DEPAKOTE EXPERIENCES
Philip Dawdy
Curious about peoples' experience with depakote. i just switched to it
after seven and a half years of up and down--duh!--luck with lithium. so
far it seems okay, but what about long-term experiences.
thanks.
Julie Fast
> Hi. I have been on depakote for about six months. It is really working
for me! I think the combination of depakote along with Parnate and
Trilafon works much better than if I had depakote alone. Julie.
MoiraArwen
I have been on Depakote since September, and all I noticed was when we
increased or changed my dosages, my stomach would be upset for about a
week. Other than that, my hair seems to have stopped growing (strange...)
and that's about it.
Jona Max
The only big side effect I noticed is that my hair fell out in a mass. I
felt great on Depakote except for my otherwise thick hair falling out in
handfuls.
RARM...@netcom.ca
Philip Dawdy wrote:
>
> Curious about peoples' experience with depakote. i just switched to it
> after seven and a half years of up and down--duh!--luck with lithium. so
> far it seems okay, but what about long-term experiences.
> thanks.
during routine blood work it was discovered by liver enzyme levels were
elevated. They continued to increase over the two weeks it took to
clear the drug from my system. I was covered in spots and bruises for
weeks afterwards. I just laughed and told every one my husband beat me
up - joke. Anyway, I wasn't thrilled with the drug anyway. It took
away the mania, but it also took away all the joy in my life. It was
just flat - no up's, no downs, nothing. I am on lithium now. After
just a month or so I am experiencing a few side effects but I can live
with them so long as I feel better. I hope the drug works better for
you and remember to get your blood tests done regularly.
Julie Fast
Hi. Depakote has been great for me. After I got over a few stomach
problems, it worked quite well. For myself though, I think it is the
combination of my meds that really works. When i change the mix, I have a
lot a problems. I take depakote, parnate, trilafon, cogentin and some
ativan as needed. It is these together that have stopped -for the most
part - my rapid cycling mood swings that I had for 10 years. I feel very
lucky. On my few bad days I want to remember that! Julie
Joan
Jona Max wrote:
>
> The only big side effect I noticed is that my hair fell out in a mass. I felt great on Depakote except for my otherwise thick hair falling out in handfuls.
I too once had long thick beautiful black hair. I have lost so much
hair due to the Depakote that I cut my hair short. It still looks
straggly and sickly. I miss my long hair! I have been on Depakote for
8 months and my hair is still coming out in handfuls. Can anyone tell
me if/when this will stop? Or should I expect to look like I am doing
chemotherapy for the rest of my life? Joan
ma...@ebicom.net
I've been on depakote for oh.. two or so years.
I'm not too fond of it, but would rather be sick from my medicine than
sick in that way which i'm sure some of us are all too familiar with..
It tends to give me bad headaches, make very sleepy, and oh, the stomach
problems I have! We are talkin cramps from hell, girlfren. I take about
2750 mg a day..though.. quite a large dosage i would think.. sometimes i
even hallucinate. Pretty groovy to be a flowerchild and be able to trip
legally... :)
good luck ...
manna
little blue haired (bipolar II) punk rawker grrrrl
On Tue, 25 Feb 1997, Roy wrote:
> Date: Tue, 25 Feb 1997 17:20:52 GMT
> From: Roy <ro...@nabem.com>
> Newsgroups: alt.support.depression.manic
> Subject: Re: DEPAKOTE EXPERIENCES
>
> Julie Fast <jul...@speakeasy.org> wrote:
>
> >On Sat, 22 Feb 1997, Philip Dawdy wrote:
> >
> >> Curious about peoples' experience with depakote. i just switched to it
> >> after seven and a half years of up and down--duh!--luck with lithium. so
> >> far it seems okay, but what about long-term experiences.
> >> thanks.
> I got ulcers in my mouth after about three months, and raising the
> dose from 3 a day to four a day. Then Neurontin ripped through
> mystomach. In the third week of Zyprexa I am staying calm but not
> very ambitious.
>
> Roy
> 46 and still bipolar.
>
>
******************************************************************************
happy hearts fall from my stupid hands.
*******************************************************************************
rode...@gnat.net
be...@indra.com (Bear Giles) wrote:
>I was on 1500mg/day for almost a year. My pdoc and I decided to
>discontinue it because of continued weight gain.
