Category: Triggers to Mood Cycling
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May is Mental Health Month and I’m Hypomanic
You may wonder: “How’s Kitt?” Well, a bit high on hypomania, but sleeping well with the help of meds, and titrating off my SSRI (at least during these longer-day seasons which trigger my hypomanic symptoms). What have I been doing with my hypomanic energy and dog-with-a-bone focus? I’ve been active on social media, updating NAMI…
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Bipolar Kicks My Ass
When I met with my psychiatrist yesterday, we discussed my diagnosis. I learned that since I’ve been hospitalized for bipolar symptoms, my diagnosis is type 1, not type 2. Since I’ve been ramping since July third, we agreed it was time to add low dose quetiapine (Seroquel), a sedating and mood-stabilizing antipsychotic, to my medication…
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I Will Not Cry Now
To avoid feeling overwhelmed and hold back the tears due to loss, stress and worry, I’ve started delving into my ancestry online. My therapist reframed what I was doing as focusing, rather than avoidance. She thought it was healthy. Now that my father has passed away and my mother’s health has faltered, I’m really, really…
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Recovering from Hypomania
Recovering from hypomania and fatigue. Need to relax, slow down, and heal.
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Hypomania aka Fried Brain
Those who know me well would hardly be surprised to hear (or read) that my mind is fried. Focused? Who me, focused? Nope. Instead, one project or comment gets me going in one direction, another in another direction. I end up juggling multiple projects, with my mind racing and jumping all over the place. So…
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Hypomania, Praise, and Self-Talk
Photo thanks to Gustavo Espíndola The praise came. Kitt loved to please. The more praise she received, the better she felt. The more she achieved, the higher she soared, until she couldn’t. Her body couldn’t keep up. She broke down, couldn’t get out of bed, and beat herself up for falling, for failing. Talking to…
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Walking the Line
Living with bipolar is like walking on a tightrope, trying to maintain my balance, fearful of each step I take. As a young adult, I didn’t understand what triggered my highs and lows. I saw depression as a problem, but I didn’t fully understand the role of workaholism, overachievement, and perfectionism, even as I crashed…
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Mind Spinning
Mind spinning In circles Like a hamster On a wheel Racing Round and round Going nowhere Going nowhere Too quickly To safely Get off Mind spinning Sick to my stomach Let me off This ride Right now Please slow down Please brake Cannot take it Anymore Maybe I shouldn’t Have had Two cups of Coffee…