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MENTAL ILLNESS AWARENESS WEEK - OCTOBER 3-9
LET JUST ONE PERSON UNDERSTAND!!!!
This is a continuation of the article of September 8, 1998, discussing bipolar affective disorder, the manic highs and devastating depressions that recur in cycles in the person diagnosed bipolar. WHAT IS HYPOMANIA? Hypomania literally means "less than mania." It is a state of elevated mood that usually begins suddenly and can be quite pleasurable. It may be sustained for a short or longer period of time, or sometimes will intensify rapidly day by day to the point of mania. WHAT IS A HYPOMANIC EPISODE? 1. A distinct change from usual mood to one of sustained elevation, expansion or irritability, lasting at least for four days. In addition to a clearly different mood, three of the following (four if the mood change is irritability oly) are significantly present. a. inflated self-esteem and grandiosity b. decreased need for sleep (rested after 3 hours) c. talking constantly and rapidly (and feeling the need to continue) d. the feeling that one's "thoughts are racing." Flight of ideas. e. distractibility f. increase in social, work, school and sexual activity. Restlessness and agitation. g. excessive involvement in pleasurable activities. Possible painful consequences from buying sprees or sexual indiscretions. An unequivocal change in functioning that is not characteristic of the individual. Others can observe the changes. Episode is not severe enough to cause significant impairment in social or occupational functioning, does not require hospitalization and does not include psychoses. Episode is NOT due to effects of medication, an illicit drug, or a medical condition. WHAT IS MANIA? Mania is hypomania intensified. Normal mood changes to one that is increasingly impulsive, emotional, irritable or angry. The euphoria of a person in a manic state is so intense that not even a family tragedy or terrible disaster can destroy their high, yet if their plans are frustrated, their boisterous sense of well-being may turn to irritation that quickly shifts to uncontrolled fury. Some people typically become hostile, rather than joyous; a few become paranoid and violent and may assault others, verbally or physically. A friend of mine one time, in such a manic state, was asked to leave an establishent he was playing pool at. When he left he kicked in the plate glass door, then continue along the street doing the same thing to several other doors and windows until he was stopped. Another friend working in a video store took exception to something his boss said, and, when his boss left, he trashed the store...throwing computers to the floor. There was thousands of dollars in damage. Such is mania!! |
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