The answer to “How long can a manic episode last?” is not clear-cut. Manic duration depends on medical and mental health history, stress, episode severity, and personal factors. Here, you’ll find answers to the following questions: “How long can a manic episode last?”, “how can mania be treated?”, and “How can you live a happier life?”. However, first, it is important to understand what exactly mania is. The answers to all that and more reside at Westwind Recovery® and the following enlightenment regarding mania.
What is the Maximum Duration of a Manic Episode?
So how long can a manic episode last exactly? The broadly applicable answer is anywhere between a few weeks up to around six months. This includes the early signs that a manic episode is coming on. Again, these factors are dependent on family medical history, your underlying mental health condition, and other personal variables. Thanks to state-of-the-art therapy, however, mania and its accompanied symptoms can improve within a few short months of treatment. Contact us now to get a headstart on improving your mental health battles with mania.
What is Mania?
Mania is a mental condition characterized by dramatic shifts in mood or emotions through extreme or irrational behavior or energy. A manic episode will immediately be noticeable due to its “over-the-top” emotional response. Mania can include hallucinations, paranoid delusions, or other irrational thoughts that lead to rash and potentially harmful actions. For example, one can act upon a paranoid delusion that they are in danger and attempt to defend themselves. This can unintentionally put innocent loved ones or bystanders, including the manic sufferer in danger. It’s important to understand this is not anybody’s fault but is a mental health condition that requires immediate medical attention.
What is Acute Mania?
Acute mania is the most severe manic stage of bipolar disorder. In this phase, the sufferer will exhibit an unstable emotional state. This phase can also be characterized in many cases as a complete detachment from reality where the individual is unaware of their mortal limitations. This almost euphoric feeling of invincibility is a grave danger to the sufferer and requires immediate medical assistance.
What is Unipolar Mania?
Unipolar mania, unlike most other types of manic episodes, is a manic episode where depression is not present or apparent. Specifically, according to the NIH, a person is classified by having four or more manic episodes, all without any depressive episodes. That same source assesses that just over 16 percent of bipolar I disorder patients possess unipolar mania. Discovering whether or not one suffers from unipolar mania is a key asset to doctors in properly diagnosing and treating individuals with bipolar disorders.
Is Mania a Standalone Mental Health Condition?
No, mania is not a mental condition by itself. It is rather a manifestation of an underlying mental health condition. This is most commonly exhibited in bipolar disorder. However, not all bipolar disorders are created equal. There is a wide range of bipolar I and bipolar II disorders that cause mania. Therefore, discovering which disorder you’re battling and what’s causing it is key to discovering effective recovery methods.
What Triggers a Manic Episode?
For therapists and patients alike, the key to treating manic episodes is determining underlying triggers. Be sure to notify your doctor if you have or are experiencing any of the following potential manic episode triggers.
Manic episodes can occur in response to bright or flickering lights. This occurs due to neuronic misfires that tamper with one’s circadian rhythm, among other neuronic imbalances. These disruptions elevate anxiety levels, hypersensitivity, adrenaline, and energy levels that can trigger a manic episode. If this describes you, reach out to a condition assessment specialist to learn more about your mental health state.
Hardships such as the loss of a loved one, divorce, financial struggles, or other life occurrences also trigger manic episodes. These hardships understandably take a severe toll on one’s psyche and it can become too overwhelming to handle. This is why loved ones need to be a strong support team to a family member or friend going through a difficult time. If you don’t know how to help, our family therapy programs help you be that strong support during difficult times.
Inconsistent or poor sleep patterns collectively increase the likelihood of a manic episode. This is why one of the primary keys to treating any mental health problem involves getting adequate sleep. If you suffer from sleep problems, there is an answer. Whether through medically-administered training or medication-assisted treatment, your insomnia can be subsided with the proper help.
Public spaces such as grocery stores, sporting events, or concerts are common manic episode triggers. This occurs because the individual feels a sense of claustrophobia in a large crowd even if they have ample room to maneuver. This can occur suddenly or be a buildup of gradually escalating anxiety that eventually explodes into a manic episode. Thankfully, individual therapy programs or group therapy programs train you to avert these triggers and improve your mental fortitude in such circumstances.
