Am I Manic?

[David Baxter PhD]

Am I Manic?
Therese J. Borchard
Thursday May 27, 2010

Most people envision mania as the woman who rings up $2000 on her master card, or the guy up all night composing music. But mania, and especially hypomania, need not be so obvious or extreme. If you suffer from a "soft" bipolar disorder (Bipolar Disorder II for one today) like I do, where the manic cycles are somewhat difficult to identify, you need friends and family by your side to help you recognize when you're heading into the danger zone.

YouTube - Am I Manic?

 

[Banned]

She talks about the importance of having close friends who can identify for you when you might be manic or hypomanic, but I wonder how many people with Bipolar have trouble with friendships? I know that for me personally, friendships are very difficult for me to make and maintain, and most of them are fleeting... I dont' stay friends with anyone long enough for them to get to know the real me and therefore be able to help me identify my shifts.

I like how she says that the illness is different for everyone, and everyone experiences it differently. That ties in with why it's important to know yourself. That can also be very difficult, especially if one suffers from self-esteem issues and is afraid to really know themselves.