« Home | Slightly better » | Ugh - manic again » | Another update » | Time for another update » | It's been a while! » | Undecided » | Still manic » | Saw the psychologist last night » | Happy Monday » | And behind door # 3... an oncoming depression » 

Thursday, September 21, 2006 

Self-induced (hypo)mania?

I wonder if it's possible to actually create a manic state?

The other day I stumbled across Ancestry.com and it quickly became an obsession to go as far back as I can with my family tree. That night I chose to stay up late to keep working on it, but in my obsessive frenzy, I never went to sleep! I didn't feel tired at all until about 3 pm the next day. Before I got tired, I was kind of wired up.

Now any other time if I try to stay up late I get tired and fall asleep. But I fully admit I was hyperfocusing on this and obsessed with it.

What do you think?

Very good question. Hmmm, I don't know. Maybe you were already manic and you found something that interested you enough to continue and stay up.

I think that we probably can "Create" a manic in the sense that we enjoy doing what we are doing at the time and then continue to do it for a very long time.

OK...that comment just made me dizzy...LOL!

I used to do this all of the time. I would play this online video game for hours and WHAMMO! I was manic. I would go from an average player to the best there is. Players thought I was cheating.

Then I would stay up all night playing. If I tried to go to bed my mind would be racing too much so I didn't even bother.

And I didn't even know I was bipolar yet.

definitely! when i stop sleeping i get hypomanic

I totally agree.
This is one of those times I have to really monitor myself.. a good idea or something exciting and I can do exactly what you did.

Then obsession comes in.
Learning when to rest and walk away from projects to prevent this self-induced mania is important.

I don't know, which came first, the chicken or the egg?

I've been obsessed with games, and ended up staying all night playing them, night after night, and not being tired the next day.

How can that be? I can only think I must have been hypomanic.

Our mental and physical states are very connected. Can you create the mania? Some would argue that you can. Thoughs and feelings lead to behaviours. But who knows. Everything is a therory right?

Do you taking anything for the obsessive behaviour? I only ask, because I've been looking into it.

It SO can! With me it's coffee, my prof telling me something interesting, exciting social situations, any creative process, and as you posted...ferreting for info...but coffee..OMG!

Post a Comment