Anyone tried this?
'Staying awake all night helped treat my depression' - BBC News

I watched the video. I had actually heard of sleep deprivation sometimes helping. I heard about that over 10 years ago, so the idea is definitely not new and yet is still not yet being studied in a clinical trial.

My take away from the video is that people with bipolar disorder (not exactly specifying any exact type or "flavor") have varying needs. I mean, we don't all respond the same to the same meds. Why the same to sleep deprivation? Also, I think some of us respond differently to treatments at different times of our lives, year, situations, etc, etc. The study in this video gave very little information about the patients' histories. I'd want that information, and have them detailed.

The brain is a very complex thing and I think there are many complexities that affect our brains. I'm not saying this sleep deprivation is total charlatanry. I do think, however, that one shouldn't attempt it without doctor guidance. That's something that was said by the interviewer in the onset. It's possible this could be more dangerous than helpful, for some.

[Under*Over]

I start feeling superficially better if I spend one night not sleeping. I say superficailly because mania symptoms start and I take that as “feeling better” when really its a lie. Because that “feeing better” just gets more and more extreme until I crash.

I can go one day without meds and sleeping and be “fine” but not really. I start deteriorating and I have a hard time finding when Ive gone too far.

So it doesnt help me. But of course, everyones different. But going without sleep is definitely destabilizing to me.

[yellow_fleurs]

I sort of informally tried this. A couple years ago while in grad school and my anxiety and depression got bad I figured I had to stay up to work on my thesis anyway and why not try it? I recalled that back in undergrad I would sometimes stay up all night and sometimes felt happier the next day. I knew my moods were tied to circadian rhythm. I did seem to find I felt mildly better, but then I think it actually may have affected my mental health. It's hard to say as I shortly thereafter started an SSRI which put me in a mixed episode and further messed with my sleep cycle. I will not try it again I don't think seeing as I am now so sensitive to lack of sleep my thinking immediately gets wonky, even paranoid and I get irritable and can't focus. I think in my case it is a bad idea, and I would imagine it could be a similar thing for many with bipolar who are at risk for mania. I would say finding a balance is probably best for me. Sleeping too much can make my depression worse.

[Wild Coyote]

OMG! I feel horrible with any degree of sleep deprivation. I start having cognitive problems. I start to have mood issues. I immediately start to have myoclonus, where my muscles start jumping. It is horrible. Once my sleep is interrupted, I continue to have problems.
Sleep deprivation would not work for me.