<good things snipped>
>For me, and I need to emphasize that this was a decision based on
>_my_ previous experience with BP and medications, we decided the
>long-term risk of the continued weight gain with no end in sight
>outweighed the risks of discontinuing the depakote.
>
>--
>Bear Giles
Bear brings out an excellent point...It is an individualized
thing...All types of psych medications must be Rx'd according
to the person's own needs. Men will often respond differently
than women due to hormonal influences. On the *continuum* of
Bipolar Affective Disorder, The same person will have differing
needs in different stages of growth and development. One
misperception I have noticed in some folks is the assumption that
BP is BP. For most people, this brain disorder changes over time
and will require medication changes and adjustments for a variety of
reasons. Any coexisting medical or psych disorders will influence which
drugs are chosen and dosages as well.
IMHO, a psychiatrist must be the MD who prescribes and regulates
psych drugs for those who have a chronic medical condition like
Bipolar Affective Disorder....A good psychopharmacologist is the
ideal. There are some wonderfully informed and experienced
family doctors out there, but I, for one, have a specialist.
I happen to be a person who stays on Depakote despite a weight
gain. Mine did not continue, it stabilized. The side effects I do
have are better for *me* than the risk of another mania.
In addition to Depakote, I take Wellbutrin. I am one of those people
who *has* to have a mood stabilizer while taking an antidepressant
due to AD-induced mania and rapid-cycling. YMMV
I haven't posted in a while, but those of you who know me will
recognise me...It's good to hear from you. I see that nothing has
changed :)
Best Wishes,
Delane
Shayd
alth9o9 im on all the drugs i mentioned in the lst post i h(against)
everyones mecial advice and urging have not seen a shrink in over four
monthes (*my dads freind writes me prescriptions) and its been the best
foru monthes ive had so far!
i really feel that the trauma caused by haivng to go to the shrink and
drege up shit when i was having a kindof okay period really led me down
the great downward spiral and mae me feel weak dependent sick incapable of
living ...
not until i stopped seeing her idi i feel like a real alive human being
living life and not just analyzing it.
--jenna stoner bitch
"you can try and suck me dry but theres nothing left to suck..."
georg...@aol.com
>-Jenna--welcome to the group--I hope it is cathartic and informative for you.
I too had bad shrink experiences (5 in 5 years?) and went 10+ years without seeing one while having meds (lithium and norpramine) dispensed by my friendly general practitioner. However, last year things reached the point it was necessary to have more specialized help with the meds, and my doc referred me to a shrink who doesn't want to do a bunch of talk therapy and get deep, just see how I'm doing and if meds need adjusted. With the hell you describe going through with your meds, it seems you would benefit from seeing a specialist, but one who really believes this stuff is biochemical, not a bunch of Freudian, therapy of the month club crap, and who will give you a long leash (like see you 1/2 hour every 3 months) once things seem stabilized. No offense, just a suggestion.
George L. (39 and bipolar for 20 years)
Chris
Joan <esn...@jeeves.ucsd.edu> wrote:
I was on Depakote for one week when it appeared that lithium might
have been affecting my heartbeat.
It made me so nauseous and gave me such a severe headache the entire
time I was taking it that I was unable to work or even think.
Melody
lit...@flax.com (Chris) wrote:
>Joan <esn...@jeeves.ucsd.edu> wrote:
Depakote is also called Epilim isn't it?
Is sodium valproate it's generic name?
I need to know because I'm really getting confused with all the names.
Melody
----------------------------------------------------------
*Fear is a little dark room where negatives are developed*
----------------------------------------------------------
system@climit
>>Jona Max wrote:
>>>
>>> The only big side effect I noticed is that my hair fell out in a mass. I
felt great on Depakote except for my otherwise thick hair falling out in
handfuls.
>>
>>I too once had long thick beautiful black hair. I have lost so much
>>hair due to the Depakote that I cut my hair short. It still looks
>>straggly and sickly. I miss my long hair! I have been on Depakote for
>>8 months and my hair is still coming out in handfuls. Can anyone tell
>>me if/when this will stop? Or should I expect to look like I am doing
>>chemotherapy for the rest of my life? Joan
Try about 100-200 micrograms of selenium a day. Its best to
use a combo of some vitamin C, minerals and B's to make everything
work synergistically. But the selenium sure stopped my hair loss.
