Bipolar Questions Version 4

Introvert from birth

Do you have a phobia?

My claustrophobia is awful. I watched a documentary last night that included mining tunnels and I started panicking just looking at the tv screen.

Have you ever rapid cycled? And, how long are your episodes?

One year, about 11 years ago, I had 4 or 5 major bipolar episodes separated by very brief semi-stability. I think one or two of those episodes were pure manic. The rest were manic or depressed, but with mixed features, some with psychosis. I was hospitalized four times that year, and in PHPs/IOPs most of the rest of the year.

As for more rapid cycling, that only happened to me a few times when an antidepressant was added to my medication cocktail. The antidepressant was then quickly removed after days or a couple weeks, and then ultra rapid cycling stopped. Ultra rapid cycling is not common for me.

The length of my episodes have varied throughout my life. Generally, my pure depressions have been shortest at between a couple weeks to a couple months, but I have had one severe depression, about 9 years ago, that was maybe four or five months long. I had ECT towards its end. Some minor subthreshold depression was about that length, too.

My longest episodes were in my youth, pre-medications. Though I have bipolar type 1, I used to have very long (several months most years) of hypomanias. They sometimes ended before reaching full blown mania, or if fueled more, they reached full blown, sometimes with psychosis. Later in my life, manic episodes with mixed features (mixed episodes) were most common. I had a three year period where I clocked over a couple years total (with some brief breaks) in that state or hypomanic mixed state. In the last 3-4 years, I've been stable or almost stable longer than in episodes. My only major episode these past 12 months was a four week episode that was hypomanic three weeks and turned full blown with brief psychosis the last week before a medication adjustment stopped it.

Though not so much these last few mostly stable years, my psychiatrist has twice said that hypomania was my "baseline" mood. I used to be a very high energy person. I'd say "hyperthymic". Know that that was great in some ways, but not so great in others.

During what part of the day do you usually feel your best?

4:00AM to 7:00AM.

Favorite class in school.

introvert

and yes

what would you wish for if you had 3 wishes right now (don't think about it, first thing that comes in to your head)

1) Snow tires
2) losing weight and being able to fit in to my clothes
3) Silent blenders

Do you like cities, suburbs, or the country more?

The country. I grew up in the country in a small town. I wish now that I had cherished it more. It sucked having to drive 30, 45 minutes for more than a corner grocery/gas store, to buy clothes, get fast food, go shopping. Before I was in high school, the nearest malls were over an hour's drive away until they built one closer, 30-45 minutes away. The suburbs are encroaching on my hometown as Houston continues to sprawl, and people can't make a living on family farms, so farmland keeps getting sold to housing subdivisions. Soon my country childhood town will be part of the larger suburbs of Houston. The towns I used to drive to for shopping or the bigger library (back when a person actually had to go to the library to do research as the internet was primitive at best, and you were lucky if you had dialup) are packed with stores now, more stores in than the area I live in now (and this area, while still a Houston suburb is actually closer to Houston proper, it is just not super appealing with chemical plants everywhere and so close to the ocean and likely in the path of future hurricanes as many past hurricanes have hit this area).

Did you learn cursive in school? If you have children who are school aged or grown, did they learn cursive in school?

I learned cursive in school. I remember my teacher being very strict about it. My daughter also learned cursive in school. She is 19.

Do you have a favorite holiday tradition? If so, what is it?

watching the muppet's christmas carol every christmas eve.

at what age did you stop believing in santa?

There are two unanswered questions, so I'll answer both briefly.

In high school, it was French. I always liked languages and liked my French teachers.

At university, I loved a class called "British Writers - Blake to Present". The poetry was wonderful, plus there was this dreamboat guy I used to sit next to. He reminded me of Alexander the Great. And if that wasn't enough, the professor invited an Irish poet named Paul Muldoon to the class one day. He won a Pulitzer prize for poetry. I have a signed copy of one of his books of poetry. He's a lovely poet.

I think around 6 or 7 years old. My sister (6.5 years older than me) decided it was time. She showed me where my mom hid the presents.

Question: What was your absolute favorite present (or two) you ever received on a holiday or birthday?

My daughter was born shortly before my 32nd birthday. Best present ever.

What is your favorite holiday and why?

Now that I'm an aunt it is Christmas because I have 2 little girls who make it so much fun.

Do you consider yourself a patient person?

I am usually extremely patient, likely to a fault.

What's your favorite part about the holiday season?

Gift giving. I am so behind this year though. I'm usually done and I only have a few things this year.

Have you spent a holiday IP?

Yes Thanksgiving.

If you have a pet what kind is it?

2 cats

Do you ever need a PC break and do you take one if you need it?

Yes, and I try to.

Do you ever read medical articles to try to better understand?

Sometimes. Not as much as I used to.

Do you have any nervous habits?

yes, i pick my skin, bite my nails, crack my knuckles, bounce my leg up and down etc.

do you do anything as a creative outlet?

Two main things - I dance a lot when I am happy and I write poetry when I am depressed.

Is there a season that you feel the best during?

Spring.

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

For a long while, age 10 Aside from that misunderstanding a teacher.

Do you have allergies?

yes... stings, icecream, nuts and bleech (the cleaning product)

marmite: are you a lover or a hater. lol

Wow I haven’t had that since I was a kid! I probably thought it was ok cause I’m more likely to remember hating it.

Here’s another, crumpets love/hate?
(Dispised them as a kid and never tried them again.)

Crumpets are not commonly eaten where I live (east coast of the US), but I had heard of them, but as an English/British food. I looked up a few recipes, and given the ingredients, I'd probably like them. I like anything with those ingredients. Putting some honey or jam on top would make them even better, in my book. I'm a bit of a starchy carb enthusiast.

Is there anything about winter that excites you? What are some of your favorite winter things to do/make/see/hear?