[PatternsInTheIvy]

My boyfriend has recently expressed interest in writing a novel about a character with bipolar disorder is a disaster situation I am giving him my experiences and triggers, as well a my knowledge as a clinical psychology student, but he's also interested in some outside perspectives though in terms of other things too. Not just triggers.

He wants to be as accurate as possible when depciting bipolar disorder both "at its finest" and when it's not doing anything at all.

Not for anything seriois. Just a fun side project for us to do together.

Any input is greatly appreciated!

[all74]

Can't say anything about bipolar at it's best since I get primarily dysphoric hypomanias. At it's worst is me yelling at my family over trivial stuff and/or having my skin crawling and feeling like putting my head through a window (not in a suicidal way though - just the anger/irritability fuelled by the increased energy).

Triggers - stress, lack of sleep, and ???. Sometimes it just happens.

[signul]

To me it's more like having an unpredictable room mate in your head with you. They're always there but sometimes you don't notice them. Some days they drag you down the darkest place you can imagine, other times your roommate hand-feeds you ecstasy. I more often experience depression it sucks, but in a weird way i find it comforting and peaceful. Maybe in used to it or maybe losing all hope is what brings me to peace. I'm sure some people would disagree, but I've come to somewhat embrace BP.

[sonjaward809]

I'm usually in depressive episodes but my manic ones are very chaotic.

My manic episodes include partying a lot (I once partied for 6 months straight, every day), drinking and smoking more frequently, my anxiety basically disappears, I feel like the energizer bunny cause I'm just going and going, I start getting really irritated with people and will lash out too, getting into fights (rare but it has happened), doing things I wouldn't normally do (sex w/ strangers, shopping sprees) but then I crash into my depressive episode after a while and all that energy goes away and I'll rarely leave my bed during these times. I won't eat, I'll sleep a lot, and I feel very empty.

As far as triggers go
- stress
- lack of sleep
- arguments with family/friends
- breakups
- not excelling at work/school will make me very depressed
- like all74 said, it can just happen sometimes

I hope this helps!

[UpDownAround]

My slightly hypo mood kicked it up a couple of notches today. If I get pulled over, I will probably have to take a blood test after blowing 0.0000 on a breathalyzer. I have the grins; my cheeks are hurting so good! If someone is amused by me grinning, I just about lose it laughing...

[laracroft3]

I've noticed I get more anxious around my family when talking about things we disagree on. Same situation when I was with my ex. I would get weird images along with irritability like my head exploding or smashing it til it caved. I would stab the counter with a kitchen knife and that's when I knew there might be something wrong.
It took a while before I actually went to get help though.

[bellamonte1984]

That's an excellent description of what bipolar disorder feels like. I completely agree. It's that extra person that can drag you down or yell at you constantly for not doing enough, go out more, achieve everything, never stop moving.

[TaubTaube]

Mmm. I think maybe seasons. Some symptoms happen during some seasons. I'm more likely to go through a depressive episode in the late fall to winter. The hypomania is more in warmer seasons.

Stress is a big one.

When my lupus acts up in flare. Then it's kind of chicken and egg. Did the depression and whatnot cause the lupus to flare or did the lupus cause all the mental stuff to begin with.

[BipolaRNurse]

Season changes wreak havoc on my BP. I become manic or hypomanic in the spring/early summer, and depressed in the late fall/winter. I can practically set my watch by my cycles.

[Cimarron]

When I was younger I would get the fun and happy hypomanias. The best part of it was I became very funny and witty;or I at least thought I was. I remember walking through the grocery store parking lot telling myself funny jokes and laughing thinking "I'm such a creative genius"! In the end I would always come crashing down hard. Most of the time those were triggered by something good happening to boost my ego.

Now it's just the dysphoric kind. I feel extremely irritable, depressed but wired with the same song playing in my head over and over for days. When I get this way I hurt the people I love most because I can get very ornery. My triggers are fatigue, lack of sleep or when the family messes up the house. To be honest it's very hard to know if I am even triggered because most of the time I can go with the flow. Chicken egg thing I guess.

[xRavenx]

Any kind of change or source of stress, change, losses, not sleeping, problems with people close to me, getting ready for a trip, time of the year, physical problems, and sources of excitement also triggers episodes.

[Nammu]

Stress, financial worries
Not being able to sleep