In the 2002 book Electroboy: A Memoir of Mania, author Andy Behrman describes “the most perfect prescription glasses with which to see the world … life appears in front of you like an oversized movie screen.” Behrman suffers from bipolar disorder, a condition in which people cycle between extreme highs called mania and extreme depressive lows. He adds, “When I’m manic, I’m so awake and alert that my eyelashes fluttering on the pillow sound like thunder.”

The word mania comes from the Greek mainomai, meaning “to rage” or “to be furious.” Mania is most commonly associated with bipolar disorder and can vary in intensity from periods of mild happiness (known as hypomania) to extreme euphoria. This may not sound like such a bad thing, but the other symptoms that accompany a manic episode, such as hypersensitivity, loss of concentration, and extreme risk taking, can make mania a scary and unpleasant experience.

People experiencing mania may speak rapidly, have racing thoughts, and have an elevated sex drive. Severe episodes of mania can also be accompanied by symptoms of psychosis, including hallucinations and delusions of grandeur. When an elevated mood is accompanied by three of these symptoms for most of the day, every day, for a week or more, it is considered a manic episode.

During manic episodes, people may feel full of energy and ideas. They may perform creative tasks such as writing, drawing, or painting for hours on end and feel that they’re “in the zone.” But they also might be irritable, aggressive, and easily distracted. They may become argumentative or take impulsive actions such as going on spending sprees, giving away money, driving too fast, or abusing drugs or alcohol.

People with bipolar disorder who are incorrectly diagnosed with depression and given antidepressant medications are at risk for manic states. Instead, mood-stabilizing medications such as lithium and valproate should be used to keep patients stable.

ADDITIONAL FACTS

  1. Mania and hypomania have been associated with creative talent, and it is hypothesized that Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890), Rudyard Kipling (1865–1936), Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827), and other famous artists, writers, and composers had mental disorders and did much of their work during manic episodes.
  2. The TV journalist Jane Pauley (1950–) was diagnosed with bipolar disorder at age 50; she has said that during her first manic episode, she “enjoyed a few weeks of high-octane creativity and confidence, but after that, it was just an idling engine on overdrive.”
  3. A deficiency of the vitamin B12 may also cause symptoms of mania.