Need some more info on bipolar disorder

[Iamsoconfused]

Hello, I have been diagnosed with different things in the past and have been trying to make a bit more sense of what is going on.

Basically if a person takes something like an over the counter allergy medication and becomes very manic and excited over it, does that qualify as a real manic episode? It can take something as simple as a bite of candy to send me into talkativeness, agitation and sometimes overwhelming anger attacks, for example. I do try very hard to be careful what I eat, btw, but can't always manage to predict what might trigger what.

Is it a manic episode only if there is no cause to it and it comes out of the blue? What about if it is not a chemical thing but a spiritual practice that causes elation lasting for several days with little need for sleep, would that be a manic episode? Does it have to last for more than 4 days? What if it's 3 days of total restlessness, chatting a lot, and elation followed by fatigue for like 4 or 5 days?

 

[calypso]

I cannot diagnose on a forum but mania is something that usually lasts 2 weeks or more and is more than being euphoric. I would argue that you are very sensitive to things you eat personally. Usually after a manic episode you get depression but not always. I personally crash through the floor after mania and can't get back out of the depression without support from MH services.

I think a lot of people can make themselves go without sleep for long periods of time and get bouncy through that time but are usually more than fatigued if it was mania. But as I said, No-one can diagnose on a forum so all I am saying is in response to what is bipolar.

 

[Iamsoconfused]

thank you for telling me how it is for you, its helpful. also i am not asking anyone to diagnose me on this forum just to be clear.

 

[Faith198]

This sort of sounds like hypervigilance but I am not sure. I just thought I would suggest that

 

[Iamsoconfused]

Hi, thanks for adding that suggestion. I have PTSD since I was a kid, and I suffer from extreme periods of hypervigilance sometimes that lasts for weeks. Some anxiety medication helps a little bit but I am still very easily disturbed.

Therapy did help a bit but after a year or so, I think I had frustrated my therapist with my slow progress so I decided to quit going. I am not good at dealing with people

 

[Faith198]

Hi, thanks for adding that suggestion. I have PTSD since I was a kid, and I suffer from extreme periods of hypervigilance sometimes that lasts for weeks. Some anxiety medication helps a little bit but I am still very easily disturbed.

Therapy did help a bit but after a year or so, I think I had frustrated my therapist with my slow progress so I decided to quit going. I am not good at dealing with people

no I understand that. Your therapist shouldn’t have gotten frustrated with you, therapy takes a lot of time.

 

[Passionflower]

i get manic when I take some antidepressants, but I am not diagnosed with bipolar.

 

[Pear]

Hello, I have been diagnosed with different things in the past and have been trying to make a bit more sense of what is going on.

Basically if a person takes something like an over the counter allergy medication and becomes very manic and excited over it, does that qualify as a real manic episode? It can take something as simple as a bite of candy to send me into talkativeness, agitation and sometimes overwhelming anger attacks, for example. I do try very hard to be careful what I eat, btw, but can't always manage to predict what might trigger what.

Is it a manic episode only if there is no cause to it and it comes out of the blue? What about if it is not a chemical thing but a spiritual practice that causes elation lasting for several days with little need for sleep, would that be a manic episode? Does it have to last for more than 4 days? What if it's 3 days of total restlessness, chatting a lot, and elation followed by fatigue for like 4 or 5 days?

In bipolar 1, a manic episode is a state of psychosis which can last a couple of weeks and requires hospitalization, and drug therapy with antipsychotics and mood stabilizer. The mania is usually followed by a depression which lasts a few weeks. A manic episode is pretty terrible. It is very hard on the family. The manic person is very vulnerable in a state of psychosis and could do something dangerous. That’s why it’s so important to hospitalize the person ASAP as soon as the mania begins.
There is another form called bipolar 2 with hypomania instead of full blown mania.