Manic Episodes: How Can I Comprehend It?

Your mood and energy levels may change throughout the day, and so does everyone.

You may have noticed someone you know - a friend or a loved one - whose behavior drastically changed overnight. You may have seen yourself or someone you love behaving in a sudden disruptive manner. If someone's experiencing such changes, the person is most likely experiencing a manic episode.

So, how can you comprehend manic episodes? How can you develop an understanding of what a manic episode is?

What is A Manic Episode?

A manic episode or mania is a remarkable change in someone's behavior, mood, energy, and thoughts. Mania is commonly associated with bipolar disorder and depression; during such, you may feel alert, sad, or hopeless.

Manic episode symptoms can last for weeks or even months. If you or someone you love is dealing with manic episodes, it could cause severe problems in your relationships, work, and school.

What Are The Signs of Mania?

When looking to identify signs of a possible manic episode, it's essential to consider the person's typical behavior. It represents a noticeable change from their usual routine. Here are some signs:

  • Decreased need for sleep or not sleeping
  • Engaging in many activities at once because you feel like you're unstoppable, and have lots of energy
  • Increase in risky behaviors like gambling or overspending
  • Talking a lot or babbling
  • You get easily distracted, irritable, and have an unusual feeling of hostility
  • Increased desire for sex
  • Rapid thinking or mind racing and experiencing a flight of ideas

Some extreme signs of a manic episode may require hospitalization to prevent full-blown psychosis. These severe signs are:

  • Feeling invincible, euphoric or numb
  • Seeing, hearing, or feeling things other people can't see, hear, or feel.
  • Having delusions or unrealistic beliefs like someone's out to get you or you feel like you have powers
  • Thoughts of suicide

How is Mania Caused?

Although it is common in individuals diagnosed with bipolar disorder, other factors and health conditions can cause it. Causes include the following:

  • After childbirth (postpartum psychosis)
  • Experiencing brain injuries
  • Having a brain tumor
  • Stress brought by broken relationships, marriages, or a loss of a loved one
  • Having dementia
  • Feeling high levels of stress because of work or school
  • Being diagnosed with lupus
  • A side effect of medications
  • Recreational drug or alcohol use
  • Changes in the season or weather
  • Sleep deprivation or insomnia
  • Trauma or abuse

Can Mania Be Treated?

While there is no cure in terms of dealing with manic episodes, medication, therapy, and lifestyle changes can help manage these symptoms and help avoid triggering the onset of a manic episode.

In dealing with manic episodes, medications, such as Antipsychotics, are often used to stabilize someone experiencing mania. Being under antipsychotic medication requires an individual to be hospitalized so that professionals can observe and watch over them.

Therapy with a trained mental health professional can be helpful too. Through the help of a therapist, dealing with manic episodes, you can assess what triggers you and how you can process the effects of the episode you had. Butlr Health offers you teletherapy so you can get help even at the comfort of your home.

Lastly, lifestyle changes can help in the management of a manic episode. Making time for exercise, sticking to a healthy diet, focusing on proper sleep hygiene, starting a journal when experiencing manic episodes can be extremely helpful.

Related Article: What's The Point of Sleeping?

If you notice that someone’s dealing with manic episodes, comprehending what it is through its definition, signs, and treatment can help that person.

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