Brian
Carma Winfrey-Hayes
Okay I can't figure out how to forward the saved message to the
newsgroup so here are the details:
Zinc 50mcg daily
Selenium 50mcg daily
Carma
By the way in high doses Selenium is toxic so please don't do more
vitamins = better and take too much.
Reeve wrote:
>
> Chris wrote:
> >
> > Joan <esn...@jeeves.ucsd.edu> wrote:
> >
> > >Jona Max wrote:
> > >>
> > >> The only big side effect I noticed is that my hair fell out in a mass. I felt great on Depakote except for my otherwise thick hair
> falling out in handfuls.
> > >
> > >I too once had long thick beautiful black hair. I have lost so much
> > >hair due to the Depakote that I cut my hair short. It still looks
> > >straggly and sickly. I miss my long hair! I have been on Depakote for
> > >8 months and my hair is still coming out in handfuls. Can anyone tell
> > >me if/when this will stop? Or should I expect to look like I am doing
> > >chemotherapy for the rest of my life? Joan
> >
> > I was on Depakote for one week when it appeared that lithium might
> > have been affecting my heartbeat.
> >
> > It made me so nauseous and gave me such a severe headache the entire
> > time I was taking it that I was unable to work or even think.I hear that zinc and selenium may help with the hair falling out,I
> havent
> experienced it yet(gulp:)how long into your treatment did you notice it?
> I have been on depakote(750mg) for 3 mo.
> thanks for the input-
> Reeve
Reeve
Carma Winfrey-Hayes
Don't panic!
It is a problem with trace minerals. I will go to my save file and see
if I saved the data to forward to you. I do know that beside taking
internal supplements someone mentioned that Head & Shoulders was an
external supply to supplement taking the mineral internally.
Carma
pala...@aol.com
>Okay I can't figure out how to forward the saved message to the
>newsgroup so here are the details:
>
> Zinc 50mcg daily
> Selenium 50mcg daily
>
>Carma
THis worked for me as well. I am taking abit more of the zinc but that's just because the tabs I buy are cheaper in the larger dose. Go figure...
Blessed be
Greg
Vickle
I felt increasingly anxious on depakote. It was a weird feeling, muscle
irritability, as if my flesh were slightly crawly. This got worse with my
menstrual cycle - toward mid-month, I would get more anxious, then PM
week, I got so anxious I actually started drinking on a couple of
occaisions, which for me is disastrous. I went off lithium and onto dep.
for the weight gain - I've gained thirty five pounds in the last four
years since i went on meds, but the Dep. actually made me gain more. Went
back on lithium, losing a little weight, feeling alittle calmer, but as if
I really need to get away from stress. Money is always such a goblin -
wouldn't it be great if we could all form some sort of company so that
those who are hypomanic are really productive, and those who are depressed
have time off, and we do something so brilliant that we get insurance for
all. Sigh. I'm not even hypomanic now, it just seems like a good idea.
Some kind of business where people are nuts anyway, like films.
Val
Padlewis
Can you tell me your experience using Depakote? What are major side
affects? Am interested in why doctors prescribe this instead of
lithium??Address here is PADL...@aol.com
Bpd99
Dear Padelweis,
I was put on Depakote as a first line treatment. At first I think it
worked, but that could have been my expectation of it working. I gained
30# in 9 months, lost a lot of hair and eventually, it stopped working.
there is also the possibility of liver damage, so I had to have regular
blood work done.
I am now on lithium at my insistence. I have been on it since June 95 and
i am doing well. I had regular blood work in the beginning to ascertain
the adequate levels. Now, no more. It is excreted by the kidneys and I
must make sure that 1) I drink plenty of water and 2) get adequate amounts
of salt. These prevent toxicity.
The standard line is depakote is used " to treat lithium refractory rapid
cycling patients." I was not given a trial of lithium, so couldn't have
been refractory. IMHO, I think doctors follow the newest fad in drugs,
just like we follow fads. We have to be more astute and assertive and
educate them about our needs.
On the lithium side effects I would say: 1) I cannot take more than 600
mg. because it makes me sick as a dog with hands shaking so bad I cannot
sign my name and it can have an impact on the thyroid. For that I'm
grateful, since it caused the dx. to put me on meds. I have thought for
years that my "low normal" thyroid levels weren't enough for me. The
thyroid meds actually "boost" the lithium and I have been stabilising now
for about 3 months. (Happy Day!)
