Hypomania

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Do any of you experience periods of hypomania? I seem to be having about one such episode each year for the past three years (I'm currently 26), always in a hot part of the spring or summer, always at a time when I lack a daily routine, and always following on the heels of a psycedelic trip. One doctor, whom I will not go back to, believes that I am bipolar, and does not believe that I have AS, seemingly because I have some acquired social skills. The first time this happened, I didn't really know it was mania, and it ended on its own. The second time was much worse, because I was in a very stressful situation. On that occasion, I was talked into taking Zyprexa (an atypical antipsychotic) for two nights.

I just had another one of these episodes, which lasted a little over a week. The same doctor is now pushing for me to get on mood stablizers, despite the fact that this only happens once a year so far, and he's not even my doctor. I went to him with my girlfriend to discuss symptoms that were actually bothering me, but he only wanted to address the hypomania, which doesn't. I do have a tendency to become very irritable and impatient, which can suck for people around me, but I'm not dangerous or psychotic. I do just do as we Aspies tend to when we're pissy, which is to yell really loudly, while still employing rational speech, and actually speaking quite reasonably, if only people would listen to my words rather than my tone. It seems that this tendency to appear angry while speaking logically only freaks people out more. I date a girl who has some serious borderline tendencies, and we tend to get into nasty fights when I'm in these states. The really obnoxious thing that happened this last time is that my girlfriend was being very mean to me, albeit subtly, and everyone around us seemed to think that I was being a crazed as*hole, because I can't hide my anger like she does. This impression persisted even when I made genuine efforts to reconcile, and said kind and encouraging words, while my girlfriend completely refused to accept any responsibility (though I talked to her on the phone today, and she's now willing to see how she was upsetting me).

Yesterday was the last day of an 11 day vacation. I got no sleep last night, and went to work today. Once I got to work, I was pretty much completely normal (for me). I was a bit nervous at first, but hanging out with those autie kids and other supportive para-eduactors really smoothed things out for me. So it seems that I don't need drugs to end these states; I just need to return to my regularly scheduled life and things will be alright.

During these states, I am basically on fire. I do very well at any cognitive or artistic task I set myself to. During the first one, I blew through a teachers' exam and passed with flying colors. The second time I won the natinoal championship for Vampire: the Eternal Struggle, a collectable card game. This last time I was in New York City, meeting lots of people and socializing very effectively: sharing music, playing chess, talking openly to new friends about my AS, etc. During these episodes I totally lose the fear of socializing, and I'm like the chirpy little professor I was at 6, only tall, booming, and with much cooler perseverations.

Everyone around me seems to think that I'm much crazier than I feel. I'm quite certain that I never diverted from rationality, except towards the very end of the extremely stressful episode last year. My girlfriend doesn't want me to go into these states, even though we have amazing fun together when she isn't acting borderline (which isn't to say that I don't share responsibility when we fight). Does anyone else have an experience like this? Is Aspie mania different from regular bipolarity? Does anyone have advice on how to use these states to improve my life, while mitigating the negative aspects?

Thanks.
-ck

"I do just do as we Aspies tend to when we're pissy, which is to yell really loudly, while still employing rational speech, and actually speaking quite reasonably, if only people would listen to my words rather than my tone. It seems that this tendency to appear angry while speaking logically only freaks people out more."

Oh, how I relate. For me it comes with fear, TRYING to get heard, certain that if they would only LISTEN they would have to agree or at least understand. People just hear the negative emotion and block the content. Possibly the same phenomenon as raising your voice to MAKE the foreignder understand English.

Hmm.... I've adopted the 'robot' voice with friends. (come across as patronizing so I tell people before hand, hence with friends).
Clear, discrete words, with long pauses between them.

My problems are mixed,

1: I talk super quickly.
2: I don't speak using emotions, instead I use a word/s and then narrow down the precise context. I use 'dictionary' (If you've got a really really good and accurate dictionary) English.

So far as 2 is concerned, 'typical' people (masculine type), sub-conciously and without even realizing it (they claim to be logical or more logical and don't notice the emotionality of their thinking) attach the emotional bindings with the words that I am saying, when I am not using any. In many cases this means that the don't understand me, in some cases and some of the time they actually completely miss-hear what I've said and say I've said something completely different, presumably because they've followed some kind of sub-conscious understanding of what I've said but using and emotional route which they understand more instead of the logical route I've followed.

I've actually got a test for this type of cognitive process and awareness, and so far there seems to be quite a strong gender bias (I can perceive people actually doing it because I can tell when their being emotive or logical, and if they realize they are being emotive or logical, so aside from the test I have my entire life experience with people).

There is absolutely no mention of it in literature and when I speak to people, it's like because they all kind of fiddle the emotional bit between their differences their not even aware of the differences. Maybe it's not so acute as it is with me.

To the OP,

Sorry, had troubles reading all of it, dear one....but this much stood out for me.

Please do not go in modd stabilisers unless you are formally diagnosed with Bipolar disorder by a psychiatrist, not a GP. If you are seeing a psych, my apologies.

I was also dx with Bipolar II(rapid cyclying) and put on lithium and Zyprexa(Olanzapine) at the end of 2007 after a 3 week psych unit stay. With intensive therapy with both psychologist and psychiatrist for the last 2 years, I was dx with AS 4 months ago. The bipolar dx has been removed.

I am a 36 year old female with social skills that NT's would die for You need someone to look at the core of what you are dealing with. I also have a history of aggravated violence and very impulsive behaviour.

Take very good care of you.

Mics

I was diagnosed with type II by my GP after I was hit on my scooter (by a distracted driver). I was basically nuts and bipolar seemed reasonable considering my mood swings, ptsd, and add. However, my family has autism running right through all my brothers. I'm an emerged faker and really good at it, I thought. I'm currently taking tests to nail it down and the results were passed on to my therapist who is really interested in pursuing this. What concerns me about bipolar diagnoses is in cases like mine, the autism is masked by "social skills" which appear normalish misleading a care-giver that it's even a consideration over manic-depression. All my "symptoms" of bipolarity seem identical to "characteristics" of autism.

I'm able to understand my autism in perspective to the bipolar symptoms in a way that is much more acceptable than to think my life is at the whim of some symptom that has no cause. I don't buy it. There may be millions of people diagnosed bipolar who may share autistic traits and like me, never thought I had it!

I think its possible I developed a mood disorder as a teenager. I have had hypomania (usually during springtime) after depression all winter. I think it may be SAD but not sure. Whatever it is I think the underlying cuase is AS. I will not take any anti-depressants or anti-phsycotics. They only make me feel worse.

Absolutely, and you have described it perfectly!



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No, but I have learned to throttle them -- mind the things that truly matter -- just enough to keep from causing trouble for people who could not possibly understand. For example ...

A couple of days ago I had two young men helping me do some heavy work outside. Knowing they would not likely match my approach or quality of work, I had arranged to pay them for the job rather than by the hour so it would not matter to me how long it took them to help me get the job done properly ... then I just "settled in for the duration" and bought them some sodas and we all went to work on the understanding they would receive nothing until the job was completely done. Everyone, including me, was obviously tired five hours later, and the additional hour it took to finish could have easily been explosive ... and at one point I even told them so and just kept right on talking about all kinds of things to relieve my stress and tension ... but I made sure to keep right on working the entire time rather than to try to educate them or straighten them out about anything.

See, my AS/HFA is *not* a disorder, and I refuse to believe everybody else is actually okay!

Act accordingly.