"Than Usual"

After reading a ton online about the symptoms of manic or depressive stages, I found one little phrase that seems to be the key... "than usual".  Here is an example of what I mean:

"People with bipolar disorder go through unusual mood changes. Sometimes they feel very happy and "up," and are much more active than usual. This is called mania. And sometimes people with bipolar disorder feel very sad and "down," and are much less active. This is called depression. Bipolar disorder can also cause changes in energy and behavior.Bipolar disorder is not the same as the normal ups and downs everyone goes through. Bipolar symptoms are more powerful than that. 

Oftentimes, people will read the descriptions of what mania or depression is like and think "I must be bipolar" or "who isn't bipolar?" or (my favorite) "Everyone has a little bipolar in them."  Ironically, these same people would not consider making the same statements if they substituted the word "cancer" for "bipolar". The key to the bipolar experience is the "than usual" phrase. This means that people depart from their norm.  Everyone gets sad or lethargic or agitated or anxious or even grandiose. This doesn't make you bipolar.  This makes you human.  What bipolars experience is the magnitude of change and shift from the normal to the extreme.  It's similar to the difference between taking a fast elevator down a tall building or bungee jumping off the roof. 

This is rough for many, because it reminds us bipolars that there is, in fact,  a period of time where we feel a "usual", and that when we are manic or depressed, that we are somehow "unusual"... and not in the quirky, good way. In order to understand bipolar disorder in yourself or a loved one, you really need a baseline of this "usual" as a comparative point.  This helps distinguish the shifts and changes, especially when judgement might be too impaired to see it objectively.  As my psych doc says, "Maybe you're not manic... maybe you are just an a**hole." 

This is where MOOD CHARTING comes in.  Keep a daily record of your moods, sleep patterns, med usage, or any other factors that could impact your bipolar diagnosis, maintenance or treatment. There are tons of resources available in terms of templates and "how-to's" on mood charting, and I will post a few later.  But no matter which tool you choose, the important thing is that you choose one and stick to it.