[mcrnvl]

Not sure if anyone experiences this.. or if it's even related to potential manic episodes. Hence why I am writing here today.
Lately I have been experiencing some weird agitation and impatience. I feel like I'm just floating on through life right now and my mind is going full speed. I'm pretty sure I'm headed towards an episode because I'm experiencing some psychotic symptoms as well but I'm just wondering if anyone else feels tense and extremely agitated before they have an episode?
I'm still learning about this disorder. I was diagnosed only three years ago. I've been medicated ever since.

[CANDC]

Hi mcrnvl. Welcome to Psych Central. Sorry you are feeling unsettled and mind is going full tilt. My experience is that talking to psychiatrist to get meds is very important to avoiding full manic episode. If not available quickly, ask your doc or therapist what might help.

Hope you find the resources you need. I find high protein diet with low carbs and frequent meals or snacks every 3-4 hours or less helps keep me more stable. I also exercise and do yoga.

Here are some articles that might be of interest.
Manic Episode Symptoms | Psych Central

Hypomanic Episode Symptoms | Psych Central

My diagnosis is pretty new. I was officially Dx'ed in September 2015 (and unofficially in August 2015).

I don't have any agitation before my episodes -- at least not that I've noticed. Usually a change in my sleeping pattern marks the beginning of any episode, whether it's hypo/mania, mixed, or depression. That's all I can tell right now. But of course everyone has different hypo/manic symptoms, different triggers, and different "clues" that they're about to have an episode. So it's totally possible that agitation and impatience mark the beginning of an episode for you. Maybe you're experiencing dysphoric mania? I'm not sure. That's just my guess.

[Wild Coyote]

Hi and welcome to PC!

I sometimes experience agitation and the world around me starts to feel too slow, simply because I am speeding up and going into hypomania. I also start losing sleep -- for which I seek an immediate intervention, as it makes a difference in treating an episode for me. In fact, I remain very protective of my "sleep time" at night because interfering with sleep often sets off an episode for me.

Again, welcome!
Please make yourself comfortable here!


WC

I have mild sensory hallucinations with mania.

[ComfortablyNumb5]

When I'm mixed (and going into mania) I get dysphoric. That means you get super irritated and aggressive, anxious etc. I also start to hear sounds like a cell phone ringing in the next room. Last time I woke my bf up and 3am and told him to get his ringing phone from the living room. He looked at me like I was crazy as I seen his phone right in our room the whole time. It really messes with you. And ALWAYS lack of sleep. I'll sleep for about 2 hours at a time. It's not fun for me at all.

[gayleggg]

I have irritation and agitation when I'm having a mixed episode. Usually before a manic episode I feel energetic and full of ideas, mind racing, etc.

[Faltering]

It's good to notice the warning signs as soon as you can so you can make sure your symptoms are treated. Sounds like you could certainly be starting an episode, so you might want to check in with your pdoc about adjusting your meds.

I experience racing thoughts that are worse right after I wake up, hallucinations and delusions, strong nostalgia and feeling like everything is connected, less sleep, increased spending, and rage and hostility.

Agitation and impatience are definitely moods I experience when I am on my way to hypo/mania. Yes, irritablitity will become an underlying feeling and will increase in its frequency. If I can find someway to ease these feelings I can usually head of what may come next. I will avoid group situations that may trigger my being 'ticked off'.

While my CBT tools are to help me with Anxiety, I have found some of the coping skills help me with the agitation too - especially those that deal with jumping to conclusions.

[benzenering]

Yes agitation, aggression, and impulsiveness. My first sign I'm going hypomanic is very dangerous driving. I hope you are able to see your pdoc at these first signs so you can try to halt its progress.

[TimTheEnchanter]

Right before going hypo-manic I ALWAYS have a very vivid dream. Not a bad dream juts extremely vivid and interesting. After that I KNOW that the energy filled wacky times will come when I sleep 5 hours WITH ambien, if lucky...and chatter with everybody, while become again very interested in some spiritual venue. All the while I am taking lithium (which admittedly shortens the period and perhaps makes it a little less intense). During phase shifting I too get irritable and easily annoyed or agitated.
When I was not taking lithium I had seen signs in every little thing during episodes like this, having what some call "magical thinking", I have only traces of that left.

Originally Posted by mcrnvl

Not sure if anyone experiences this.. or if it's even related to potential manic episodes. Hence why I am writing here today.
Lately I have been experiencing some weird agitation and impatience. I feel like I'm just floating on through life right now and my mind is going full speed. I'm pretty sure I'm headed towards an episode because I'm experiencing some psychotic symptoms as well but I'm just wondering if anyone else feels tense and extremely agitated before they have an episode?
I'm still learning about this disorder. I was diagnosed only three years ago. I've been medicated ever since.

