I dozed fitfully, which sounds like the start of a bad detective story. It's 0300 and I've had hardly any sleep. I worry about perpetuating this pattern - it's a bad habit to get into. It's not for want of trying though. I don't even feel fatigued any more, which is worrying - that way mania lies, which would be the final insult.
When one is depressed, time stops. When manic, there just isn’t enough time to get everything done – life rushes past and I have no idea why other people can’t keep up or can’t follow my train of thought. It starts seductively, and the colours heighten – particularly natural colours, like those of trees and grass. There are portents everywhere – in the blue sky, in the sounds of birds; things begin to speed up. My mania starts with not sleeping – but is that the first symptom, or is it the cause? No one seems to be able to tell me, and I suppose it doesn’t matter. I stay up later and later, pottering about with tasks of great importance, such as getting a pair of driving gloves in exactly the right shade of green. eBay calls me, with its wonderful website and the chance of nabbing a bargain. Eventually, I’m up all night, with no need for sleep – why waste a moment? Life is SUCH FUN. And as, for me, mania comes after a bad depression, it’s worth waiting for. My friends tell me to take more drugs and I ignore them until it’s too late and the high has its hold on me. I buy and buy – even the postman knows when I’m not well, as parcel after parcel arrives. I don’t open a lot of them, as the fun is in the chase, not the winning. I make excellent puns and I have flight of ideas. After about a week, I’m trapped in a no-sleep cycle – I start to become irritable and anxious if I don’t do something about it. I constantly hear voices telling me I’m shit and I go from ignoring them to believing them. I’m tired and angry, but I can’t sleep despite masses of tablets. Then comes hospitalisation and three weeks of coming down. So that's mania for you. This time, it came first and then I got depressed; however, I do go back up on the rebound, so I must watch out for that. It happens very quickly, too, and I have to juggle my pills cleverly. Sometimes, I long to be just ordinary. Comments are closed.
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AuthorI spent 16 years in the RAF defending the Free World , then got bunged out unceremoniously for being bipolar. I and was subsequently diagnosed with PTSD. Funny old world, isn't it? Archives
August 2015
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