At what age did you die at the top of your game?
For me, I was 38. Luckily it wasn't like a permanent physical death or anything.
shareExpand upon what you mean here please.
shareI was working too much at the time, had various women driving me crazy (literally), and was taking on too much overall.
Then one day in a fit of frustration, I ran a red light and wrecked my favorite little green convertible BMW (it wasn't a bad accident but the car was not worth fixing due to engine damage).
Less than two weeks after that, with my head trying to deal with the constant stresses, there was a moment when my mind flipped over (like a switch!) into a legitimate, clinical, fully-symptomatic Manic Episode. I would have never understood the phenomenon just reading about it, and the experience was life changing.
It lasted at its strongest for about three months, and overall it took six months to fully wear off, which perfectly matches the description of untreated Mania.
I don't know what the treatment is and I didn't know what the mindset was at the time, either. I've read that treatment can include hospitalization and lockdown in extreme cases, but I imagine the main treatment is probably Lithium.
Damn! You've never had it again since?
That's crazy. How common is it for people just to have one episode of mania? Did you have a depressive episode at all afterwards?
I don't know, but in the DSM-5 entry about bipolar disorder (which used to be called manic-depressive), it states that the main indicator of having the stronger bipolar (I think that's Bipolar I) is having had at least one manic episode that lasted longer than a week.
Then there's Bipolar II, where you've only ever had episodes that last less than a week. I might be two weeks, I forget at the moment.
I have recognized since then that I will occasionally have smaller episodes, which feel like a few days of wild brainstorming. I may have had depressive periods, but the mania is the primary phenomenon in bipolar disorder. I've had it described as a method that the mind overcompensates for the depressive periods.
You deserve credit for being open about this. I remember the episode btw.
shareSeveral IMDbers remember my behavior during that time and could tell something was off. Mid November 2015 was when it started.
shareI'm sincerely glad to hear that you're coping. I've been there myself. The manic streaks can be beneficial if kept at bay.
shareI hear ya, I wish I could switch that on at will. Even a major episode, now that I know what it is and how it feels.
The one thing that benefitted the strongest was my writing. If I'd had the focus to sit down and get to it, I feel like I could have written an entire script that I developed during that time.
Obviously I would need to go back and remove all the extraneous rubbish later on with a clearer mind. It's interesting how the truly great ideas/insights/thoughts seem to be balanced against proportionally delusional (or perhaps abstract) ideas/insights/thoughts.
It's like the mind stretches in both directions at once -- Toward reality, and away from it.
π
shareThat's interesting. I noticed that bipolar is 80% hereditary. Are you aware of anyone you're genetically related to being afflicted or ever having isolated episodes?
But I gather from your description that you found it to be a mostly positive experience with the periods of possible mood downswings not even in the same ballpark so it doesn't sound so bad. But, from what I understand about bipolar at least, it is something that for many people progresses as they get older. But who knows since you seemed to get it pretty late in life and haven't had anything close to a repeat in intensity.
It was half positive, but there were many negative aspects. My judgment was severely affected much of that time. If I had known what it was ahead of time, it would have been much better.
Pretty sure it comes from my mother's side. I have since recognized that I've had short manic episodes throughout my life.
You should have used the flying bike. Much safer at crossroads.
shareI really need to get on the hoverbike patent. It's great, you'd love it. Perfect for off-roading.
The "hover" part is both a misnomer and completely true at the same time... You'll see why.
Best of luck on the patent grabbage!
shareYeah well for years I've been meaning to pursue a patent for a new type of LP record, including the method for writing and reading it, but I've just never done it!
I will say, though, that the writing method is still a little touchy. The only method I could engineer is a bit uncertain in my mind, but workable, and the theory behind the engineering is 100% solid. Still want to find a "best method."
However, the research I did on LP's made me amazed enough that record cutting and pressing works as well as it does, especially for a technology as old as it is. My main curiosity regards any excess material removed from the master copy as it's cut... Maybe the cutting is done from the bottom, upside-down, so that the dust falls? Seems reasonable.
One day I need to remember to find that out, it's the last bit of research I never got around to.