Information on mental illness, psychotropic drugs, and alternative therapies from a patient's point of view. This blog is also meant as a way of opening lines of communication and sharing experiences. Post your comments freely; I would love to hear from you.
It has been 1.5 weeks since my last Lamictal dose reduction. Up until last night I was feeling very sluggish and spacy. Suddenly--POW!--a burst of energy, irritation, and restlessness. I hesitate to call what I'm feeling mania, because I've always thought that true mania was more intense and destructive. The National Institute of Mental Health describes bipolar mania as:
Mood Changes
A long period of feeling "high," or an overly happy or outgoing mood
Extreme irritability
Behavioral Changes
Talking very fast, jumping from one idea to another, having racing thoughts
Being easily distracted
Increasing activities, such as taking on new projects
Being overly restless
Sleeping little or not being tired
Having an unrealistic belief in one's abilities
Behaving impulsively and engaging in pleasurable, high-risk behaviors
I have highlighted my own symptoms in the preceeding list. I also tend to grind my teeth and fidget more than usual. I snap at my friends and my dog. My computer does not work fast enough for me. I drive recklessly. But the burst of energy is such a relief after days filled with tiredness, apathy, detachment, and indifference. Luckily, the "hyperness" is not intense enough to cause any real problems. (I've heard of people getting arrested, using a bunch of drugs, spending thousands of dollars, having sex with strangers, and more while under the effects of bipolar mania.)
Here is how other people describe their bipolar mania:
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