I hope this helps. email if you want. I'd be glad to hear from you.
BPD 99
Pat
MoiraArwen
I was put on Depakote right away, taken off of it, and now I'm back on
it... From what I have been told, and the research I have done, Depakote
is often chosen as an alternative to Lithium for hard to treat
rapid-cyclers. Depakote is supposed to be more effective for mixed
episodes and rapid-cycling, both of which is what I get.
As for side effects, for the first few weeks I usually get an upset
stomach and a general "foggy" feeling. But that goes away, and it's like
I'm not taking anything. The first time I was on it, I didn't lose any
hair, but my hair stopped growing (strange). This time I am hoping my
hair continues to grow, because I want it longer!
Good luck with your medications. Keep in mind that it may take a while to
get the right combination for you. Don't give up, hang in there.
Moira
BPamp
Can I continue this thread with my own question about Depakote? I just
switched from lithium to Depakote at my own request because I gained 30
pounds on the lithium. I can live with the tremor and the peeing, but I
just can't stand my bloated self. Unfortunately weight gain and - worse -
hair falling out seem to characterize many of your experiences with
Depakote.
Have I jumped from the frying pan into the fire?
Gestalttt
Why not Tegretol. I know that I defamed it earlier, referring to it as
"the devil." But that is mostly because it is doing its job. AND I didn't
gain 30 lbs. I only gained like five and that was because I started
EATING. (duh)
So anyway, I am just wondering, because my doc and I ruled Depakote and
Lith out early b/c the weight gain, my being anorexic and bulimic...
Figuring that gaining 30 pounds would not help there.
Ges....
...you couldn't take me all in, baby because you have made me too big, you have made me too strong, I could crush you in my palm. I now have the power over words I never had before and I will throw them at you after I throw you as I throw you out the door.
Reeve
50mcg of both selenium and zinc to keep the hair where it should
be(hehe)
LBryant313
I hope you don't mind me talking about my experience. I went off of
Depakote two months ago. I was on it for a year and gained 30 lbs. (I'm
5'1" so it makes a huge difference!). Needless to say -- I was extremely
depressed and a doormat. I had headaches almost every day. Was too
sleepy to get up in the morning and wanted to take an afternoon nap every
day. Well, I'm off of it now -- good riddance! So far so good except for
some extreme irritibility and anger but a lot of that is justified in my
opinion. The only effect I miss is my patience is not where it used to be
but I cannot stand to be plump -- do not like myself that way and I will
not take anything that makes me this way. My pdoc knew how hard it was
for me to lose this weight too (after my 3rd child) and it makes me mad
that he put me on something that causes a big weight gain. Do you think
pdocs sometimes don't want us to get well? Because if we did we wouldn't
need them so much.
Virginia Bruce
God, I'm so glad to hear all this, well, I mean it's horrible and gross
but it's just what I went through. I mean, if you're fat and hairless,
who cares if your moods are stable.
" gained about 30 lbs." "lost hair," including eyelashes which used to
be thick and long and are now sparse. Took three months of total
tiredness and lethargy on depakote to get enough energy to realize how
groggy I was. I had started on lithium but switched because of the
tremor. Went back to the lithium, 900 mg/day but stayed low energy. Now
take 450mg a day with one little Propanolol for the tremor, but also 120
mg of ginkgo which helps with a lot of the lithium side effects (hasn't
made me manicky) including tremor, attention span, memory loss.
Haven't lost the weight, although my energy is back on the lower dose.
In the past (pre-meds) I lost weight when I got manicky (I'm hypomanic).
I think something in my head is waiting for another manic period to lose
it again, but that's not a good idea is it.
Here's a theory -- people with bipolar conditions don't have a lot of
will power. Is it just me?
Bpd99
Dear L. Bryant,
Sound to me as if your pdoc is just plain insensitive or stupid. There are
other drugs that work just as well, but without the weight gain. I quit
Depakote for the exact same reason. I gained 30 pounds in 9 months. I
switched to Lithium.
In addition to not gaining weight, I've lost 10 pounds. It is also so much
cheaper. A month's supply only costs me $5.00.
Depakote is recommended for lithium refractory rapid cyclers, but doctors
have jumped on the fad and prescribe it as a first line teatment as I was
treated. I think they should be shot!