Loud sounds, outbursts, or other sudden loud noises are likely underlying causes of a manic episode. The best remedy is to avoid situations where loud noises are likely to occur. Events like concerts, theatres, sporting events, and firework shows are venues likely to bring about a manic episode in bipolar sufferers. However, if you plan on attending, earplugs or noise-canceling headphones may be effective alternatives. Before doing so, be sure you have begun treatment for manic episode prevention.
How is Mania Diagnosed?
Mania diagnosis is confirmed through a series of tests and MRIs in conjunction with other doctor-observed behavioral cues. These behavioral observations consist of symptom manifestations in coordination with your medical history. Once these series of behaviors and electronic scans are observed, doctors can hone in on the underlying disorder connected to your manic episodes. Once your diagnosis is confirmed, our addiction treatment staff can attack your struggles at the source with a personalized treatment plan.
What are the Common Symptoms of a Manic Episode?
Knowing the symptoms of an impending episode can help you enact preventative measures to counteract a manic episode. Enact those measures or seek immediate therapeutic assistance if you notice any of the following symptoms of mania.
Perhaps the most indicative symptom of an impending manic episode is unusually high energy levels. This newfound sense of energy will often feel unwavering and irrepressible. These energy levels can give way not only to manic episodes but also can induce panic attacks or other cardiovascular strains.
Racing thoughts, such as multiple diverse thoughts passing through your mind simultaneously without resolve, can inflict or indicate impending mania. This overstimulation of mental pondering overwhelms the mind, leading to some of the other symptoms on this list that inflict mania.
Exhibiting an inability to break concentration from a particular cycle or activity is a very common symptom of a manic episode. Sometimes this symptom is misdiagnosed as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) when compulsive behaviors actually point to mania due to an underlying bipolar disorder. That’s why a top-notch diagnosis specialist is necessary to accurately determine the root cause of obsessive-compulsive behaviors.
Insomnia or other forms of restlessness can be an indication that a manic episode may be coming on. The longer you go without sleeping, the greater the potential for a manic episode to occur. This thought can bring about greater anxiety which can also accelerate the process. Tips on how to handle sleep-deprived mania and other symptoms on this list are covered in the following section.
How to Cope with Mania?
Manic episodes are difficult to handle in the heat of the moment. However, several mental training practices can help you prevent and manage mania through the following methods.
Breathing Exercises
This is more than patterned breathing. Breathing exercises involve specific breathing patterns taught by a trained specialist. These learned breathing patterns can be a life-saving measure that helps you regain control of your mental faculties before they lead to manic episodes.
Medications
Medication-assisted treatment is a very common therapeutic aid to treat manic episodes and bipolar disorders. These heavily monitored prescribed medications are strictly dependent upon diagnosis and treatment necessity for your personalized treatment plan. To see if you qualify for medication treatment for your mental health condition, reach out to a treatment assessment specialist to learn more.
Communicative Treatment
Communicative therapy is exactly what it sounds like. More commonly known as psychotherapy, this treatment is all about you and a therapist communicating with one another. This means sharing your mental health battles so your doctor can identify triggers, causes, and other related information to help resolve your struggles. This includes helping you with specific symptoms you need specialized training to overcome.
A Happier Life Awaits You at Westwind Recovery® in California
Your true happiness and peace of mind begin with a fresh start at Westwind Recovery®. Here, your joyful mental and physical well-being always comes first. We’re equally dedicated to making sure you have every recovery tool you need to achieve a healthier and happier you. You’ll have full-spectrum access to our thoroughly effective programs, an exciting plethora of activities, a full-spectrum support team, and so much more. Our unrivaled staff is eager to show you that’s just the tip of the iceberg to the life-changing discoveries you’ll make at Westwind Recovery®.
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/bipolar-disorder
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK519712/table/ch3.t7/
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/bipolar-disorder
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/bipolar-disorder
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2945875/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK558998/
Dr. Deena is the Chief Clinical Officer of Westwind Recovery®, an award-winning outpatient treatment center in Los Angeles where she oversees the clinical and administrative program and treatment methods. Dr. Deena is a doctor of psychology and licensed clinical social worker since 1993. LCSW #20628. Originally from the East Coast, Dr. Deena has worked running treatment centers, worked as a therapist in psychiatric hospitals as well as school settings and currently has a thriving private practice in the LA area. Dr. Deena has appeared regularly on the Dr. Phil Show as an expert since 2003. She has also been featured on many other TV shows, podcasts and has contributed to written publications as well as podcasts.
