Mixed Episode?

Hi again!
I went through a depressive episode starting mid September and ending late November. It got pretty bad and had to go on antidepressants for it (Started mid October and I'm still on them. Low dose, but I'm quite sensitive to meds). Starting December I started getting symptoms of hypomania (racing jumbled thoughts, uncomfortable amounts of energy, periods of euphoric moods and periods of wanting to crawl out of my own skin). I've been managing it with low doses of zyprexa (which I hate >.< makes you fuzzy and flat!), which seems to work ok. But I've been noticing I've also been getting intense down periods here and there. Like all of the awful dying inside feelings of depression, on top of feeling uncomfortably energetic. I sorta thought it could be a mixed episode, but the down periods don't last for more than a couple hours before I go back to feeling normal or happy. I'd dismiss them entirely because of that, except they're so horribly intense! I've been so up and down and all over the place for the last month that its getting quite frustrating and exhausting. I've been in one cycle or another for over 4 months now, and I'd really like to go back to normal, even for a week or two. Probably wishful thinking lol
Does this sound like a mixed episode? I'm curious as to whether other people have had similar experiences. It'd be nice to hear what other people have done to manage these periods.
Thanks.

Hi

I think it is difficult to say what is going on for you and I think it is important to keep your Dr fully informed as to what you are experiencing. When I get mixed states my thoughts are racing and I feel really agitated but also miserable and paranoid and have thoughts of harming myself. Everyone is different tho.

I hope you feel better soon

Cracked

This is similar to my experience actually, they happen alone, or trying to start on antidepressants, or being depressed and then suddenly starting light therapy. Same symptoms almost to a tee. Very confusing and disorganized in my head. Really hard to manage symptoms of a mixed episode. I haven't figured it out at all really. I have a lot of tricks up my sleeve for plain old depression, but mania is harder and mixed is really hard. A lot of times I feel that my old backup of exercise makes mixed episodes even worse. They are awful, aren't they? So, for me, med changes have been the big one. Taking xanax eases acute symptoms a lot. Coming off the antidepressants helped. Sometimes I didn't take xanax because I was drinking too much. Drinking makes them worse on top of that. Have to keep the lifestyle kind of mellow and low key. I would always talk to the doctor about mixed episodes. Especially after starting on an antidepressant.

I do enjoy reading about people with similar symptoms as me, since they vary so much in people.

Anyone wrote:This is similar to my experience actually, they happen alone, or trying to start on antidepressants, or being depressed and then suddenly starting light therapy. Same symptoms almost to a tee. Very confusing and disorganized in my head. Really hard to manage symptoms of a mixed episode. I haven't figured it out at all really. I have a lot of tricks up my sleeve for plain old depression, but mania is harder and mixed is really hard. A lot of times I feel that my old backup of exercise makes mixed episodes even worse. They are awful, aren't they? So, for me, med changes have been the big one. Taking xanax eases acute symptoms a lot. Coming off the antidepressants helped. Sometimes I didn't take xanax because I was drinking too much. Drinking makes them worse on top of that. Have to keep the lifestyle kind of mellow and low key. I would always talk to the doctor about mixed episodes. Especially after starting on an antidepressant.

I do enjoy reading about people with similar symptoms as me, since they vary so much in people.

I have to agree, it's helpful somehow knowing you aren't the only one dealing with certain symptoms
I'll definitely discuss things with my doctor (appointment coming up soon thankfully). That's interesting that coming off the antidepressants helped with you. My mother actually suggested trying that for me but I was reluctant 'cause I was worried the depressive aspect of the episode might get worse. Granted, it could be argued that depression is preferable to a mixed episode. At least then you don't feel like climbing the walls! I was also using light therapy on and off towards the end of my depressive period. I never considered the possibility that that could trigger a mixed episode, but I'll have to keep that in mind for future episodes. I wonder how similar xanax is to zyrpexa? I've been able to manage things somewhat with that. I'm hoping I'll be able to come up with a better alternative with my doctor though.
Thank you for the feedback! It's a relief knowing my suspicions about whats going on aren't entirely out to lunch lol.

