[emptyspace]

.
Are your manic or depressive episodes triggered ... or do they just happen?

Assuming I am taking my meds as prescribed, I find sometimes stress can trigger a depressive episode, but most of my episodes just happen...
Can't find any reason why except that my brain chemistry is fvcked up.

[Blue_Bird]

Mine just tend to happen, my doctor always asks if there's anything going on that may have caused it but usually not.

[Mrstabs]

Mine are both. For the most part they are triggered by small things. Crowded rooms, something going missing etc. But sometimes I can't control it, I will get depressed for no reason and just not want to do anything.

[LettinG0]

There always seems to be trigger stuff.........but no, mine just happen

Often it's a combination, or I don't realize the sequence of events until much later when I can really reflect on things. Sometimes the trigger comes quite a bit earlier than when things get bad; in other words, if I don't handle the trigger well, down the road it spirals into an episode and I have trouble seeing the connection because it can sometimes be a month or so later that I pay the consequences.

After years of therapy and learning how to handle the things that do tend to trigger me, I find I have fewer episodes and those I do have are less intense. I am much more proactive about avoiding the triggers that set things off, about recognizing that pattern in my own decisions and behaviors that start me down that road. So, I know to keep a solid sleep schedule now; I know better than to allow myself to do things like get into a marathon grading session which can set of hypomania for me; I much sooner recognize situations that used to lead me into depression -- I have better ways to handle and respond to those situations so the depression stays situational and doesn't have the opportunity to feed on itself and turn into a full-blown episode, etc. I watch my health because I realized one trigger was physical illness for me. I consciously watch my activity level so I don't over-extend myself which inevitably turns into exhaustion and depression down the road, but often further down the road so I used to miss the connection. LOTS of self care and self awareness.

[raspberrytorte]

Mine are triggered, usually by a stressful life change.

[gayleggg]

Originally Posted by raspberrytorte

Mine are triggered, usually by a stressful life change.

I'm the same way, especially my depressive states.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[raspberrytorte]

Mine is usually depression too, except for last time.

[~Christina]

A few have sneaked up and slapped me outta no where, but more often I can trace it back to a trigger of some sort... But then again I can trace back any mood good or bad to some kinda trigger or event eventually . Chicken or egg lol

[CopperStar]

I feel like I have been a mixed episode for most of my life so it's hard to tell. It just waxes and wanes in severity, and then leans more towards mania or depression depending on external factors affecting me. I sort of pinpoint episode peaks by where the psychosis starts and ends on the timelines.

[Brophy]

I've had deep depressions and a mixed episode brought on by traceable triggers.

[Lonlin3zz]

Actually both, but at a different time.

[Imah]

Both triggered and just happen. But I can never trigger the delusional stuff - it always has a mind of its own. It can come totally out of the blue - like, driving down the road and suddenly - I HAVE to stop because this cloud has a message for me. (When the universe talks to me I HAVE to listen). But mania and depression can be triggered if I am stable. If I am experiencing one or the other - they can't trigger the opposite one. Having anxiety also can cause them to be exacerbated.

[Ripose]

If I am around someone who accepts my craziness it almost always triggers a manic episode. I rapidly cycle when my wife is home. I am alone usually and remain somewhat stable except for talking to people who are not there.

If don't take my medication properly than psychotic episodes are easily triggered. I hate these the most because I don't know how to stop it and I panic.

But for the most part I remain in a state of moderate depression which at times can become very deep and dark for no apparent reason.

[Luctor]

I find it's actually my hypomania that isn't triggered, but just happens. It is then usually because of the things I do during hypomanic episodes that I end up getting depressed.

My bipolar cycles runs on automatic. Through the cycles, it can trigger others out depending on the mood.

[lunaticfringe]

I agree with Christina~ I think this is a chicken/egg thing. It's always hard to say what comes first. Did a trigger cause an episode or did I respond to that trigger in a certain way because of my mood/current brain chemistry. I lean towards thinking that it originates in my brain first and I respond to external stimuli based on my mood. It really irritates me actually when someone implies that I must be depressed or manic for a REASON...like, hey...the reason is that I'm BIPOLAR.

[Catholicnun]

I feel like mine just happens. I am rapid cycling too n idk what is next but I just go w it

[cashart10]

Originally Posted by Imah

Both triggered and just happen. But I can never trigger the delusional stuff - it always has a mind of its own. It can come totally out of the blue - like, driving down the road and suddenly - I HAVE to stop because this cloud has a message for me. (When the universe talks to me I HAVE to listen). But mania and depression can be triggered if I am stable. If I am experiencing one or the other - they can't trigger the opposite one. Having anxiety also can cause them to be exacerbated.

Yes. The only thing I will add is the biggest pschotic episode I've had was (I think) triggered. The psychosis was not triggered but came out of the severity of the mania which was majorly triggered.

[Capriciousness]

Both. I think it is way more complicated than we can know.

[meganb22]

I'd say its a bit of both. Lately though they are usually triggered.

I experience both too but more often than not I am triggered by stress. Any stress, good or bad, doesnt matter, stress in general can trigger an episode.

Im not talking "did your homework late" or "missed a family birthday" stress, I mean real stress, like losing a job, moving house, money issues, health issues (unrelated to mental health), death in the family etc.

When I was younger I had more severe swings that seemed to come out of nowhere, but as I have gotten older and continued therapy I am noticing that many of my mood episodes have been triggered by serious life stress but do not always pop up when I expect them to.

[Cocosurviving]

With me it's triggers. The times I had episodes was major stress. I was undiagnosed at the time and had a breakdown at my job. I lost said job then was diagnosed. Had problems finding the right meds and I was haywire. I ended up moving out of state within four months I was in a mental hospital.

Sent from iPhone 6 Plus using Tapatalk

[vee89]

i find that my depressive episodes are definitely triggered, just by something small or even by just not getting out of the house enough.

my hypomanic episodes are harder to tell. they seem to come out of nowhere, but usually are triggered by not getting enough sleep.

[BipolaRNurse]

I'm a total stress-monkey and my depression is easily triggered by life events such as a death of a loved one, losing a job, having to move etc. My manic episodes, on the other hand, tend to come out of nowhere and are usually a result of seasonal changes, although lack of sleep will also spark them.