I am Manic Depressive, but on the bright side (ha ha), I am only Hypo-manic Depressive (Bipolar type II, more on the Bipolar v. Manic Depressive naming debate later). This means that, although I am still periodically afflicted by crushing depressions (Boo!), I don’t have to go through full blown manic episodes (Yeah!). During one of these episodes a person might find themselves in any situation ranging from tearing their clothes off and running down the street yelling “I am God”, to getting tazered while blockading themselves in an airport lounge with chairs because they feel lost and alone.
Instead I get to have Hypo-manic episodes in which I have exuberance, energy and concentration. During a Hypo-manic episode I can multi-task like a son of a gun. I also sometimes drive myself deeply into debt. My decision making at work and otherwise is not affected, but in my personal life–especially financial decisions–I’m not all together. One time I bought two guitars and a banjo, within a span of two weeks, at a time when I could barely pay the rent (I don’t even play the banjo!). So, while Hypo-mania is easier to live with than full blown Manic Depression it is still a frustrating mess, to say the least.