I don't take anything yet, haven't even been diagnosed to be honest but I've been having what I can only describe as bad mixed episodes like that for the past two weeks. I was actually surprised at how much energy I have, despite my job which is heavy labour and that I barely eat or sleep (around 2 hours a night, sometimes less). I'm generally depressed, sometimes very depressed but still very active and extremely talkative, in fact i get off this chair every now and then to walk around the house then come back. I can also relate to the short time it takes for it all to change. I've already been through suicidal, just feeling low, extremely emotional and now I'm fine. All this in less than 24 hours. As for managing it...I'm tearing my fingers apart with my teeth so I can't say

Mav71 wrote:I don't take anything yet, haven't even been diagnosed to be honest but I've been having what I can only describe as bad mixed episodes like that for the past two weeks. I was actually surprised at how much energy I have, despite my job which is heavy labour and that I barely eat or sleep (around 2 hours a night, sometimes less). I'm generally depressed, sometimes very depressed but still very active and extremely talkative, in fact i get off this chair every now and then to walk around the house then come back. I can also relate to the short time it takes for it all to change. I've already been through suicidal, just feeling low, extremely emotional and now I'm fine. All this in less than 24 hours. As for managing it...I'm tearing my fingers apart with my teeth so I can't say

Sounds like you should consult a doctor about that, especially given the suicidal thoughts! Obviously meds aren't perfect, but they are definitely better then nothing. Plus its pretty tough on your body (not to mention your life in general) trying to go it alone. It's probably better to try and get some treatment now rather then waiting for it to get worse. Having to get hospitalized isn't a fun way to get diagnosed (been there, done that). But that's just my take on it. Wish I could offer some advice on coping with the symptoms, but I'm still trying to figure that out myself Hang in there!!

Hi all,

It's been interesting reading about people's descriptions of a mixed episode because I've been trying to figure out if that's what I have when I go on drunken 'self-destruct' rampages. Perhaps someone could tell me if they have had a similar experience to this, or if they think it sounds like a mixed episode too?

I usually into depressive cycle as winter approaches, but I can have hypomanic episodes, usually at the weekend when I 'let go'. For years I always kept a very careful check on myself during the week, trying not to drink, to sleep very regularly and basically not lose it so I could get through work/study. But when the weekend came it was like my time off from having to control myself all the time and the rush could make me go hypomanic (though not always). However, as the winter came in, there would still be this underlying feeling of anxiety or depression. I'd get drunk, and then at some point the depressive thoughts crowd in and I can't stop thinking. Sometimes it would be okay, but other times I would snap and lose control. Instead of trying to watch how much I was drinking or avoid taking drugs, I'd start drinking really heavily and taking drugs just to make my mind switch off or because I was feeling terrified about waking up the next day alone. Sometimes I think I just wanted to do something that I knew I would seriously regret because I felt like I deserved it or something. It was like a form of self-harm, I guess.
Other times I'd start ranting and raving because of something someone said or did and even sometimes be violent ( though not very often) and then end up in tears.

The night I figured out that something was wrong with me I think I was having a mixed episode. It was in November, and I was feeling depressed. This year was the worst depression I've ever had and I'd had quite a few days where I was feeling suicidal. I went out with some friends, but I was trying really hard not to drink much and go to bed early as I was having terrible anxiety after drinking and I wasn't in great form . I left my friends, was going home then had this uncontrollable impulse to pick up someone for sex. So I went out to another club on my own, suddenly full of mad energy and determination. But I couldn't switch my mind off enough to actually talk to anyone, really negative thoughts just kept crowding my mind. After the nightclub ended, I went to an after party and bought cocaine (a drug I NEVER touch because I know how bad it is for me). I was actually quite sober but my mind was racing, trying to figure out what was wrong with me. Some part of me could observe that my actions were not what I should be doing, but I felt utterly powerless to stop myself. All I wanted to do was drink and take drugs until everything stopped going round in my brain. But at the same time I was obsessed with trying to figure out why I was acting like that. Suddenly it hit me how much I spent my life trying to control myself and that there was something really abnormal about it.. I was terrified of going home to face the depression alone so I went to a friend's house (who worked in mental health) at 11am, crying my eyes out and so agitated that I couldn't stop pacing up and down the room until she gave me a tranquiliser. She was amazingly supportive and helped me find a doctor and a diagnosis. I'm stabilised now with meds and haven't touched a drop of drink in almost a month. It's amazing just to feel calm again.

I hope other people who've posted here are managing to work through their episodes.