I just wanted to start this thread to see how many common traits we all have. Manic and depressive episodes are a given, but I'm curious if some of us are mostly manic or mostly depressive.
These are some of the things I think (or have been told) that I can thank my bi-polar disorder for: Do you agree or disagree with any of them? Are there any you can add? I think I am mostly depressive with only moderate mania.
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creative/artistic (photography, music, crafts, etc)
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Paranoia (mostly that people are talking behind my back and spreading rumors)
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Insomnia at times and over-sleeping at others
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anxiety
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appetite changes
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weight changes (gained 75 pounds within a year after my first major episode in college)
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Irritablility (easily angered or hurt feelings)
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Increased/Decreased activity: depending upon which state I'm in. I've never had a bad experience with mania - I really enjoy it, because I can mult-task like nobody's business and I come up with all kinds of great ideas to improve my life and everyone's around me. (I'm keeping a list so that I can get my inventions patented some day and make like a gazillion dollars)
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racing thoughts (sometimes it's like a violent and incomprehendable set of pictures flashing in my head at the speed of light and I can't turn it off. I've also described it to people as like watching a movie in super fast forward and you have no idea what the movie is about). I appear normal on the outside, but inside my head is about to explode and if my body could keep up I would look like superman when he's zipping around faster than a speeding bullet.
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Confusion/unclear thinking/forgetfullness
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Unable to function - bills go unpaid even when funds are available, problems with work and getting out of bed. Feels like I'm drowing each day
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headaches
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spending money with no regard for future
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Driving problems - careless and often forget where I'm going. Or drive according to my mood (Depressed = too slow/Manic = too fast)
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short attention span
* I constantly say to people
"I'm sorry" (Although, I'm not sure if this is a bi-polar or co-dependency issue?)
* I'm also
bad at math (anything other than basic + - X or /) and spelling, but I don't know if this is from the bi-polar. I can generally do the English stuff pretty well.
That's all I can think of right now :bigeyes:
Jenna