[Cocosurviving]

The purpose of this is to get an idea how often episodes can happen unprovoked.

1. How often do you (have you had) have episodes?
2. Were you taking meds when you had the episodes?
3. Had you been drinking, dealing w/ insomnia or extreme stress?

[Trippin2.0]

When you say "episode" are we talking depressed/manic rhythmic cycle, or an actual fullblown relentless manic/depressed, nervous breakdown, crazy-making type episode?

I ask because members post alot about "episodes" that seem like cycles so I'm not sure how to answer....

Oh well I'll just answer for both

I cycle every other week or so, some mood cycles are more pronounced / severe than others.

My episodes, I have one every 3 months or so, on average I have about 2 huge ones a year, where I am convinced a lobotomy is my only hope. This is of course minus any triggered episodes, just my usual unprovoked bipolar pattern.

Also, I've only ever had 3 episodes that were stress induced (death, unemployment and employement). 2 of them I had while medicated. None were sparked by alcohol or drugs, just my mind unravelling thread by colourful thread.

[ultramar]

Originally Posted by Cocosurviving

The purpose of this is to get an idea how often episodes can happen unprovoked.

1. How often do you (have you had) have episodes?
2. Were you taking meds when you had the episodes?
3. Had you been drinking, dealing w/ insomnia or extreme stress?

I had no full-blown mania for about 3 years (some hypomania here and there) until last year. It lasted for about 3 weeks before I admitted to needing help (temporary massive increase in meds), and another week after that while titrating up. So 3 year interval.

About a decade ago, Wellbutrin for quitting smoking triggered an episode. With hallucinations, which I thankfully have not had since then.

I have had 2 short (several days) episodes in the last year, both due to titrating down meds. It happened recently and I'm really sick of this.

Prior to about 4 years ago, I was less aware of what was going on with me in general (therapy has helped). But I'd say full-blown episodes maybe once a year. Mostly unmedicated, a couple medicated, since my 20's (I'm 42 now).

I think they mostly have been due to lack of sleep for a variety of reasons over a period of time leading to it. Secondly, med issues: activating AD in one case, lowering Seroquel in other cases.

I am on a monthly cycle now, yeah, just like a girl lol. but.... but when I identify depression or hypo I also take the appropriate measures.

I'll explain.

I stay midful of it, I monitor it, I recognize and treat it as if it were not me, but something other than me that is doing this to me... and it really works. to disassociate myself from it has given me the power to better deal with it and minimize it's effects on me so that the disruption to my life can also be minimized.

[faerie_moon_x]

If by episdoe you mean the whole "nervous breakdown" type screaming, crying freaking out explosing... exploding, then I just had one yesterday.

I can have them as frequently as 2 times a week when I'm not doing so well. I actually had one last week as well. I think it was Wednesday. THis has been a pretty rocky month for me, actually.

The night before I wasn't feeling so great. I was already aggitated when I went to bed. It didn't take much to push me over yesterday.

Usually, though, I think I only have them once every 2 months but when I'm not doing so well they are more frequent. That's the danger of me being mixed or cycling so fast all the time, and having 0 treatment. I usually just have a crying screaming fit, I'm not violent. But, sometimes I hurt myself. I didn't this time. I've been working on that.

[FireBird]

1. I have at least 4-8 episodes a year unless they are long lasting episodes. I just went through a manic episode in the hospital, now I am in a depressive episode. But everyday for 5 months especially in the afternoon I get extremely psychotic where I ain't even coherent for most of the day. I see and hear things. I act on things but not all the time. I am taking my time writing this so it can be more coherent. I went to the psychiatrist yesterday and she gave me Haldol. My psychosis and autism gets worse every year. I have schizoaffective according to my new doc and previous docs but the doc in the hospital said I have bipolar 1 with psychotic features.
2. Only one of the episodes I wasn't taking meds. With me there is a pattern. The pills work for awhile then stop when there is intense stress going on and oh boy I am going through stress.
3. Extreme stress and stress gets worse every year. This year within a month period we had to call 911 several times, dad dislocated his hip twice after having it replaced, then had another surgery. Then mom got a MRSA abscess/ cellulitis, and almost died if she waited a day or so as her fever was 105.5. And then I had to go to the hospital because of an overdose of meds and psychosis. There are other things that I can't think of right now.