Mania and Sunshine Test
I live in Portland, Oregon and we are having a spectacular winter. It’s the best I’ve experienced in my seven years here. We are used to very, very dark winters. It’s usually dusk at four and dark at five. It’s depression and very bad for bipolar disorder. I was dreading it once again. And yet this year has been at least double the sun as normal. This got me to thinking about mania and sunlight. If you are newly diagnosed with bipolar or care about someone newly diagnosed- here is a test to see how the sunlight has affected your mania in the past: Give yourself one point for each yes.
1. Do you have more depression in the winter and more mania (or hypomania- the milder mania) in the summer?
2. Have you ever had a summer that was happy and enjoyable after a winter depression- but just thought it was the real you- even though you slept less, ate less and had more fun outside?
3. Do you start to feel a lot less depressed in the spring?
4. If you have been hospitalized for mania- was it in the spring or summer?
5. Do you crave sunlight and feel your brain clear when you get out in the sun?
6. Are you a lot more social in the summer- to the point that people comment on it? Is it a lot easier to get out of bed?
7. Do you tend to go off meds when it’s sunny?
8. Do your mood swings have a distinct pattern from winter to summer?
If you answered yes to two or more of the above, your bipolar is probably affected by sunlight. I know that mine it. My hypomanic episodes are almost always in the summer.
I can say that living in constant sun doesn’t mean you’re constantly manic. I lived in Hawaii for years and was rarely manic. I feel the body adjusts. If you’re from Australia, have probably experienced something similar. It’s about the CHANGE in seasons, not only the sunlight.
My first hypomanic episode was at 17 when I went on a school trip to Europe. It was in July- very sunny – with a time change and a lot of excitement. A mania cocktail!
What is your plan to prevent mania for this spring?
Julie
Here is a link to this bipolar mania test if you want to send it to your friends:
Related posts: Newsletter: Mania, hypomania, euphoric mania, dysphoric mania- my plea to you! | Summer Mania | Bipolar Disorder Mania- Hypomania |
Hey Julie!
I was hospitalized with depressive symptoms in late January-early February 9 days in total. During my hospitalization I started going up into hypomania and have not stopped since leaving the hospital. I have been writing constantly since my hospitalization and have actually completed one manuscript since the first of February and am starting on a second. I have been having trouble taking my meds because of not wanting the damper on my creativity. My therapist suggested I write to you to ask your opinion of medication’s impact on creativity. Your input would be very helpful although I have a suspicion I know what your answer will be.
Thanks
- Melissa -
Hello Melissa,
This is a question I defintely want to address in the blog. Please keep checking in- I will answer it soon! Julie
Hello, Julie: I am ttrying again to leave a comment. I amtotally blind, and I have been having computer trouble where my machine shuts down in the middle of a long post. Yuck.
I am told I am cyclothymic—I received your book a few years ago from a blind bipolar friend in Colorado who has a habbit of disappearing for years and then appearing again—most startling. She has good travel skills and seems not to be stressed traveling alone on the bus and such like I would be. I get worried traveling and very anxious and then I feel bad because I’m not supposed to be anxious because successful blind people are not worried about traveling, they just up and go and start walking and trust to God or Fate or such that if they need help, it will appear.
I had to smile when you said in the Bipolar Happens book, you have never worked anywhere for more than 2 years. I have not worked more than 2 years period—and I’m 44 and I have to try not to feel like a failure, but I still do feel bad, unsuccessful, and had just wanted to do one thing well, a hobby, something, sing, dance, draw, travel, have friends, paint, sculpt, weave, make perfume, anything.
I feel alone allot, I have lived alone for nearly 20 years and am heartily sick of it.
triviaguy@bellstouh.net
Sometimes I sound like I’m arguing, when I’m actually not. I just have a way of putting my posts stronger than intended.
I have dealt with this illness for 7 years now. I believe I have found a good balance with medication, therapy and living healthier. However, there are times I slip into manic phases then followed by a long depressive cycle. I started a blog to share how I was diagnosed with Bipolar and how I have worked hard to overcome the stigma of mental illness. I hope you can share my blog on your site.