Find a new doctor--one who will really listen and treat side effects. I
tried 3 before I found the right one. He's switching my AD because of side
effects I don't like. He knows that treating the side effects results in
increased compliance.
Good luck and happy pdox hunting.
BPD 99
Pat
Carma Winfrey-Hayes
Sorry I don't buy that. I'm 284 pounds and I do not over eat, eat junk
food, sugar etc. when the doctors and researchers finally get off their
lazy fucking asses and figure out why people like me cannot lose weight
I will be in heaven lapping up all of the apologies from people who have
told lies about me or though bad things because I was overweight.
So talk about yourself, not the rest of us.
Carma
Patti
BPamp wrote:
>
> Can I continue this thread with my own question about Depakote? I just
> switched from lithium to Depakote at my own request because I gained 30
> pounds on the lithium. I can live with the tremor and the peeing, but I
> just can't stand my bloated self. Unfortunately weight gain and - worse -
> hair falling out seem to characterize many of your experiences with
> Depakote.
>
> Have I jumped from the frying pan into the fire?
Wow, I really hope not. I was just recently diagnosed and have been on
Depakote
for about 1 1/2 mo. I've never been on Lithium. So far, I've no bad side
affects from the Depakoate at all. Each time my psych increased my
dosage (I'm at 1000mg/day now) I was tired and a little out of it for a
couple days and then my mood improved again.
I don't know if maybe I just haven't been on it long enough or what but
I haven't had any weight gain (I've been careful to eat healthy cuz' I'm
not thin to begin with) and no hair loss. So far, my husband is
convinced it's the best thing that's ever happened to me. I don't know
if I just haven't been on long enough or if I'm unusual, but so far, so
good.
Patti
Bpd99
Virginia,
I used to think the same thing--but now I KNOW I was wrong! Willpower has
nothing to do with it. How much willpower does it take to NOT eat when
your brain, because of the Depakote, tells your body it's starving?
there's isn't enough willpower in the world for that!!!
How much willpower does it take to NOT get manic or depressed. AGain there
isn't enough available.
I'm not saying that willpower is useless. On the contrary, we use it all
the time when it would be so much easier to commit suicide and we don't;
when we want to do things or not do them and we do what's right. That's
how we use willpower.
I'm tired of blaming myself for things I can't control, so I decided to
take charge of things I can control and leave the rest to the meds and
doctors.
Hope this helps.
Best wishes
BPD 99
Pat
Kddrver
This has been my experieance as well. No impulse control. Being on the
high and then coming down and realizing just what I have done. My whole
life has been a lot like that.
Andrew Barr
I am gaining weight but I'm not sure it's because of the Depakote. My
weight and eating habits were very dependent upon my mood states. I feel
very balanced lately and have been eating regularly. Before medication, I
used to go days without eating or I'd just pick for weeks. Eating is
helping me stay stable too.
I'm a little worried to gain too much though. Before, I was like you. I
would just wait until that hypomania hit and then the pounds would melt away.
I do disagree though, about the will power. I find i probably have quite a
bit. I was much much sicker for years than I let on to anyone and it was
by sheer willpower that I was able to conceal it so well.
Paula
Virginia Bruce
(v...@teamweb.com) wrote:
: God, I'm so glad to hear all this, well, I mean it's horrible and gross
: but it's just what I went through. I mean, if you're fat and hairless,
: who cares if your moods are stable.
: " gained about 30 lbs." "lost hair," including eyelashes which used to
: be thick and long and are now sparse. Took three months of total
: tiredness and lethargy on depakote to get enough energy to realize how
: groggy I was. I had started on lithium but switched because of the
: tremor. Went back to the lithium, 900 mg/day but stayed low energy. Now
: take 450mg a day with one little Propanolol for the tremor, but also 120
: mg of ginkgo which helps with a lot of the lithium side effects (hasn't
: made me manicky) including tremor, attention span, memory loss.
: Haven't lost the weight, although my energy is back on the lower dose.
: In the past (pre-meds) I lost weight when I got manicky (I'm hypomanic).
: I think something in my head is waiting for another manic period to lose
: it again, but that's not a good idea is it.
: Here's a theory -- people with bipolar conditions don't have a lot of
: will power. Is it just me?
