Mania comes from the Greek word mainomai, which means to be enraged or furious. In psychiatric disorders mania is said to be a state of elation or euphoria, a mood that is extreme and high energy. The sufferer can be aggitated, irritated, and in a high state of arrousal. Mania could be caused by several conditions such as substance abuse or brain injury. However, it is most often associated with Bipolar Disorder. Bipolar Disorder is a mood disorder whereby sufferers will alternate between manic states and states of major depression. The causes for this mood disorder could be biological and could also be triggered by environmental stressors. There are two formes of mania, the first is a mild form called hypomania which is an almost normal state of high energy and good Then there is the very severe hypermania which can escalate to episodes of hallucinations and delusions. Many patients in the hypermania phase may have to be hospitalized to protect themselves and to protect others. Bipolar sufferers can also be very creative in this phase of the illness as well. Many artists throughout time have had Bipolar Disorder.
Symptoms of Mania
Manic symptoms include, hyperactivity, an increase need to be constantly doing things, hypersexuality, rapid speech, confusion and rapid thoughts coming in succession. People in the manic phase of the disorder can have grandiose ideas, they can suffer from hallucinations and delusions and they can be distracted very easily and easilily iritated or annoyed. Whereas hypomania which is a mild state of mania is a closer to normal mood. However, prolonged episodes of hypomania can lead to full blown hypermania.
The symptoms of racing thoughts causes a person to be unable to concentrate, to appear absentminded and has been the cause of poor job performance leading to job loss. These racing thoughts are so strong that people experiencing them will loss touch with anything around them. They will be unable to do the things needed such as cook a meal, take care of a baby, or anything that requires vigilance. These racing thoughts can also prevent them from sleeping at night. They may be easily distracted as well.
People in a hypermanic state are very much out of control, they cannot even understand some of their own actions. They make poor judgment calls and they do a lot of reckless behavior for which they may be very remorseful for later on. Their grandiose ideas can cause them to make poor business decisions and run themselves into to so much debt that they are forced to declare bankruptcy. They can gamble their money away or drink so much that they lose their jobs and their marriages. The spiral of destruction can completely ruin their lives.
The behavior is so out of control that it can lead to jail sentences, and yet bipolar people in the manic phase will deny that anything is wrong, that everyone else is against them and continue down the path of destruction. It is only after the phase is over do they see the damage that was done and regret some of their actions. Bipolar individuals in the manic phase of the disease may have to be hospitalized in order not to hurt themselves or others.
A mixed episode of Bipolar Disorder refers to the fact that certain individuals may experience both mania and depression at the same time. This state is very dangerous because whereby normally a severally depressed individual has no energy and incapable of doing much of anything, because of the mania involved the sufferer can become extremely agitated and not only think of suicide, but actually have enough energy to carry it out.