[xRavenx]

I am usually not manic around the holidays and was not expecting to fall into this episode (cycles between manic and mixed....so it's definitely a major concern).

There's a lot out there about how to deal with depression around the holidays, but have you ever been manic around this time of year? The pressure to spend money makes my urge to spend excess amounts of money even worse, so it's triggering. The racing thoughts are bad, and I notice I blurt a lot of things out that I normally keep to myself, and it has affected me at work. Luckily, I have a few days off coming up, but I am having a lot of regrets. In other words, my impulse control is bad and all the thoughts going through my head.

How do you try to cope with mania (either mixed or otherwise) around this time of year?

[Blueberrybook]

Pdoc thinks I am right now. I had a scheduled appointment last week. He upped the Seroquel 100 mg. I think it might be helping. Too soon to tell. Maybe there are coping strategies out there?

This is the first time I remember being manic this time of year. But each, the thoughts racing so fast in my head, I couldn’t catch one, a noise of tangled thoughts driving me crazy. Thoughts still are a tangle, just a tad slower. God knows, I hope they slow down more.

At least my anger, irritability, interrupting others talking seems a lot better already.

[xRavenx]

Originally Posted by Blueberrybook

Pdoc thinks I am right now. I had a scheduled appointment last week. He upped the Seroquel 100 mg. I think it might be helping. Too soon to tell. Maybe there are coping strategies out there?

This is the first time I remember being manic this time of year. But each, the thoughts racing so fast in my head, I couldn’t catch one, a noise of tangled thoughts driving me crazy. Thoughts still are a tangle, just a tad slower. God knows, I hope they slow down more.

At least my anger, irritability, interrupting others talking seems a lot better already.

I know what you mean and definitely relate. I hope your mood improves soon enough.

I am also on Seroquel and wonder if bumping it up would be good for me. 600 mg and higher though started to cause my blood pressure to drop and had problems driving, but it was good for mood. I had no choice but to lower the dose based on the side effects, but maybe there's some kind of "happy medium" for me (or a new combo of meds? We'll see). I definitely need to learn coping skills though.

usually around this time I am spending money like it gros off trees

last year it was all I did for days- sit their and shop.

this year... not so much though.

it certainly has it's conciquences

[Blueberrybook]

Originally Posted by xRavenx

I know what you mean and definitely relate. I hope your mood improves soon enough.

I am also on Seroquel and wonder if bumping it up would be good for me. 600 mg and higher though started to cause my blood pressure to drop and had problems driving, but it was good for mood. I had no choice but to lower the dose based on the side effects, but maybe there's some kind of "happy medium" for me (or a new combo of meds? We'll see). I definitely need to learn coping skills though.

My pdoc upped it to 500 mg (haven't updated my signature), said he might go to 600 if he sees no improvement in 2 weeks, or keep me on 500 mg until stable, titrate down to 400 mg and even down to 300 mg since I did well with that amount for quite a long time. Time will tell. Are you on Lamictal as a mood stabilizer? That's helped me too; sometimes that one is upped when I start getting manicky too. Talk to your pdoc and see if anything can be done before it gets out of hand.

[MickeyCheeky]

Sending many hugs to everyone who's struggling with mania

[xRavenx]

Originally Posted by Blueberrybook

My pdoc upped it to 500 mg (haven't updated my signature), said he might go to 600 if he sees no improvement in 2 weeks, or keep me on 500 mg until stable, titrate down to 400 mg and even down to 300 mg since I did well with that amount for quite a long time. Time will tell. Are you on Lamictal as a mood stabilizer? That's helped me too; sometimes that one is upped when I start getting manicky too. Talk to your pdoc and see if anything can be done before it gets out of hand.

Yes, I am on Lamictal as well as Seroquel (plus Klonopin and Gabapentin).
She did mention Lithium at some point. I'm afraid of side effects, but I need to get over that fear, in hopes that I am able to tolerate it. There was also the mention of Risperdal.

[Miss Laura]

I just ride it out tbh. I am always "hyper" this time of year so I don't see it as mania as such just my quirks. I hit a lull and of Dec so I can enjoy this high for a change. It's probably the songs, the lights, the trees, the decorations, the feel good feeling etc

[Blue_Bird]

I normally get super manic around the holidays. It starts in October and goes on for several months. I barely sleep, always up doing stuff and making plans, pacing around the house all night listening to Christmas music, am euphoric, and going nuts spending money and cooking and all kinds of holiday stuff. This past Thanksgiving was the first time I didn't feel like that. I actually felt depressed and not excited about the holiday at all. I stayed home and did nothing. I was invited out but I felt dead. My mood seems to have improved a lot over the past 2 weeks, but I'm not manic like I usually am. Maybe it's the meds, I'm not really sure. It was just shocking because never in my 24 years had I had a holiday where I wasn't revved up and excited. I mean, even when things were bad growing up being homeless and other struggles, I still got super excited about the holidays.

[Anaidx]

Not manic... mostly anxiety.

[Unrigged64072835]

I’m usually at least hypomanic this time of year, except this year. Part of it may be circumstances though.

[xRavenx]

Originally Posted by Miss Laura

I just ride it out tbh. I am always "hyper" this time of year so I don't see it as mania as such just my quirks. I hit a lull and of Dec so I can enjoy this high for a change. It's probably the songs, the lights, the trees, the decorations, the feel good feeling etc

Yes, hopefully these symptoms of mania will calm down. I am kind of afraid of the impulsive thoughts though, because sometimes I begin to act on it. For instance, I've been fantasizing about just moving across the country, but I'm trying to challenge those thoughts to stay in reality. My mind keeps going there though, and given my history, I know I need to watch it.