Hypomania Part VI: Coping

By John McManamy, Health Guide Friday, March 31, 2006

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In previous blogs, I pointed out how frighteningly little the psychiatric profession knows about hypomania and its treatment. The best information we have, believe it or not, comes from our fellow patients.In an eye-opening article in the March 2005 Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry...

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Judging, Ah, Me

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Tea

3/31/06 6:14pm

great information, thanks! ********************* Hi, Tea. Many thanks. You just made my day ... Thank you for reading, John

Sue

4/ 7/06 11:24am

Tea, non-caffeinated, definitely. No alcohol whatsoever. Classical music. A calming friend. A cheap pedicure. A massage. Breathe. Sleeeeep Deeeep. Stress in the hypomanic zone is like a hungry, wild tiger on the prowl for your sanity. You must lie perfectly still. Will yourself to be in control.

desiree

4/ 9/06 11:05pm

I miss my hypomanic state. I have been on this injection and it feels like I'm being controlled. I usually ask my pdoc to levae "a little high" when she does the injection but she said it doesn't work that way. It ain't so bad to get a little high because let's face it, everybody wants to be happy at some point in their lives. I'm so miserable right now because I feel my moves are counted and I terribly miss the hypomania. I plan to not see my pdoc and avoid the injections. I will still maintain myself on lithium and even if I'm on lithium I still get to experience a little high. Any tips to get that feeling in some other ways? Please let me know because I'm dying in here. Thanks ************************************** Hi, Desiree. Unfortunately, wanting to leave "a little high" raises every alarm bell with any pdoc worth her salt. An untreated hypomanic high is as addictive and dangerous as any recreational drug high. You will have a much better chance of establishing a dialogue with your pdoc by first acknowledging how grateful you are to be stabilized and what a model patient you intend to be. Now here's where you change your pitch: You tell your pdoc you have concerns about thinking clearly, that you feel the meds sometimes make you a zombie. The term is "cognitive impairment." Don't be afraid to use it. Refer to objective criteria - difficulty reading, trouble meeting work and commitment deadlines, etc. Under no circumstances talk about feeling high. This is all about feeling well and staying well, not flirting with danger. You need to be committed to getting yourself well in every phase of your life and so does your pdoc. Both of you need to be honest about this. Thank you for reading, John

Nyree

10/13/06 9:55pm

Thank God!--I'm not crazy! I'm so happy that there's finally a term/diagnosis for what's wrong/right with me. HYPOMANIC I'm not quite Bipolar but sure as **** ain't normal! Like Hamilton, I'm extremely intellegent but can't stay off the tables! As a teen i often told everyone i was on a natural high. I didn't use drugs but was always in a hypomanic state. Now at age 28, i finally got the answer i needed from my pdoc who actually listened to me. He's great! All others before him were goons or wouldn't listen. Thank You John! I want to buy your book! I want to learn all i can about what makes me the way i am. And if you ever hear of any clinical studies/trials involving hypomania...sign me up!

Anonymous

3/17/07 5:03pm

Pass me the Ativan please!

Anonymous

1/ 4/08 10:48am

Hi, I am on Cymbalta for Fibromyalgia 60mg/day. But I feel incredibly energetic, have a increased sex drive, and have been doing and thinking things that seem unlike me. Not suicidal or anything, more like I just want to have sexual indiscretions (my marraige isn't so good right now), shop (which I used to hate). I want to go out alot and I think it's because I am bored and my energy is through the roof. I was so miserable for so long with fatigue and pain, that now I want to make up for it in a way.

I am wondering, can my Cymbalta be putting me in a hypomanic state?

SandraS

5/28/10 12:33am

ITs certainly possible. I'm glad cymbalta worked for your fibro - didn't work especially great for me. It is more likely that there was something already in your brain chemistry and the relief from the pain and depression kind of threw you. You may need to add something to stabalize - like an anti-convulsant which are also used to help fibro and mood!!! Yay!

alan altizer

5/16/10 3:38am

having been diagnosed in '77, it's been a ride. tried everything, was in the FIRST clincal trails of welbutrin, have gone all the way to anti-seizures. i'm a rapid cycler, take no more medication for it - just try to see one coming, batten the hatches, emerge after the episode, pick up the pieces.

SandraS

5/28/10 12:29am

..I was wondering whether or not to take sleeping pills to straighten out what was quickly becoming an errativ sleep cycle (which probably encouraged my episode)...too late though..already crashed :/

Hypomania Part VI: Coping

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