Do you spend lots of money when you're in an up mood, PC?

Hm, I don't spend lots of money in general, and when I do feel spendy, it's not dangerously spendy. I think the correlation between being up and spending money is more related to my natural stinginess needing a release every now and then.

Mild, reoccuring depression is diagnosable, P-C. Lots of people have periods of dysthymia but if it's enough to cause you concern, talk to your doctor.

I don't know that I'm concerned, per se. I think I'm mildly self-aware during these bouts, recognizing what's going on but deciding that I wear sad well.

Not a professional, but this inclines me to say no, you are not bipolar.

Oh good. I didn't know whether that was a good or bad sign.

P-C, do you know things that help?

Laughter. Having a good time. The usual. Although, really, I'm not sure that I fully recover from a down mood until I go to sleep. Until then, I can ameliorate it, coast through feeling kind of bad emotionally but being okay cognitively.

I've begun to wonder if any sort of behavior that leans toward either side of staid is considered part of a syndrome. Sure, the extremes are worrisome and anything that interferes with normal functioning should be dealt with, but the mild ones seem to be the natural effects of a passionate life.

This is sort of where I am. My mood can sometimes drop dramatically—usually after a call from my mom—and it can ruin the rest of my night, but...that's normal, right? People have moods.

Until then, I can ameliorate it, coast through feeling kind of bad emotionally but being okay cognitively.

AKA, life, and coping with it.

I would have kept working if I had worked for Laura.

Brandy goes to work with me every day. She is not interested in the baby, but has glanced at the trash once or twice since we started having diapers there. My sister brings her cat when she works in the office. The cat may jump right in the playpen. K has a cat at home so that shouldn't be an issue. We may find out tomorrow on that.

Amelioration is a good thing. These things can't really be cured, so whatever helps.

Oddly enough, a crisis sometimes helps my psyche, too. My Seasonal Affective Disorder hits me in September and October (in other words, when days are getting shorter, not when they're short). Yet one of the easiest autumns I've had in recent years was two years ago, when we were spending all our time on Teddy's kidney failure and transplant.

I don't recommend that route, though.

My shrink asked me if I ever felt compelled to spend lots of money when I was in a "manic" mood.

Hahahaha! My home equity loan, let me show you it. I needed it to pay off my credit card bills. Yeah, overspending can definitely be a symptom of mania, but there's a heck of a lot more to it. I'm bipolar II, also, although I'm not currently on any medication. I found most of the things that bothered me were still there, even medicated, so I decided it just wasn't worth the cost of the prescription, plus the few side effects I found annoying. I'm pretty self-aware and I've gotten better at realizing what's happening before it gets out of control. I've found that as long as I keep my sleep cycle under control (thank you, Ambien), I'm able to nip things in the bud.

x-posty with Literary:

The librarians will especially love this, but I think it's just overall coolness, a librarian's response to a parent's challenge of Uncle Bobby's Wedding

[link]

ETA for Best Paragraph Ever:

You suggested that the book could be “placed in an area designating the subject matter,” or “labeled for parental guidance” by stating that “some material may be inappropriate for young children.” I have two responses. First, we tried the “parenting collection” approach a couple of times in my history here. And here's what we found: nobody uses them. They constitute a barrier to discovery and use. The books there – and some very fine ones -- just got lost. In the second case, I believe that every book in the children's area, particularly in the area where usually the parent is reading the book aloud, involves parental guidance. The labeling issue is tricky, too: is the topic just homosexuality? Where babies come from? Authority figures that can't be trusted? Stepmothers who abandon their children to die?

Steph, when does magic beer time start?

Man, I hope it's while I'm out in the Anderson Valley area.

Har! The Dean's office chair is missing after building services took it down to the loading dock - which happens to also be the dumpster area - to clean it and left it there. Har!

I probably wouldn't find this so amusing if I wasn't surrounded by not-at-all-amusing work stuff.

My mood can sometimes drop dramatically—usually after a call from my mom

HA! Sorry, that's not bipolar, that's just normal. Especially considering your mom. No offense intended.

You say your mood returns to baseline after you sleep - what's baseline for you? Positive or negative, and to what degree?

Bipolar can be fast cycling (moods change rapidly over the course of a day) or slow (moods last days or weeks). Manias are frequently followed by a dramatic crash.

Have you ever engaged in or thought about self-harming behavior? Suicide? You don't have to answer me here, if you don't feel comfortable (email me if you like), but these are the kinds of things that are common in serious bipolar and depression.

From what you've said, mild depression (if anything), would seem to be what's affecting you. Once again, NOT A DOCTOR, so if you are at all concerned you should go talk to a professional. My analysis is from my experience with a bipolar sister with BPD and thyroid issues, a dysthymic brother, a boyfriend with OCD/severe anxiety, two parents in denial about their own issues, and me? Major depressive disorder or mixed depression.

Mental health bingo, anyone?