I always write about depression and loneliness during the holidays, but for many people, mania is the problem! It can be very overstimulating to buy presents, decorate the house, cook food and be around a lot of people. But the main concern is travel. If you’re going to travel, make sure you have a mania plan in place. What are your first signs of mania? Have you ever gotten manic on a trip before? How do you deal with time changes?
Here are three tips:
1. Let others know what to look for concerning mania. Be honest and give them a list. Then tell yourself you’ll listen and not get mad if they see the beginning signs of mania. Then get help.
2. Get your medications on a time scheduel before you go. Even a two hour time change can mess up a medication schedule. Especially if you’re dealing with jetlag. We respond top time changes a lot differently due to our brain chemistry.
3. Set a limit on spending and if you feel yourself getting a bit too excited about buying presents people don’t need with money you don’t have, be careful and see this for what it might be- signs of mania.
Now is a good time to make a plan. I’m part way through a new book on bipolar and travel- and will have it out next year- but for now, there are many good blogs on this site about travel. I use my Health Cards Treatment System each time I travel- it makes it a lot easier to track my moods and show others how to help. You can read about the Health Cards to the right.
Happy travels- start planning today!
Julie
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I wonder about the mania. I LOVE shopping and expecially gift giving. I’ve found that if I just don’t go to the stores, I don’t get ‘all hyped up’. Even when I go to the store and tell myself ahead of time that I’m ONLY going for certain things…..one thing leads to another and another and I get VERY excited and happy etc…..until just about the time I get the things loaded into the trunk. I can feel myself getting really down. Is this normal? Is this how everyone feels when they spend too much or buy too much or is this mania? Is the sudden shift to ‘down’ rapid cycling or just guilt and worry over overspending? I’m having a hard time trying to understand what is considered NORMAL. Anyone else out there going through this? p.s. and since the dawn of online buying….well, there’s trouble there, also. I’m really questioning myself about a lot of things. The line between BP and normal, enjoyable ANYTHING is getting harder and harder to distinguish!