[CK22]

I had an experience recently involving a friend of mine that left me both scared and confused. Before I continue, I want to say that this friend is normally very quiet, composed, and kind.

A few weeks ago, I invited him to see a movie with a couple friends and I and he gladly accepted. He met me at the theater later (I bought him a ticket) and I could tell almost immediately that something was wrong. This normally quiet boy was bouncing off the walls. I thought that he was maybe just excited for the movie so I ignored it. About twenty minutes later, we're sitting in the theater and he sees a flyer someone had given me earlier in the day and without even hesitating, he stands up in the theater and starts preaching about the event on the flyer. He sits down very satisfied with himself and starts laughing. By this point, I'm thinking maybe he's drunk.

He went through the movie without saying much of anything. Although, he did start crying during a sad scene which is normal, but not for him. After the movie, he refused to leave and so my friends and I spent almost an hour standing with him. He started rambling about random things and didn't pause once to catch his breath. At this point, my friends and I were beginning to get really worried so I asked him if he was okay to which he got really close to me and started arguing with me.

He then couldn't find the key to his bike lock (he told me he drove) and so one of my friends offered him a ride home which he gladly accepted. I left, but u heard from my friend later that they got about two blocks and he realized his key was in his hand the entire time. He goes to leave and my friends say it's not a good idea and he starts getting all defensive and arguing with them as well. My friends eventually gave up trying to help him and left him there. I happened to still be around and watched him get on his bike and crash into a wall.

The next day and the days that followed, he was still super hyper and excited about the movie and wanted nothing more than to talk about it. This went on for about a week with periods of anger in between where I walked past him and he glared at me and put his hood up.

I have not approached him about the incident because I'm not sure if he even remembers. I don't know any of his medical history, but what occurred was not normal. My friends and I thought maybe he dropped acid or something like that, but he seemed too with it and the side effects should wear off after a couple hours. We also thought maybe a mixture of drugs and alcohol, but we never once smelled alcohol on him and he didn't leave the theater once. He did have a water bottle with him and was acting kind of strange in regard to it, but otherwise there was nothing that would point to any foul play. Our final conclusion was that he stopped taking whatever meds he might be taking. I know from conversations we've had that he takes medication for anxiety, but it never once crossed my mind that he might be something more serious and stopped taking that medication.

I saw a therapist at school and described what happened and she said she believes him to be manic. I didn't know much about mania or bipolar disorder, but the more I researched it, the more it all seemed to make srnse. I'm just curious as to how someone who was so with it and quiet could suddenly have an outburst like that!

My apologies, that got a bit long, buts guess my question is do any of you think this sounds like manic behavior and if so what can I do if it happens again while I'm with him? Thank you!

[Thunder Bow]

He may be on drugs. He must have taken some thing. This sounds more like a drug problem than Mania.

[CK22]

Originally Posted by Thunder Bow

He may be on drugs. He must have taken some thing. This sounds more like a drug problem than Mania.

We thought it was drugs at first, but what could he have taken that would cause him to still be acting like that almost a week later? It was for that reason, that we ruled out drugs. I have friends who have taken drugs and my experience with him was not like those with my other friends.

[Thunder Bow]

He probably is still taking the drug(s) all week long. Meth and or drugs can cause what you saw. Friends may have taken some thing different.

[CK22]

Originally Posted by Thunder Bow

He probably is still taking the drug(s) all week long. Meth and or drugs can cause what you saw. Friends may have taken some thing different.

That is a good point. I didn't think of it from that perspective. He seems back to normal now so if he was taking something he's stopped. Thanks for your input!

[thecrankyone]

Depending on how much or how often it's taken, Meth can last for days. (I've seen it personally).

Holly

[Chuck2]

It doesn't really seem like mania. It seems a little like he's been taking meth all week.

[CK22]

Originally Posted by Chuck2

It doesn't really seem like mania. It seems a little like he's been taking meth all week.

I looked up the side effects and it seems plausible, but I don't really see him as someone who would do meth, but I could be wrong. I appreciate your input!

[CK22]

Originally Posted by thecrankyone

Depending on how much or how often it's taken, Meth can last for days. (I've seen it personally).

