Is this a personality trait or mania

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-04-2003
Is this a personality trait or mania
8
Wed, 01-12-2005 - 12:07pm

This has happened to me many times in the past, and I see it happening again, so I want to get some feedback on weather this is just my personality or part of mania. Usually it is a hobby, this case I have gotten hooked on making chocolate. In hte past it has been breeding fish (1 year), designing book covers (6 months), sewing (8 months), quilting (8 months). Usually, I start crusing the internet for any info regarding this hobby, often during work, but not limited to. Then the buying starts, usually by the end I have bought everything related to this hobby and spent thousands of dollars. I work on this hobby as much as possible and talk about it to anyone who will listen. In the end, I lose interest, and sometime become very depressed. The items end up being thrown away or sold as I can't bear to look at them. What do you think, personality or mania?

Kristin

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Wed, 01-12-2005 - 12:19pm

Hi Kristin!


Sounds a lot like manic behavior to me, hon!

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-02-2003
Wed, 01-12-2005 - 12:26pm

You know I am no expert.....but I have to agree with Keli. I do the same thing. I crochet, sew and cook in spurts. I get this overwhelming feeling that I HAVE to make this or that. Well.....I hardly finish any of the projects unless it is for family.

Thank goodness I keep my house tidy....because I go through spurts when I want to just sit down and do nothing, which lately is more than usual.

Good Luck.
Carla

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-23-2004
Wed, 01-12-2005 - 12:35pm

I can't recall seeing a description of that particular behavior associated with bipolar but it sounds rather like mania.

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-20-2004
Wed, 01-12-2005 - 2:20pm

Hi!

Me too! Me too! I had to lol when I read that post! I definatly do this. I, like Morgaine, don't do it as expensivly (I'm natural cheep) or as long but that probably is because I cycle differently from you. Oh boy you're not alone in this one.

Love,

Jamie

Love,

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-04-2003
Wed, 01-12-2005 - 2:39pm

Morgaine- I was diagnosed recently after being treated for years for major depressive disorder. I knew there was another issue, but the doctor didn't see it until I came to her office on a Sunday and said how good things were going, got a second job, lost a ton of weight, cleaning the house all the time, etc. The next day I called her and said I didn't understand why I couldn't get out of bed. My brain was so confused and going a mile a minute, but my body could sleep for 12 hours and still not be rested. She changed my AD and I started to feel better in 2 days. She saw what happened before her very eyes and started me on lamictal. So far so good, but I am still trying to sort out my behavior and find out what to look out for.

As for the lack of sleep, I was always a good sleeper, everyone in my family can drop at the sound of a hat, but when I become "manic", I only get about one hour of sleep less a night, so still around 7 hours, so that is not a tell tale sign. I just don't know why I get so obsessed and excited about something, then some time later, I just can't force myself to do it.

As for visons of gradure, I definetly get those, by the time I am well into the hobby, I am going to be the worlds best, quilter, exercise guru, sewer (a person who sews), etc. I take on an extra job, usually for meanial wages, barely making enough to cover the babysiter, just to learn more about my hobby. Usually by that time I am headed for "breakdown city". My parents have always attributed my depressions to trying to do to much, which I usually do before a depression, but I think I do to much because of the mania and then the crash.
Kristin

Avatar for schitz
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-06-2004
Wed, 01-12-2005 - 2:40pm
I agree. I always end up with some obsession and devote myself to that for a while and then leave it unfinished and taking up space. I don't know if it's part of bipolar but at least seems to be pretty common among us!

Photobucket

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-23-2004
Wed, 01-12-2005 - 8:03pm

My parents have always attributed my depressions to trying to do to much, which I usually do before a depression, but I think I do to much because of the mania and then the crash.


I have read stories and interviews with other bipolar people and they express that very sentiment.

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-01-2004
Thu, 01-13-2005 - 12:11am

Kristin,


I think it's probably mania.