Your Mania Symptoms

Hi all,
There may already be a post like this, but I couldn't find it if there is. I'm wondering what kind of symptoms or red flags do you get when you're on your way to becoming manic? And when do you decide to intervene or call your pdoc?

I've only been manic once and I have a hard time remembering exactly what I was experiencing and for how long my symptoms went on before I was full blown manic. I just remember I wasn't sleeping much, my mind was racing, I was grandiose, and I talked a thousand words a second, but I'm not sure how long this lasted before I became delusional and ended up in the hospital.

I guess I want to know what I should be aware of and watch for in the future!

Hmm.. I suppose like you, I'm not sure of red flags. It feels like I just wake up that way.

My symptoms would be sleeping less, excessive talking - which is really bad and very annoying to the people around me, racing thoughts and jumping from one thing to another, excessive (reckless) spending sprees, promiscuity, extremely grandiose thinking - I think I'm the greatest thing to happen in the universe, and euphoria - everything is wonderful and this is the only thing I enjoy about mania because I spend the majority of my time depressed.

I have had 2 manic episodes in my life, and 1 really bad mixed episode that landed me in the hospital. They tend to last for probably 3 months.

I think the first thing to look for would be lack of sleep. Although this could go the other way, as some people have insomnia while depressed, but any change in sleep patterns you should keep an eye on. But for me, I didn't even realize anything was wrong, and that I was just in a good mood. But my NP notices, as does my counselor, so they point it out to me. I think it would help if you have close family or friends to notice that you are acting strangely, as like me, it might not seem.. like strange behavior? I had a boss at my old job who told me my behavior was not exactly good and to "tone it down", so I think others would be able to notice it more than yourself.

I hope this was somewhat helpful.

I get the urge to travel far away or move. I get more sexual. Thinking seems more clear. I feel more powerful and smart, even Godly. I want to write a book. Less need for sleep. Drink more alcohol to calm myself. Impulsive decisions, bad financial decisions. Anything that I kind of wanted to buy, I go ahead and buy it. I also get the urge to sell things that I bought during my last manic episode. Hey, it keeps things interesting!

Are you referring to hypomania or fully-blown mania (bipolar 1)?

I get a lot of the symptoms you describe during hypomania you all describe (excessive talking, grandiosity, wanting to "be on the go," hypersexuality, etc.) and I am generally ok as long as I stay on my meds, get some sleep each day and my boyfriend keeps an eye on me. I have had bipolar disorder for many years so I've slowly become better about not acting on my impulse during hypomania. (Mania is a different story.)

I'm disabled due to bipolar 1 and some anxiety disorders--so I will stay home and "dial down" my environment, so to speak. Basically, the less stimulation for me, the better. And I stay on my meds and I don't drink alcohol or use street drugs.

I'm definitely more energetic but I also can feel an edgy feeling that is uncomfortable for me. I feel like things aren't moving fast enough. The world is too slow, people are talking too slowly, etc. But it's my hypomania.

If I'm fully blown manic, that's a much more elevated state for me and it's very destructive financially and with relationships....and I have no insight as to how manic I am. Basically, I can be a bull in a China shop and having a "great" time.....when I am doing reckless things and go days without sleeping. I can become psychotic and am subject to having it flip into a mixed episode. It's a horrible state that doesn't happen often, since I'm on meds, but it still happens regardless every few years. Those are times where I may need hospitalization.

As a rule of thumb, I'm a light sleeper. I average about 4-5 hours a night. Then i will have a good night's rest of 8-9 hours once a week or so. That's my baseline. Most people need more sleep. My psychiatrist and I agree that six hours a night is a good amount of sleep for me.

If I go more than three days with zero sleep, I'm definitely hypomanic and teetering on the edge to mania. So that is when I call my psychiatrist and usually he will get me in to see him by the next day. Earlier this year, I had five days of zero sleep and he had me voluntarily admitted into a hospital that specializes in mood disorders. He said they could stabilize me fastest, which they did. That was a manic state I was facing so I had to get help.

I hope that helps. I tend to be on the "up" side as far as bipolar moods go, I think because I have bipolar 1. The mixed episodes are the absolute worst, for me. If you're questioning mania...it sounds like you're on the upswing. Be careful and get help if you can't sleep and your meds aren't working, especially if you are alone.

- depersonalization
- derealization
- paranoia
- sleepless for days. mostly because if I sleep for even five minutes I'll wake up with evil all around me (although I don't believe in evil, so I guess, paranoia, but wow, it feels like evil - whatever.)
- Quasi-delusional states but no psychosis in later years.

Most hypomanic symptoms disappear in the paranoia, like hypersexuality, hyper thoughts, extreme feelings of joy, etc. Everything shuts down and I become saturated in fear and isolation. Even the physical world gets closed in (derealization) and I don't do much moving around. It takes everything I got to hang on to reality.

Some of the hypomania makes me feel good, but unlike the old days, I don't let it last before I take some sort of action. actual mania has been happening less and less over the years but hypo remains.

for which I am grateful.

Personally my mania symptoms are usually lack of sleep, heightened sexuality, talking a lot (i'm usually a very quiet person and don't really like being around others/being in social situations so it's a weird feeling to not be able to stop talking ), reckless spending which usually leaves me completely broke before the end of the month (not so much now since I let my partner deal with the money and purchases so I don't end up spending it all), I usually also end up on a cleaning frenzy where I'll clean obsessively for hours days on end even if there isn't anything to actually clean lol. On top of that I feel like everything is amazingly perfect and I'm invincible like I have superpowers

- Jitters
- Racing thoughts
- Delusions, paranoia and hallucinations (I'm Schizoaffective, so I'm probably psychotic at the same time).
- Inability to enjoy myself. i'll just sit there and shake.
- Rapid cycling with depression
- Tingles all over my body

Yes yes.

I'm hypomanic pretty much constantly. This has been an issue since about age ~16, with a diagnosis at 19. I do remember life before constant hypomania, but it's like a fond memory I look back on since I've lived nearly half my life with it now. (I'm 30.)

Hypomania keeps me jittery and generally just bonkers 24/7 for like, 4 days. Then I crash and want to sleep for 2. This is my existence.

I'm very introverted but anyone who has lived with me or been close with me knows I can be ANNOYING. Constant tangents about space, Carl Sagan, computers, web development, painting, music..

(My Spotify is -always- open.)

I dance nonstop also. Take last night for example. I worked on an art project all night with breaks to dance to We Built This City. I am not joking.

I get paranoid too, which makes for a weird mix. I drink a 20oz iced Americano with cream every single day. This doesn't help. My hands shake too and I think I can communicate with God. (Newsflash, manic me: everyone can. It's called prayer)

This doesn't include my 10 year major manic episode that I've had regularly since 19. That involves leaving my entire life behind to travel the USA and consider homelessness and live in a pull behind like John Steinbeck in Travels with Charley.

Needless to say I live with my parents now. Stay on your meds, folks x_x

Edited because I realized I didn't really answer your question fully. My signs are excessive talking, jittery feelings and shakiness, insisting on staying up late, wanting to talk about ideas for hours, and forgetting to eat. Also I will suddenly stop talking or bouncing around and look at the person I'm with and they'll look back at me and I always KNOW I'm hypomanic by their expression. It isn't ever bad. But they look kinda tired. :/ This is why I am nearly silent around people I don't know.

My major manic episodes follow a HUGE depression so I know when they're coming. :X