Holly

Isn't meth highly addictive? I only ask that because wouldn't he have suffered a greater withdrawl when he started getting better? My friends and I observed him returning to his normal behavior after about a week. I'm sorry you had to witness that personally.

[thecrankyone]

It is very addictive, the more you take it the more you need it. Eventually the brain gets to where it can't feel "normal" without it, but like any drug some people are more susceptible than others. Some people can do it once and walk away, others take it once and are seriously hooked.

My son's father did it, but he wasn't always high. When he was off it, he was normal. When he was at the high, he was excessively everything, (it very closely resembles extreme mania) when he was coming down is when he was hardest.

Possible trigger:

eventually it killed him, via intentional overdose

[CK22]

Originally Posted by thecrankyone

It is very addictive, the more you take it the more you need it. Eventually the brain gets to where it can't feel "normal" without it, but like any drug some people are more susceptible than others. Some people can do it once and walk away, others take it once and are seriously hooked.

My son's father did it, but he wasn't always high. When he was off it, he was normal. When he was at the high, he was excessively everything, (it very closely resembles extreme mania) when he was coming down is when he was hardest.

Possible trigger:

eventually it killed him, via intentional overdose

Meth never would have crossed my mind when thinking about my friend. I could be completely wrong, though, and he very easily could have taken it before he arrived at the movie. Do people who take meth remember obscure things that are completely accurate, but irrelevant? For example, four days later my friend could not remember that he stood up in the theater and made a speech, but he could remember an exact quote from the movie and that it was a goof (he then went on to explain why it was a goof). It's interesting that everyone in this thread thinks it's meth because the few people I talked to about this situation (including the therapist) all thought it was mania. I'm sorry for the loss of your son's father. I'm hoping that if my friend is actually doing meth that he gets the help he needs before it's too late.

[avlady]

yes it does sound like he was on some drug, but maybe he just has a mental disorder undiagnosed.

[CK22]

Originally Posted by avlady

yes it does sound like he was on some drug, but maybe he just has a mental disorder undiagnosed.

I've definitely thought about that! I wish I knew because this whole situation has left me a complete mess.

[thecrankyone]

It could be either. Meth does weird things to people . Have you talked about it to him since. One of the signs of meth (and mania) is going days with out sleeping and then crashing for days.

[thecrankyone]

It also depends if he's a long time user or a new one. In the beginning they can often hide it, but eventually it controls them and it starts to become clear something is wrong.

But it can closely remember bipolar behavior.

either way, it sounds like he needs to see a professional especially if that is very unusual behavior as it could also be a long list of other things.

Everyone's trying to pin this on meth, but it could have been pure mania. Your friend may never have come within 100m of a meth crystal. Everything you described could have resulted from psychiatric illness: organic, genetic, possibly even vegan in origin.

[CK22]

Originally Posted by thecrankyone

It also depends if he's a long time user or a new one. In the beginning they can often hide it, but eventually it controls them and it starts to become clear something is wrong.

But it can closely remember bipolar behavior.

either way, it sounds like he needs to see a professional especially if that is very unusual behavior as it could also be a long list of other things.

In regard to your last post, I have not talked to him about the incident. I hinted to him that I was worried about him, but I'm not sure he got it. If he's doing meth he is doing a real good job of hiding it. I hope that's not the case, but I agree with you that regardless of what it is, he needs professional help.

[mountain human]

Originally Posted by thecrankyone

It could be either. Meth does weird things to people . Have you talked about it to him since. One of the signs of meth (and mania) is going days with out sleeping and then crashing for days.

Like you said, meth abuse looks a lot like a manic episode including paranoia. BPDs having a manic episode can also "crash", similar to stimulant withdrawals.

[CK22]

Originally Posted by mountain human

Like you said, meth abuse looks a lot like a manic episode including paranoia. BPDs having a manic episode can also "crash", similar to stimulant withdrawals.

If he crashed, I wasn't around to see it because school ended for the summer. Prior to that, he did seem to be coming down and was able to have a normal conversation without the hyperactive tendencies which was good.