Is it Harder to Recover from Travels When We’re Bipolar?

I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder only a couple of years ago, and it has illuminated so much of what I experienced prior to my diagnosis, meds, and awareness. I used to go to a lot of research conferences and felt so out of sorts upon arrival and overwhelmed upon my return. I used to wonder how everyone else dealt with it. Now I understand that both the conferences were stressful and that any change in time zone can trigger depression or mania. So now whenever I travel, I am gentle with myself and deliberately do less than more! Thanks for sharing and increasing the awareness.

Thanks for your input on this topic, Polarimbi.  Keeping the pressure off ourselves, and doing less, as you suggest, is the key to surviving travel well.

 

Lynne

Absolutely it affects us more. I went to Hawaii last year going through many time changes and long trip with no sleep. Was hypomanic the entire time in Hawaii. It took a few weeks to settle back down coming home as well. I have OCD as well and usually it is OK, when I travel ANYWHERE I obsess about every little detail before I go like "is everything packed", "are the animals going to be ok" and on and on. Once I get there I am fine. Pat

Hi Pat,

 

I can identify with your obsessive worry about everything being OK before a trip.  I make lists and check them off, but still lie awake wondering what I've forgotten!

 

Lynne