I am going to court tomorrow, and I have been a mess, shaky, anxious, and frustrated at everybody around me. I feel like everything someone says is just irritating and worthless to me. I don’t’ want to around anybody, but I know that is not healthy for me. I have been getting worse all week leading up to this stressful situation. I am worried that I am going to have a full blown depression episode. I cannot concentrate and am having trouble sleeping.
Hi Colby,
Isn’t it amazing what stress can do to our bodies and minds… I would be stressed too. It hits us harder- that’s for sure. It’s amazing that you are aware of your anger and frustration- this means you can keep it from ruining relationships and getting you into trouble. I was majorly irritated yesterday and even yelled at a friend- I felt terrible and then realized that is [ Read More ]
Bipolar Happens: 35 Tips and Tricks to Manage Bipolar Disorder is a top ten book on the Kindle!
That’s exciting. I went to the Kindle store to see how Loving Someone with Bipolar Disorder and Take Charge of Bipolar Disorder were doing on the site. These books are in the top ten ranking- and then I saw that Bipolar Happens is up there as well. Fantastic!
Bipolar Happens! is an enjoyable book about a serious topic.
Guess what- it’s only $.99
Yes, I think this is a great deal and a good way to get helpful information about bipolar disorder at minimum cost. Bipolar Happens! was my first book. I knew I wanted to talk about how I manage the illness, but I also wanted to tell [ Read More ]
I just received a question from Michael asking- Do your books come in ebook format?
Hi Michael,
I started my career with ebooks. My Health Cards Treatment Plan for Bipolar Disorder and my books Tips for Talking with Health Care Professionals and Bipolar Happens are available in ebook form. My coauthor Dr. John Preston has an ebook called The Medical Treatment of Bipolar Disorder. These books are available on www.bipolarhappens.com. If you scroll to the middle of the page, you will see the ebooks.
My books Loving Someone with Bipolar Disorder, Take Charge of Bipolar Disorder and Get it Done When You’re Depressed were all traditionally published. They are available in ebook form for the Kindle. The Kindle is the new amazon.com hand held electronic book reader. These books are also available in book stores. You can also ask your local mental health organization if they have the books. If they don’t, please let [ Read More ]
That is only partly a joking question. I know that my mania is just as dangerous as my depression. But why can’t I at least have as much hypomania as depression! If a psych read this they would remind me that what goes up must come down. In fact, I write that in all of my books- but I don’t know one person who doesn’t love euphoric hypomania in the beginning and middle stages. When it hits the third stage it’s awful- as is the bad crash that inevitably follows. But I still wish I could have it more- just without the downside. It’s sort of like being able to live on sweets without ever getting fat!
I manage my hypomania just as diligently as I manage the depression. I know how serious it is- but when I’m depressed as I am today- I wish it would just show up for a few hours so that [ Read More ]
Wow, I had a wild hypomanic episode a few months ago. I wrote about it at the time. If you go to the mania link to the right, you can read all about mania and my experiences. It’s a very, very dangerous mood swings as it feels good- absolutely no one wants to be depressed, but people who experience euphoric mania often welcome it and never want it to end. (Agitated mania is called dysphoric mania- it’s also explained on the mania link to the right.)
We really are moving into the mania season. Sunlight affects our sleep as we get more sun through the eyes – which affects the brain. So, yes- keeping out of the sun helps. But who wants to do that if they have been depressed?
This is a complicated illness- and we have to know [ Read More ]
I often wonder how to describe the difference between mania and depression.
Depression: Feel you are the only person in the world. Mania: Feel completely at one with the world. Depression: Living in the past Mania: Living completely in the moment- this is particularly true with euphoric mania Depression: Silence Mania: Chattering nonsense when it goes too far
I could go on and on! Things get really complicated when the moods are combined- this is known as a mixed episode or dysphoric mania. People with dysphoric mania have all of the energy of a person with euphoric mania, but it’s agitated, uncomfortable mentally and physically and often comes with psychosis.
I have had a few mixed episodes myself. Anti psychotic medications- including Zyprexa, Abilify, Risperdal and Serequel are often used for dysphoric mania along with the mood stabilizers Lithium, Depakote and Tegretol. I find that Lamictal helps me a lot, especially since I can’t [ Read More ]
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