Anyone any experience with manic behaviour? Help pls

[cheerytinselcherry]

My Dh had a 'classic nervous breakdown' ealier this year, has been on Ads for several months and is on the up. Lately though his behaviour is turning hyper, talking quickly and incessantly, racing to do one thing without finishing another, flitting from one topic to another, driving erratically,interrupting, getting quickly wound up (normally v laid back). He had time off work but is back there now. Is this normal after a breakdown, or is it turning into something else? He won't go to dr. Thanks.

[PuzzYuleLogs]

Bump

[PuzzYuleLogs]

Bump

[TotalChaos]

could be the ADs causing/exacerbating the manic behaviour (if he's on SSRIs like prozac it is a possible side effect). I think you really do need to get him back to the docs, he may need to change his meds.

[scrooged]

Hi.
It could be a reaction to the medication that he's on so he does need checking over by the GP.
My mum was very 'sedate' after her breakdowns, she also became rather hormonal aswell so I'm inclined to think that a breakdown affects people in different ways. Does he have a mental health suport worker or someone similar you can have a chat to?

[tiredlady]

Get him to a doctor's.
You are describing classic symptoms of mania. Don't want to alarm you, but this is serious.
If he won't go to GP, then go on your own. Your GP can arrange for a mental health professional to visit him at home.

[cheerytinselcherry]

tiredlady, what do you mean? why is it so dangerous? I realise it could be his meds, have wondered that. Even had his freinds wife over tonight to discretely discuss thier thoughts, they have noticed his behaviour. He knows he is hyper at the mo, will it not settle down?

[jooseyfruit]

get him to the doctors as soon as you can.

do it tomorrow.

[wotuhohohoinat]

I can't offer any advice, I'm afraif, but I can offer sympathy. My DH has bi-polar disorder and it make life 'interesting' . Hope it settles down soon.

[noonki]

Hi

i was sectioned in my early twenties as I had a Manic episode.

He does sound manic to me, and it can be common after a period of stress (either physical or mental).

You must get him to see a medical professional as soon as possible as the longer he is untreated the more serious the problem came become.

i was incredibly delusional, I seriously considered burning down my parents house,(though I had a good relationship with them) but I thought I was defeating an evil force.

I wrote a lot of things, would skip conversation to conversation. Would read 'signs' in everything.

If he is out I would phone NHS direct and get their help. If he gets in anyway violent or aggressive you must get help immediately (999 if necessary). I was unbeliveably strong, it took 6 aides to hold me down and I am ususally a real wuss.

He may become paranoid and suspicious of you and everyone, don't take it personally.

I really hope that you are ok.

My parents had to trick me to get me to hospital and said it was the worst thing they have ever done. In retrospect it was the best. You will be doing him a big favour by getting him help. Though it may take him a while to realise it.

Just to reasure you, I was very ill, but now am completely well, and no one knows I was ill unless I choose to tell them.

[wotuhohohoinat]

Noonki, has it only happened the once?

[cheerytinselcherry]

Gosh noonki, that sounds terrible, u have done well to recover.
I spoke to him tonight..he has gone out..and he said if he didnt calm in the next couple of days he will go see his dr. I pointed out several incidents that were not normal and he reluctanlty acknowledged a couple of them (the others he had 'reasons' for).
Should i push for an earlier dr appt? Or give him a little space? He has not been violent at all, just irrationally irritable and easily angered.

[noonki]

Wotu - yes only the one episode. It was triggered by severe gastro flu (and a serious dope habit ) My gran was bi-polar though.

I have been warned I am high risk for getting it again (and PND) but have been lucky. I am also really vigilant about feeling depressed/hyper and calm down my life - ie late nights, healthy diet, exercise etc if I am getting bad. I also talk about things if I ever get low (that is by far the most important for me).

Is your DH ill a lot?

Cherry - it's a good sign that he is acknowledging that he is acting strange, but I would try and get him in earlier if you can.

[cheerytinselcherry]

Thanks for that, have actually emailed him links to a couple of sites listing syptoms to see if that rings a bell, so he can see them at work tomorrow. May make him think i little.
Wotu, sorry you are living with this, its not in the least bit easy.

[cheerytinselcherry]

Thanks everyone, need my bed now. Will keep you posted.

