Mania and the Support Network
Current mood: awake
Category: Life

For me too much sleep is a red flag and not enough sleep is a red flag. They are two sides of the same coin. Knowing my red flags and having a strategy to deal with them help me to feel cognitively like I have some control over what's going on, even if emotionally I don't always feel like I do.

Having a good support network that is knowledgeable about your diagnosis is essential.

I you were diabetic, you would want your support network to know the symptoms of hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar and what to do.

In a similar vein, if you were talking way to much, way too loud for way too long. Staying up all night starting many different projects, but not finishing any of them. Having difficulty concentrating, making impulsive decisions which others feel show poor judgement, increased physical activity of any kind resulting in dramatic weight loss within a short period of time. Having really big mood swings, feeling grandiouse and/or very irritable, chances are you are having a manic or hypomanic episode.

Because I have been in treatment for a long time, I have some pretty good coping strategies to help slow me down when I'm going too fast, and cheer me up when I'm feeling really low. I will call my doctor without reservation when I can't get my sleep cycle back on track.I will also call my doctor if there is any persistant suicidal ideation that I can't get a handle on. If you are a beginner at managing your moods, you best run things by your psychiatrist until you have established a concrete action plan. Ask questions of your mental health person if you have any doubts. It's always better to be safe. Get feedback from another adult whose judgement you trust to help you know if your mood is getting too elevated. I am not always the best judge of my mood when I am hypomanic, but there are people I trust to tell me that my moods are extreme and to help me get hooked up with my doctor.