Bouncing Between Mania And Sleepiness

[zeropoint]

Hello everyone,

In the aftermath of a fire in my apartment which has left me temporarily homeless and destroyed all my clothes, I've been having some odd new symptoms and don't know where to land with all of this. I should point out that I may or ,may not be bipolar type II. My doctors are never sure if I am having hypomania that tends to follow trauma or if my my "hypomanic" symptoms are mostly an acute trauma hyper-response.

Anyway, I posted here recently about being sleepy much of the time. Now things have shifted and I am experiencing both hypomania and intense sleepiness. They alternate at times or sometimes I will simultaneously feel really groggy and also have racing thoughts at the same time.

My other more manic symptoms are heightened creativity (wanting to write all the time, about all kinds of things, some of which I strongly suspect are not as clever as they seem) and an exaggerated sense of cleverness/giddiness.

Is there a word for alternating between or simultaneously experiencing these symptoms aside from calling it a mixed episode? Does anybody have suggestions about how I can find my footing in all of this?

Thank you.

 

[arfie]

I have had similar symptoms and heard it called so many things that gave up caring what it gets called. How 'bout we call it, "Schmuggle Woogle Syndrome?" In the aftermath of an apartment fire, I might be tempted to call it, "Normal Post Traumatic Stress." That is quite allot to go through, zeropoint. I am AssUming that an apartment fire is an odd event in your life. It kinks my pipes just thinking about it. Why would you be surprised at odd symptoms emerging with it? Hope you are treating the PTS now before it complicates.

When I go through shocks like this, I cope with extra self-care. I let it be okay that I am a little off center and treat the symptoms as they arise. I find that a little extra self-indulgance can go a long way. I go ahead and indulge those heightened creative urges, whether they are clever, or just venting.

Sustaining support, zeropoint. Be gentle with yourself.

 

[Lady of Longbourn]

How long ago was the fire?

I've had mixed episodes and there is much more too it then what you are describing. It's a lot more dangerous in my experience. I think it's totally possible that you are simply still trying to cope with what happened to you. Being creative might help.

Best wishes.

 

[zeropoint]

The fire was two weeks ago today.

I think that being creative does help, but I also get kind of tired of it at a certain point when I want my brain to stop focusing on wordplay or sometimes images I want to create so I can do other things or just relax. I try different visualizations and such when I am tired of my overactive mind, and that often helps in a moment but then it all comes back.