[noonki]

let us know how it goes cheery.
Wotu - it mus be very hard for you, mu friend is in a similar situation and I have so much respect for her.

[wotuhohohoinat]

I did a lot of research into bi-polar when I got together with DH. In the end I knew more than him! But it was essential for me to spot what was going on as he is usually unaware of his mood swings.
It's not an easy thing to deal with - but if you love a person you can
If you dont mind, Cheey, I'll keep checking back to see how things are going for you.

[tiredlady]

Manic episodes can be extremely dangerous.
The individual may become agitated, violent, paranoid, or very grandiose, believing they are special, talented, gifted in some way. They start engaging in reckless behaviour - eg overspending, promisuity,simply disappearing on a whim.

Mania can arise as a result of stress, anti depressants, iliicit drug use, or just an underlying bipolar illness.

You must tell your GP what is happening.Be prepared for the possibility of in patient treatment.

Good luck

[arionater]

cheery - as others have said, your dh needs to see his GP asap, it's very important. This could well be caused by the ADs, and at the moment it sounds as if he is probably hypomanic (that is, not fully manic but heading that way); full blown mania can be very frightening and destructive both practically (eg maxing credit cards, starting projects that can't be finished at work) and emotionally (alienating loved ones, becoming delusional). Also the higher he goes up the more likely he is to "crash" back down and become depressed again. Your GP should take it very seriously and if he doesn't then see another one.

I had a manic episode earlier this year triggered by a single very tiny dose of a mild antidepressant (citalopram) - I was very seriously depressed and went from very depressed to manic within four hours after taking it, but that's very rare, it's more common for people to gradually get higher and higher after taking ADs for a while. If mania is AD-induced, it doesn't necessarily mean your dh is bipolar, just that ADs might not suit him. But it's a serious matter - I only ever took 2 10mg doses and it took about 6 months to stabilise completely afterwards (was quite mad!).

noonki - I was very cheered by your message. Although I've had several depressive episodes, I'm hoping I can stay stable from now on and avoid further big ups and downs with all the measures you describe. Good to know that some people can really make it work!

Good luck with it cheery. It's v. good that your husband is aware of his 'hyperness' itself (it's called having "good insight" and makes things a lot easier to manage!).

[noonki]

Hi arionater

sorry to hear you were ill so recently. You are right that it takes a long time to stabilise, and I think even longer to come to terms with what happened to you, (a little piece of me has never quite believed that all that happened was all in my head!)

I do think for me the most important thing has been a determination to not be embarrassed about being ill. I come from Oxford, so a relatively small town and I have a very unusual name, and when I met new people they would do a double take and I would know they had heard about my exploits! As I came to a bit I said to my mum, but what will people think.. and she said that if anyone is funny about it, they aren't worth worrying about. I took that totally on board. I am now a bit militant about mental health and pull people up when they discriminate against it. I hope that you are doing OK, it takes time doesnt it?

Cheery - how are things going? Hope you have managed to get some further advice.

[ScoobyDoobyDooby]

cheery - do, somehow, get your DH back to his doctor. I don't mean to sound alarmist, but you are describing hypomanic behaviour. Antidepressants, in treating unipolar depression (i.e. what was purely depression before treatment - not mania too), should not normally cause mania. When your DH had his breakdown before, was it purely a depressive breakdown, or did he exhibit symptoms of mania then?

Anyhow, do get some intervention with his drug treatment ASAP. I would echo what arionater said, about doing all you can to prevent a full-blown manic episode. My now XP had one of these a year ago, and the collateral damage has been immense. We're still dealing with the financial, emotional, lifestyle - everything - fall-out now. Sorry - am sounding alarmist. Don't panic, but DO get your DH back to his doc's urgently. It's important.

I'll keep an eye on your thread. Good luck.

[cheerytinselcherry]

Thankyou for your comments, I have actually showed DH this thread now, and he has booked a dr appt (not til Thurs, but can't have everything), maybe just to humour me, but nevertheless he will go. I am going to give him a list of things I am concerned about, and will see what the dr makes of it all. Yes, hypomania does sound more like it, and it could be from the ADs, just hope it is straightforward to sort out (or am I fooling myself?!) He was just simply 'depressed' in spring/summer, no signs of hyper activity at all.
Sounds like a few of you have really had tough times (and still are?) but your experiences and advice has been invaluable. Thank you, am so very grateful.