[kitten55]

I get up early in the am to take my daughter to work. I feed the animals, let them out, and get on the computer. I review what has been posted overnight, post a few replies, and create a few new ones...including my own blog. Then I wait... By now, I feel a little excited, anticipating the on-coming discussions. I hover and check the computer several times an hour...all day long. Often, there is no response. By the end of the day, I feel empty and dejected.

I need to get a life.

[r010159]

Yes, you do need to get a life I feel the same way about myself. I do think posting can be addictive. I do not think you have to be manic to feel this way.

[TheatreKid]

That's interesting. For me, internet/facebook can make me excited or give a shift in my mood, but it's not responsible for my bipolar mood symptoms.

Likewise, communicating with other bipolar people face to face has affected my mood greatly in the past. I went to an in-person support group once and talked to a guy the whole time and our energies were just feeding off of each other and I felt hypomanic by the end. It wasn't true hypomania though, because once I went home it didn't last. I have never had such an experience with a non-bipolar person before though.

Friends, acquaintances, and people I don't even know have been able to tell in the past whether I'm manic or depressed by what I post on facebook, or in discussion forums.

Originally Posted by Atypical_Disaster

Bipolar mood swings aren't caused by computer time.

Not necessarily true, in that computer time presents certain stimuli that can effectively trigger or exacerbate swings. Same applies for other sources of stimuli, such as stressful situations.

[jesusplay]

sounds like anxiety.

[shortandcute]

i need to get a life too (but i already got denied disability for having one)

[Victoria'smom]

And this is why I wish we could all meet regularly at a coffee shop. Bump your post if you need to, respond to your post or instead of posting several different threads add it to what you already posted

[Hbomb0903]

I definitely feel compulsive about posting right now. Feel like i'm crawling in my skin!!

I've never had computer time trigger a mood episode but it has affected my emotions at times. I will get excited when I get a lot of views on my work page, or I will get sad when I receive abusive PM's. But proper mood episodes? Well I am extremely surprised to hear that is even possible. Ask your T or pdoc about that I think

I do however get 'addicted' to the net easily, especially when my antipsychotics are at a higher dose. I can lose hours without realising it.

Originally Posted by TheatreKid

That's interesting. For me, internet/facebook can make me excited or give a shift in my mood, but it's not responsible for my bipolar mood symptoms.

Likewise, communicating with other bipolar people face to face has affected my mood greatly in the past. I went to an in-person support group once and talked to a guy the whole time and our energies were just feeding off of each other and I felt hypomanic by the end. It wasn't true hypomania though, because once I went home it didn't last. I have never had such an experience with a non-bipolar person before though.

Friends, acquaintances, and people I don't even know have been able to tell in the past whether I'm manic or depressed by what I post on facebook, or in discussion forums.

I've had a similar experience with BP people face to face, when I was younger myself and a girl in hospital would feed of each others hypomania, but it wasnt real hypomania as it only lasted for a few days or sometimes as short as hours. It was really bizarre being spurred on in that state by someone in a similar state. I havent really had it happen again since then, I think I am more in control now than I was when first diagnosed.

[~Christina]

Sometimes this board moves so fast that threads wind up on page 2 .. As mentioned bump your own thread up . People aren't ignoring you...

[wildflowerchild25]

Originally Posted by Supanova

I've had a similar experience with BP people face to face, when I was younger myself and a girl in hospital would feed of each others hypomania, but it wasnt real hypomania as it only lasted for a few days or sometimes as short as hours. It was really bizarre being spurred on in that state by someone in a similar state. I havent really had it happen again since then, I think I am more in control now than I was when first diagnosed.

I used to do that all the time and still do to a certain extent. I feed off others' emotions - I chalk it up to being a highly sensitive person (sometimes called empath). I've learned to shut it off in the last few years because it is too exhausting to always take on someone else's emotions and never know what is truly me.

As for rapid cycling I don't think what you describe is clinical rapid cycling . I think it's quite normal to get excited to read replies and the disappointed to not receive many. I think as bipolar people it's difficult not to patholoizw every single minute of our day, but I was much happier when I stopped thinking about everything in terms of an episode. Now I don't consider myself in a episode unless my mood disturbance lasts at least three days and is I changed by external stimuli. Even then I try not to name a mood unless it directly impacts my life in terms of functioning. For example this last episode was definitely hypomanic because I spent a lot of money and did all of my typical hypo activities (new nails/hair, lots of reading, cleaning, etc), plus it went on for a couple of weeks despite a negative review at work etc.

I dunno I'm not telling you how to live your life just that I was happier not thinkif about BP every waking second. It's certainly difficult though.