Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Delicious Mania


After 2 years of feeling stable, boring, and slightly depressed, delicious mania is gradually seeping in. I am watchful, aware, meditative, as I play with mania. So it's enough just to have a little fun, but not so much that it takes me into an avalanche of destruction.

I think awareness, more than medicine, is the key to staying well. Just knowing symptoms, and then being watchful, is better than gulping down tons of medicine to numb you from either the highs and lows. And while Depakote, the medicine I have been prescribed is good for "controlling" mania (read keep a person low), it does nothing for helping with depression and getting you up when you feel down. So why is it called a mood stabilizer? It should work both ways, right...?? I think families and doctors care more about keeping a happy person down than getting an unhappy person up.

What do you think? Have you any experiences with Depakote you'd like to share? And isn't the start of mania deliciously divine??

Love,
Jhilmil

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Dear Jhilmil,

whereas I have never tried the medicine you are having - when I am down then there are some anti depressants that I have taken tht have helped me get a little up. But yes, mood stabilizers in general keep u down...sad but true - I guess the world isn't ready for the manics!!!However you must do some creative work if you are going thru a manic phase as that is truly therapeutic - paint or write. WOuld love to meet you. Suggest a time and date.
Love,
Roohi