About bipolar and its symptoms

[Guest guest]

Mania is characterized by episodes of very high energy that can last a few hours

to a month or longer depending on the severity of the bi polar.

My mania is called hypomania- or small mania and is ususlly accompanied by

spells of high energy, racing thoghts, presured speech,(asphasia) loss of desire

to eat and weight loss--- dramatic weight loss, lots of creative urges, no need

for sleep, iritability and even in some cases, voices.

Mania can be dangerous in that at times it can give you a sense of false being

and you will thnik that you can drive fast and take on risky behaviors. Some

manics will engage in sex with many partners, or shop for weeks, talk

incessently, get very loud, have bad judgement, be trusting and generous. All in

all it can be a state of actue awareness but also paranoia can sneak in too.

Bi polar seems to be the new buzz psychological term for a number of behaviors

now. It needs much clinical observation-- becasue only 1 % of the population has

true bipolar.

But it seems that the medical climate is diagnosoijg it much more-- even

small kids and it may be a money making propostion going on-- drug companies

benefiting too. So be sure that Bi polar is diagnosed by a psychiatrist who has

observed both poles and for a length of time-- ie-- in a setting that is

clinical and where he can see both episodes clinically clearly.

It usually blooms in the early 20's as mine did but was not diagnosed until I

was 40.

I am an " expert " on this illness so anyone feel free to ask me anything about

it.

Take care, Annie

grasshopperx_10 <woody10@...> wrote:

Teri, what do you mean by Mania? can you describe it.???? cindy Some of us stay isolated and weep endlessly ~~

>

>

>

> That would be me - bipolar 2. Mainly depression - the mania in my

case

> shows up as anxiety or my overdoing it with pets or plants (which I

don't

> think is such a bad thing). I would love to be able to go to

therapy on a

> regular basis for my bipolar - cost prevents me from doing so. In

the past,

> therapy has helped me tremendously and I'm actually looking for a

way to be

> able to go back. But when I can't, I look for other avenues -

research,

> online support groups, family and friends - anything so I don't

stuff it

> down and have it come out roaring like a lion. So I agree with you

Ann,

> responsibility for your conditions are imperative.

>

>

>

> As far as addiction - I've been on opiates for a long time and have

been

> told there is a very big difference between being addicted and

dependent on

> your meds for chronic conditions.

>

>

>

> Teri (central WI)

>

>

>

> Re: Pain management and addiction

>

>

>

> Dave,

> Thank you for the post on pain management and the use of opiates.

> I too take hydrocodone and have for 2 years for various things--

two rotator

> cuff surgeries, migraines, and now cervical riduculopathy. I am

concerned

> about it---- I know that I am psychologically addicted because the

thought

> of not having it makes me very nervous.

> But I wanted to comment on another issue you raised in your post

and that is

> on bipolar and medication. I was diagnosed with Bi polar over 18

years ago

> and taking the medication is not the sole answer. Bipolar is a

genetic

> illness that also requires intensive psychotherapy to gain

knowledge and

> learn how to manage and control the episodes which means taking on a

> responsibility/ commitment. If I just took my meds and did not ever

go to

> the years of therapy for it I would not be managed. Medication

alone does

> not control or manage Bi polar.

> That comment about that man who went off his medication and killed

people?

> Mental illness medication does not keep one from being a killer---

it is the

> same argument in owning a gun-- owning a gun does not make you a

killer. It

> is the moral and core inner pers & #2342;n that makes you who you

are. So I

> think that the behavioral link betwen taking medicine for mental

illness and

> murder is erroneous. He was probalhy a ticking time bomb for years

and

> years- - - medication or not.

> Bi-polar does not make someone go out a kill someone else if they

go off

> their meds. HE did that and he did that alone---IE going off his

meds may

> have caused him to be more depressed but the lack of his medication

did not

> make him a killer. He had it in him already.

> I am very tender hearted about bi-polar and there are a myriad of

symptoms

> surrounding bipolar--- but not all bi-polars have promiscuous

immoralities

> or are shopaholics or go out and kill people if they go off their

meds. Some

> of us stay isolated and weep endlessly and write some of their best

work,

> paint some of their best art -as in so many of our greatest artists

and

> musicians of all time: Mozart, Bethovemn, Bach, Van Gogh to name a

few---

> Taking responsibility it the key word and as with any illness one

must take

> responsibility and manage their own illness whether it is diabetes,

heart

> disease or mental illness.

>

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