How does a manic episode end?

Avatar for firstglimpse
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-08-2003
How does a manic episode end?
2
Fri, 10-21-2005 - 10:48am

OK, so if this is an manic episode (see does this sound like a manic episode) can it ever end on it's own? It's now coming up to 7 weeks of mania, he's never been this delusional before. Is the only way to help him is to get him into a hospital? I don't know if he'll go into a hospital and he's too delusional right now to realize there is really something wrong. He knows what he is doing is wrong & it seems to feed into this episode. The more people who tell him he needs help the more he seems to fight it.

Then with managed care does that prevent the severity of them?

Now that we're seperated I'm having people tell me some pretty crazy stories. At first I just could not believe them, but as they have had time to settle I'm starting to see the possibility.

He does get on these moods & dissapears then comes home to me. So I think he must be trying to protect them from me.

Wow, I just do not think I ever took this illness seriously enough. Yes he's gotten suicidal and when he gets like this I know to just get him some sunshine & out of the house - get him busy.

I love this man so much and I did marry him in for better or worse, in sickness and in health. I want him back being the wonderful husband & father he normally is. It's unfortunate this episode has been so crazy that all his work, friends and my family have been sucked in. My family will support my decision, what ever it may be, but he's lost a lot of friends this time.

Another question, can people be triggers for an episode? When we moved to a new state he really calmed down. Things were really good. Then his friends started to follow here, friends I've always felt he would be 'crazy' around. Since these friends have moved to this new city the darkness has been becoming stronger and stronger.

Right now I'm having a problem distinguishing his fantasies & reality.

Thanks,
Bonnie




"Only when we are sick of our sickness shall we cease to be sick."

~ Lao-Tzu, from The Tao Te Cheng
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-06-2005
Fri, 10-21-2005 - 11:08am

I am by no means an expert to all of this.

Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

God could not be everywhere, so

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Fri, 10-21-2005 - 12:16pm

Okay, I think I have to be totally honest with you here, because you need some real answers and you are asking. So I will tell you a bit of my story. About four years ago, I started really partying big time...abusing drugs, being unfaithful to my dh, not really taking care of things at home, not really caring either...I was having SOOOO much fun...I thought life was WONDERFUL...i was soooo energetic, i lost a bunch of weight, i thought i was the best thing in life EVER! I thought every man that came into contact with me wanted me (unfortunately many did). I acted out big time. I was so out of control, but I had NO idea that I was out of control. Nobody around me did either, because I was really good at hiding it! I was still able to maintain, but only for a little while. About 3 to 6 months into this little whirlwind, my life fell down around me, literally and I totally crashed for about a month. I didn't have any idea what was going on. I went to a therapist for issues in my marriage that had nothing to do with what was going on with ME (or so I thought at the time). Anyway, to make a VERY long story a bit shorter, the therapist IMMEDIATELY said Bipolar and sent me to a psychiatrist who IMMEDIATELY agreed and prescribed Lithium because I was so manic. I didn't take it. I was also on prozac at the time and just continued to take that, which is not a good thing for Bipolars who are manic. So, I got through that very short crash and went back UP UP UP again into mania, except this time I wasn't married anymore and I could do ANYTHING I wanted. Uh-oh, another big trigger for me. So I stayed manic again for about another 6-8 months or so, until my dh and I got back together again and about 2 months after that, I crashed again, HARD. I had a psychotic break, but I didn't know what the HECK that was! I ended up in the hospital. Delusional, suicidal, incoherent...hallucinating...it was scary...I got on meds, got a bit better...and have been on the meds roller coaster ever since.

Now, my case is more severe than most. My Bipolar is very rapid cycling and I go waaaay manic and waaaay depressed; very quickly. Most people don't do that. I don't want to scare you with anything that's happened to me, because I'm a bit on the rare side...a lot of people can take meds and stabilize just fine. I have a much harder time with that.

There are many times I've wanted to just up and run away...many many times...my judgement isn't the best...my impulse control is almost nil a lot of times...especially when I'm cycling.

Luckily, I've found some meds right now that are working pretty good. But it takes a while to find the right ones, and a good pdoc and a lot of trust and patience.

Its hard to say what could happen. You don't have much control right now. You're right about that. You HAVE to go on with YOUR life. You can talk to your dh until you are BLUE IN THE FACE, but until he WANTS help, he isn't going to get it. I hate to be that blunt about it, but its the honest truth. He has to want it. He has to get it. You can't do it for him.

Its a long, hard road...for him, but for you and your children too. I'm so lucky that my dh has been by my side through all of this...but I've fought long and hard to get better...I'm still not better, but I'm a million times better than I've ever been and I will never stop fighting for it either. He knows that.

Stay strong for yourself, and your children. Keep your head up and ensure that you don't lose yourself in this.

I wish you and your dh all the best.

Hugs!

Keli