Bipolar Affective Disorder: Gift or Curse?

As an aside - in 30 years of driving (I gave away my last car 15 years ago) I almost NEVER undertook a journey of much more than one hour's drive, by myself...and I was "single" for nearly 18 of those years! No great fear - I just never liked driving, or trusted a car to perform for long periods.

The only exception I can remember was a holiday trip to Manitoulin Island, around 1988 - about six hours each way (and quite enjoyable). My car was only a year or two old, so I wasn't worried about it. I went back the next year, this time with my son, who had turned 16. I let him do most of the driving.

This quirk probably says a myriad of uncomplimentary things about me, psychologically - but I don't give a rip. :smile:

Johann

 

I can say with absolute certainly, Ted, that this is highly typical of those in a manic state. I say so - not because I have about 18 (laughable) undergrad credits in psych. - but because I spent a lot of my work-time chasing people for payment, who had received and maxed out credit cards. Without manic phases, I might have been out of a job! :smile:

I thank those many manic-depressives (and others) who helped keep me in work that let me make a reasonable living...

Johann

 

I can only imagine

I am not bipolar, but I do suffer from recurrent major depressive disorder. It does make life difficult at times. I live in both the light, and the dark (darkness). My hats off to Tedmeister.

Abner

 

I have never experienced the massive emotional swings described by many who struggle with Bipolar Disorder, but I have a family member who has been diagnosed with BAD. And as the initials read, it can be BAD. This person goes into some of the darkest depressions imaginable. Fortunately, these seasons do not last forever. I have seen behavior in the manic moments ranging from the credit card scenario described by Ted to waking at 3 in the morning and getting up to do a major house cleaning nonstop. The meds do indeed help, but it does not eliminate 100% of the symptoms.