sometimes when I am around alot of people talking I get anxious and irritable too. I'm convinced that being bipolar makes us ULTRA sensitive in many ways. For me, it's to the point that I can't even blast my stereo anymore, I have to listen to calming music to be able to focus on the road. Otherwise, I flip into mania.

Hey Earthmamma,

I think I do get like this too... but it's not to a great concern. I find it gets worse when people are talking to me and concentrating on what I am saying. I do not like being the centre of attention so I think that doesn't help.

I've never had a manic episode (well, not yet), but overstimulation makes me physically ill. I know others who say it can sent them manic. Noise seems especially to be a trigger.

But see what firsthand accounts you get. I just know I've tended to avoid large parties & noisy gatherings all my life, &I've never displayed any social phobias.

I think a lot of social interaction is a bit overstimulating for me - it doesn't turn to mania but it seems to hasten hypomania. Most of the time an intense social situation co-occurs with other factors that seem to trigger hypomanic episodes for me, so I can't say it's one thing or the other.

It does take me a minimum of 2 hours to calm down enough to try to sleep after intense social interaction (hubby excepted, he has a nice soporific effect and helps me fall asleep faster!) From talking with other "normal" friends that seems a bit more than most people need for down time after socializing, so if that's any indication...

I have a dx of major depression and too much stimulation definately bothers me a lot as well. The news does that as well and couple that with a lot of interaction with people can set me off. I just feel like I want to scream. I am also like AniManic. When I am with people at nite I need to come down before I can sleep.I don't do well with a lot of people and noise at times especailly when I also am a little depressed.

Its also really nice to know that others feel the same way!!!!

Same thing happens to me. Crowded restaurants especially.

I am also sensitive to noise. I don't go manic from it, but I get really uncomfortable and start to get panicky.

DEFINITELY. It's funny, I was just wondering if my recent buzz was due to being around people who were also very hyper/happy and whether it was purely psychological. Example: tonight I haven't touched a drop of alcohol, but have probably appeared merry to anyone who didn't realise. I'm not even walking in a straight line (but then my spatial awareness is crap at the best of times!!!)

When things are bad, overstimulation is awful and I need to get somewhere quiet and be alone. But for now, I am loving the effect it has on me. I just feel a bit full of love for everyone and everything at the moment :-) I think in small doses it is okay.

Its great to know what feels abnormal can be normal!! Its horrible when it begins, it slips over into pyschois too and then everyone becomes distorted like something from a munch painting and the insane laughter fills my ears. Its stupid really, this was happening and I was,t connecting the dots, continuing in an over stimulating situation and trying to deal with the mania etc. Then like a bolt out of the blue I relaised what was happening. I immediately with drew from said situatuation and the effect was almost immediate, the insane laughter continued, but the head stopped spinning!

I totally can become hypomatic if start talking too much, it just escalates--it also takes me time to debrief at home after going out to a low key meeting at night.

I feel like I'm very easily overstimulated. It can start from conversations (high pitch voices - person I'm talking to gets super excited when we're talking), too many people talking to me at once (even if 2 people are trying to talk to me at once, I FREAK out)
Loud music throws me into overdrive/overstimulation - which generally starts in a positive environment, but almost always throws me into a negative. bright lights, loud noises, etc.

All in all over-stimulation causes mania or the other way around - I don't know which occurs first since it feels like it happens so fast. I get overly stimulated almost always in "positive" settings/surroundings and get really hyper (there was a period when I would randomly jump on couches and beds.. ), loud, head spins, get the "third person view" - literally feel like I'm high (sometimes I wonder if I am.. ) But it doesn't take long for it to get ugly; something so insignificant can piss me off (someone's constant pessimism, sarcasm) and I get extremely agitated, overly anxious, even get paranoid. and just straight up CRABBY! Loud noises irk me and throw me over board, making me even more angry/snappy.
I would think that when I'm drunk it would be waaay worse, but surprisingly alcohol does the opposite for me when it comes to over stimulating...

Yes. All the time. Whether it's stimulation from an important meeting (social), stimulation from bright sunlight (sensory), or stimulation of being hypervigilant, I often find these are triggers for hypomanic/manic events.

People gatherings affect me as well, but in ways that at the time are perceived as uplifting and benign (we are talking hypomania already here). But looking back at my life, I sometimes have trouble separating cause and effect. Maybe I was becoming endogenously hypomanic and therefore invited a bunch of friends that spurred my hypomania into full "bloom"?

I get really antsy when there are alot of people around and different things going on. Its worse when I'm manic or hypomanic. Thats why I mostly work weekends. There are less people around and not as much going on.

YES! I experience this almost every day. It's like an adrenaline rush that won't stop, and often spills over into mania/hypomania. Thankfully, my pdoc has titrated my meds, and although my mood still rapidly escalates, and I teeter on the brink of a manic event, I'm having many less events during these times than a few months ago.

This is exactly what happens to me. I get in a group conversation and I start to speed up, I can feel it trigger a hypo-mania, and off I go. Sometimes it later is embarassing to me because I completely take over the conversation. At the time I realize it a little by the way people are looking at me, but I can't slow down, or shut up. Later I usually regret it. It takes me 3 to 4 hours to slow down afterwords.

I wish I had this problem. I don't think I ever start to speed up and I struggle to find words or express concepts sometimes so it deters me from speaking too fast.

I also rarely get over-stimulated unless I'm doing something I enjoy and then I think its a normal response.

I think this is how it normally works.

Two weeks ago I walked into the dentist office and there was this kid screaming/crying in a patient room. I signed in and sat down. Twenty minutes later the kid is still screaming/crying of which I then lose it and go off on the receptionist at the desk. I said that someone needs to do something for that kid in the back before someone calls the cops to report them. I said that clearly the kid is in distress and it's distressing to me as well. I said this in front of other people waiting in the waiting room as well as other office staff. Then one of the staff members informed me that the kids parents were in there as well so everything is fine. Really? Eventually, the crying stops and a within minutes a 3 y.o. appears with a shiny new red matchbox car.

I feel like crap that I lost it, especially in front of people and no less at my dentist's office. So maybe increasing my meds isn't such a bad idea.

Cyber, I get that way too. People are supposed to respond to children's screams, not ignore them. At the same time, other kids' crying gets on my nerves! The combo would've driven me as batty as it did you.