In This Site
"Normal people have this
thing called adrenaline that comes on and off and it is a
switch...And they feel it, and they are pumped up, and that's the
normal, healthy way. And then it goes away...But for people that
have the illness and are in that hypomanic (lesser degrees of
euphoric mood) state that doesn't go away, it's just there. It's
there when you go to sleep and you're trying to close your eyes
and sleep, but your thoughts are still going. You can't even
sleep."
~Surviving Manic Depression, E. Fuller Torrey, MD and Michael B.
KNable, DO |
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Symptoms of Mania
Mania causes
heightened mood, exaggerated optimism and self-confidence, possible enhancement of one's
senses; may be irritable; moods may shift.
This is the signature disability
of mania. It is what most people think of when
they think of
Bipolar
illness. Some describe the mood as follows, "The
world was filled with pleasure and promises; I
felt great. Not just great, I felt really great.
I felt I could do anything, that no task was too
difficult."
Mania causes decreased need
for sleep (less than three hours) without
fatigue;
increased physical activity; spending sprees;
increased sexual activity; increased alcohol and
drug use; excessive writing; risky and bizarre
behavior.
One of the first first warning
signs that a manic phase is coming is lack of
sleep and an increase in energy. If you start to
notice that your need for sleep is becoming less,
seek help.
Mania causes grandiose
delusions (an exaggerated sense of one's importance, power, knowledge, or identity), inflated sense of self-importance
and self-esteem; decreased
inhibitions;
paranoid delusions
With mania the normal inhibitions
disappear; shyness goes, the right words and
gestures are suddenly there, and the power to
captivate others a felt certainty. "It is a short
step from grandiosity to outright delusions, often
accompanied by auditory or visual hallucinations",
~Patty Duke
Mania causes
excessive irritability, aggressive behavior,
increased
physical, mental activity,
racing speech, flight of ideas (accelerated
thoughts), and impulsiveness
Mania causes poor judgment,
difficulty concentrating,
reckless
behavior without concern for consequences, such
as spending sprees, hasty business decisions,
erratic driving, sexual indiscretions.
This can cause severe detrimental
effects on your life. Making poor decisions in
this area can leave you devastated for quite a
long time.
In severe cases, auditory hallucinations
(hearing voices) or delusions (strong convictions
about things that aren't true) are present.
If you recognize
any of these in yourself or someone you love it is
time to get help! If you don't know of any
psychiatrists, go to your family doctor and they
should be able to direct you to one.
Please feel free to
explore the website for the
support that you need and come
Find the Light.
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Grandiose
delusions often merge with the person's sense of relatedness to
nature or to the universe.
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