--
Holly
Hi. I had just posted my fears about Depakote and wt gain and came
across your post. I'm 5'1 too and just lost 40 pounds. My doctor knows
me from the eating disorder hospital that I was in for 6 weeks 6 years
ago- and he knew that I just spent I year losing 40 pounds. We sat in
his office and I expressed my fear of gaining weight on Depakote. We
read the PDR together. He says that the plesebo group wt gain is the
same almost as the user group- so wt gain is worst case, rare. Gaining
weight messes with my head. I get depressed!
Oh, and he says another side affect of Depakote might be, worst case--
depression and so we'll give you Zoloff. UGH! I'm crabby tonight. I
don't like the manic behavior but I really don't like the medicine. I
can't do it. Wt gain isn't just ego. It's health, mental and physical.
Is there something natural to take to curb the manic episodes? And how
does one go off Depakote? I'm calling my doctor tomorrow.
LBryant313
Hi Holly -- I just came across your post regarding mine about depakote. I
just weaned myself off of depakote a little at a time. I can't recommend
doing that though without talking to your pdoc. I didn't (I'm always a
little impulsive!) -- and I'm definetly feeling the effects. My short
temper and rages are coming back but I can't stand being fat! It
depresses me and I feel bad physically and mentally when I'm overweight.
I just got tired of all the medication that I have to take and never-ever
feeling the least bit normal. I felt spacey, drugged and tired all the
time. I also never wanted to leave my house or socialize at all. Now I'm
getting some energy back but I'm trying real hard to be realistic about my
chances of going manic. We'll see. You might see a post later where I
"crash" into that dark hole of depression. Let me know how it goes with
you!
Lisa
MoiraArwen
Lisa and Holly,
I also just stopped taking Depakote. Holly: I did this at the instruction
of my pdoc, I just took one less pill per night. I was taking four 250mg
tablets a night. Everything went fine, although I went almost immediately
into a hypomanic/manic state.
I think Depakote caused depression for me too! When I was on Depakote, we
couldn't find an AD that would work for me and not give me intolerable
side effects. Now I am taking Wellbutrin, and I haven't cycled or been
depressed for two whole weeks! (used to cycle several times in one day,
so this is great!) Okay, so I am hypomanic, but now that I'm not in the
pits of despair maybe we can find something to tone it down just a bit.
I am fighting with the weight issue also. I took Remeron for two weeks
and that gave me ten extra pounds on top of everything else. I already
wanted to lose weight before that! Now unfortunately I am taking it too
far, slipping back into anorexia again. (no food, plenty of exercise! I
feel like I'm going to pass out all of the time...) Hopefully we can head
this off before it gets real bad. One of the side effects of Wellbutrin
is a reduced appetite, which I've been taking advantage of...
Moira
LBryant313
I'm going to ask a stupid question here but please excuse me.... what's
the difference between manic and hypomanic? My pdoc has never mentioned
hypomania to me. I too feel like excercising for the first time in a
loooonnng time since I've gone off of Depakote. Also, I've been on zoloft
for three years now -- does anyone know if the effects change or wear off
-- maybe I need to try Wellbutrin or something else. Not prozac -- that
stuff made me really weird. Thanks for all of your support and input!
Lisa
Jim Tousignant
Hypomanic means "under mania." In full-blown mania
a bipolar does things he/she would get arrested/hospitalized for.
On the other hand, hypomania can be quite pleasant and productive,
although somewhat iritating to those around you.
Anyways, to quote from the DSM IV, these are signs of hypomania:
/////////////////////////////////////////
(1) inflated self-esteem or grandiosity
(2) decreased need for sleep (e.g., feels rested after only 3 hours
of
sleep)
(3) more talkative than usual or pressure to keep talking
(4) flight of ideas or subjective experience that thoughts are
racing
(5) distractibility (i.e., attention too easily drawn to unimportant
or
irrelevant external stimuli)
(6) increase in goal-directed activity (either socially, at work or
school, or sexually) or psychomotor agitation
(7) excessive involvement in pleasurable activities that have a high
potential for painful consequences (e.g., the person engages in
unrestrained buying sprees, sexual indiscretions, or foolish
business investments)
The episode is not severe enough to cause marked impairment in
social
or occupational functioning, or to necessitate hospitalization, and
there are no psychotic features.
//////////////////////////////////////////
It's when these symptoms go to the extreme and the person can no longer
function that it becomes mania.