SoberRecovery : Alcoholism Drug Addiction Help and Information - View Single Post - Bipolar - Manic and depression phases

Threshold · 11-07-2009, 07:12 PM

I have a tendency toward SAD (seasonal affective disorder) which means I tend to get down when day's are short and up when day's are long.

Larger than that, by actual bi-polar cycles run several years...a mania that lasts from 6 to 18 months, that dips into a depression. The higher the mania. the worse the following depression.

If/when those cycles coincide...things get extra ugly.

I do have a period in Oct where I tend to get suicidal that my psychs assume is attached to some early childhood trauma.

I don't automatically cycle every year or two, I may have several years of relative stability, or only short ups and downs, then enter a real big manic/depressive cycle.

things are becoming more bi-polar as I age. When I was younger I tended toward deep depressions with small manias, now my manias are full blown.

11-07-2009, 07:12 PM	#7 (permalink)
Threshold Grateful but still smarting Join Date: May 2009 Location: Arizona Posts: 935 Blog Entries: 8	I have a tendency toward SAD (seasonal affective disorder) which means I tend to get down when day's are short and up when day's are long. Larger than that, by actual bi-polar cycles run several years...a mania that lasts from 6 to 18 months, that dips into a depression. The higher the mania. the worse the following depression. If/when those cycles coincide...things get extra ugly. I do have a period in Oct where I tend to get suicidal that my psychs assume is attached to some early childhood trauma. I don't automatically cycle every year or two, I may have several years of relative stability, or only short ups and downs, then enter a real big manic/depressive cycle. things are becoming more bi-polar as I age. When I was younger I tended toward deep depressions with small manias, now my manias are full blown.