Addicted to hypomania

Hi,
this is my second thread, I was recently (6 months ago) diagnosed with bipolar disorder after having a psychotic episode for about 4 months, where I was disconnected from reality.
I am taking zyprexa 10 mg, haldol 2.5 mg, and prozac 40 mg
the thing is I still feel depressed very often, not like it used to be, but still. and since am studying I take Ritalin (Concerta) and usually when I do, it triggers hypomania but I feel like this is how normal people feel all the time, cause I don't feel like a person unless i take ritalin now, only then do I feel happy, sociable with confidence.

if anyone can relate please tell me.
plus if anyone would like to talk a 23 year old guy(who is cute, i thinks ) from israel with what i mentioned before please hit me up, I never spoke to someone with bipolar and I would love to.

Hi,

First, I'd recommend keeping a mood chart (you can download these easily, use an app or make up your own). Fill it in twice a day for a few weeks and show it to your psychiatrist. Do you see a therapist? Most people on here have therapy to help them cope with the psychological aspects of the disorder. Mood episodes can be triggered by external stress so learning how to handle it properly is essential.

I can sympathise with your enjoyment of hypomania. Mine are relatively quiet with no psychosis although my depressions/lack of sleep has previously induced hallucinations and still makes me quite paranoid at times. But yes, there is nothing as wonderful as feeling high.

Message me when you like!

I too am addicted to my elevated states. Not as much anymore since I've been stable 3 months now, haven't been manic for longer, and have learned to enjoy life without being (hypo)manic. Sometimes I still crave the manic high though. It tough because hypomania is great and can be very useful at my job, but I know, based on my history, it will end up in full blown dysphoric mania if I'm not careful.
Take your time, I thought the grip would never lessen. Therapy is helpful too.

Thanks for the replies.
1) Can anyone tell me how I could distinguish between hypomania and the mood of normal people?
2) I still have something from my psychosis that haven't passed, which is hard to explain, its like everything I hear revolves around the same thought during that time, its very frustrating!
3) did anyone else experience feeling like god/jesus during their psychosis ? I would really love to chat.

Hello,

1. I can only tell you my Early Warning Signs (EWS) -- it's good to write those down when you are stable. I experience colours much more vividly -- if I find myself staring at an object and thinking "whoa, that's GREEN" it means hypo is coming. My skin becomes very sensitive, like each hair becomes a nerve ending. My energy increases, I speak a lot and very fast. I come up with ideas, which eventually start becoming so frequent that I can't focus on any of them. Then of course there's hypersexuality, although I didn't experience that since my seroquel was upped to 600 mg.

2. I still have "contact with Gods" going on. My therapist and pdoc aren't interested. They just made sure this isn't a problem or that I don't hear a voice telling me to hurt others or myself. Since this is not the case -- I feel that the voice helps me get through bad moments, and if my voice was called Jesus nobody would call it psychosis -- they just leave it alone. No antipsychotic has been able to squish it completely anyway.

3. I felt I was the son of a deity when I was hypo and psychotic (and not knowing either of those things). So of course world belonged to me, money would fall down from the trees, my business that I started would thrive, etc. Except that didn't actually happen, I went into a mixed episode and the business just died. I no longer see myself as demi-god, but as I mentioned I still have "personal contact".

Like you, I love hypomania. Have to watch it though. It is the up ramp of the roller coaster .

Friends who really know me are a big help. Talk to them and, perhaps more important, listen to them and seek help when they observe that you are getting high.

I hope you, a 23 yr old cute guy from Israel make a love connection on the PsychForum. If you do, don't switch to private messages. The forum needs a little romance. Now Oliveira will ride my case about saying something inappropriate. Hi, Oliveira. I'm back and I haven't learned a thing.

hehe As long as i am talking to someone (preferably a girl) who understands me and can have deep conversations, thats all I need.
Btw I took ritalin earlier today and I dont feel hypomanic which is a bummer

I still Have tons of questions but I don't feel like this is an active forum that much which is also a bummer and is why i wanna chat with someone

"Active forum" is relative I guess. I am bored with the public stuff on Facebook and that is an active forum. I have a friend I met here and we correspond daily. Careful boundaries though that we both accept and generally stick to. It keeps our conversation on track. In a manic moment I was ready to buy a plane ticket. Glad it didn't happen. It would have destroyed a friendship because we were probably both manic and needy at the time.

There are some pretty regular contributors here who you will get to know and I really value individuals that are only here for a few weeks during a crisis. I enter deeply into their crisis with them and hope I have words of support and advice that are helpful. Certainly I have felt supported on this forum. Cared for, accepted, even loved might describe it better. Thanks to all you who are out there. I hope you know who you are.