Usually I would say it's sleep that is off first but my recent manic episode my sleep stayed reasonably consistent so I'm just not sure anymore. Someone usually says something like "you seem up....or, are you taking your meds".

[fairydustgirl]

becoming more interested in sex is my number one clue that a manic episode is coming and it is my worst manic symptom. irritability and racing thoughts and anxiety preface a mixed state. lack of sleep actually causes me to become depressed but if I am already in a manic state I find I have too much to do to sleep.

[Unrigged64072835]

I get hyperfocued on something. I'm also impatient and lose sleep.

ANY attempted phone contact with a "customer service" line for certain (many) electronic devices is likely to get me seriously p.o'd, and/or send me into a rage. My therp and I are working on my problem with these idiots. Even when I limit the conversation to 10 minutes (our new plan) that is not helping. I just wasted 15 minutes, and something that was working fine is now not working at all -- so I''m at a Minus One in finding ia solution to the issue I called about in the first place. The solution to my phone problems is never talk to such people on the phone. This means -- I have to make a special trip to their physical store, where people know exactly how to fix the problem -- in 1-2 minutes. Of course, this involves probably an hour of my time to get there, solve problem , and get home, or to another errand.

[mcrnvl]

It's so weird you say that! I had the strangest, most vivid dream the night before I wrote this post. I find that to be a common thing for me!

Originally Posted by TimTheEnchanter

Right before going hypo-manic I ALWAYS have a very vivid dream. Not a bad dream juts extremely vivid and interesting. After that I KNOW that the energy filled wacky times will come when I sleep 5 hours WITH ambien, if lucky...and chatter with everybody, while become again very interested in some spiritual venue. All the while I am taking lithium (which admittedly shortens the period and perhaps makes it a little less intense). During phase shifting I too get irritable and easily annoyed or agitated.
When I was not taking lithium I had seen signs in every little thing during episodes like this, having what some call "magical thinking", I have only traces of that left.

[Wander]

Agitation and impatience are definite signals that I am heading into an episode. Especially if it drives my behaviour in uncharacteristic ways such as reckless driving (cause those stupid ****** are going too slow and I HATE driving slow), being rude to family and friends as i am usually very loving and patient with them. I am sure you get the drift. Key is to head it off at the pass with all the coping skills you have learnt and meds if necessary cause, well, really none of us want to end up directing traffic at an intersections while nude

One of my symptoms, I kid you not is getting overly wrapped up in politics. *blushes*

[xRavenx]

Originally Posted by Fharraige

I get hyperfocued on something. I'm also impatient and lose sleep.

For me as well. There's usually something I zone in on, sometimes to the point of obsession. It's different than OCD....it's more like I get overzealous about something in particular, and it often turns delusional.

I also get impatient and quick to "snap," especially when others do not agree with my plans when they get grandiose. I'm starting to notice little signs of getting hypo.....feeling especially elevated, so many ideas, etc., but I haven't lost my judgment completely. That is a big sign of mania coming for me....I get unreasonable and take a lot of risks that result in consequences.

[RomanJames2014]

I start giggling at everything... and then I get excited to do what ever is next on my list of stuff to do... I know then that it's going to be a "great day".

[Moose72]

I start jumping and spinning in circles not sleeping wantingvsex a lot thinking I am invincible

[TheBiPolarSoldier]

Hypersexuality and promiscuity(although I have a gf ) is the biggest and first indactor for me along with agitation,waking up earlier than normal (even when manic I have no problem getting to sleep probably due to klonapin) and the want for drugs and alcohol which I don't indulge in anymore more except for the odd pint here and there as it became I serious problem a while back. Confidence also starts to rise which can be both a good and bad thing.

[hahayeahtotallylol]

Vivid dreams, laughing more, talking to myself more often

[xRavenx]

Originally Posted by RomanJames2014

I start giggling at everything... and then I get excited to do what ever is next on my list of stuff to do... I know then that it's going to be a "great day".

I start giggling out of nowhere too a lot during the onset of mania....sometimes I'll start laughing at really inappropriate times too. This always scared my mother.

Another one others here mentioned is hypersexuality.....this a definite "warning sign" for me too, especially when it leads to promiscuity. I've made some really bad decisions I look back on. Starting to spend more money too on anything: items, people, etc. is another warning sign.

[RomanJames2014]

Yes hypersexual it is one of the very first to me.