Well, I know I can (I have bipolar, I'm not just some random civilian scared of the crazy mentals)
A good friend is currently in hospital with a mixed episode (well, it was depression I think but she was definitely up when I visited) and I can't stop thinking about her and ways to help her - we visited, which was good, and really nice to see her, and was good for me as no friends have ever visited me when I've been an inpatient, and I got to see the unit which is probably where I'd end up now as the old local one has shut and I've moved away from the other one I've been in, and it was relatively nice.
But now I'm obsessively reading her blog and getting the heart racing/short of breath/mega alert thing that could be anxiety but feels more manic in nature somehow.
My sertraline was increased on Wednesday, but I'm on lamotrigine too so it shouldn't have too much of an effect this soon, should it? In general I'm depressed lately anyway, and massively anxious, hence the increased sertraline, although in the past sertraline has sent me full on manic so I was really nervous about it, but maybe that means this is just a placebo and I've not even taken today's dose anyway.
I know my spending is up - I keep getting deliveries of stuff I forgot I ordered, but my hoarding is up too which is usually a depression thing, and my sleep is all over the place - from 12 hours (ie as long as the kids, could have slept more if I didn't need to be awake for them and I'm lucky in that focusing on them seems to help me except in the absolute worst episodes but when they aren't here it becomes hard and they've been at their dads the last two nights so that could be it)
No psychosis though, at least that I'm aware of. I am being very creative and productive though. I am also fighting the urge to self harm but that's a complex thing that is sometimes linked to non mental health things.
Sigh, it's not looking good, is it? But it is quite possibly entirely placebo.