Manic Episodes and Activities to Avoid

Manic episodes can be a lot of fun. With that being said, they can also cause a whole host of problems. From someone who’s been there, these are a few activities to try to avoid when manic. (I say “try” because if you’ve ever been manic you know how hard avoidance is!)

If you are wondering about mania, it’s (in a nutshell) an elated feeling that makes you ready to take on the world. Your energy levels are higher, you feel more motivated, and often feel braver or more able to do things you ordinarily would not be quick to attempt.

Mania is most often associated with bipolar disorder, but is also a symptom of illnesses like schizoaffective disorder.

My Last Manic Episode:

Although I don’t experience manic episodes nearly as often as I used to, when an episode occurs I know to be careful what I say and do. As mentioned previously, it is so easy to cause trouble for yourself when you are manic!

My last (noteworthy) manic episode started at night, and of course I couldn’t sleep. A new medication had been added recently, and we were still adjusting the dosage. Having a friend who works nights and knowing he was awake odd hours, I texted him … (by now he’s used to weird texts from me).

“It’s back ward s the rainbow room but head spinning kaleidoscope s don’t spin heads only rainbows.”

Yes, the words were spaced like that.

To explain what the text meant, I drew an interpretation of the visuals I saw that night. My head had felt like it was spinning, and a kaleidoscope of rainbows covered the surfaces in the darkened room. Although I was literally seeing these rainbows, people who have seen the sketch say it looks like how mania is described as being (not seeing).

Note that mania doesn’t necessarily mean people see things that aren’t there, but in cases where mania is part of a different illness it can easily occur that way.

Activities to Avoid:

Now that we’ve established a little bit of back story, what are some activities (in no particular order) it is best to avoid while manic?

1. Drinking/consuming caffeine – manic episodes hype you up, and caffeine is not only unnecessary during this time but it can make episodes worse.
2. Gambling or other risky ventures – while experiencing mania you are much more likely to make decisions that you wouldn’t otherwise make. You aren’t yourself when manic!
3. Starting a major project – starting a major project can be lots of fun, but if you are manic then you are much more likely to make risky decisions and spend unnecessary amounts of money.
4. Driving (if possible) – it may not be possible for you to avoid driving during this time, but again this goes back to decision making. If you can avoid driving, then that would be advisable.
5. Shopping (if possible) – shopping is a necessary part of life – at least for groceries and other important items. Just keep in mind that when you are manic you are likely to spend, spend, spend!

If you are in a manic episode, avoiding the above five things can help you keep from making decisions you regret later. Do you suffer from mania? What are some things you avoid when in the midst of an episode?