Sleeping is one of those things reserved for other people... Lack of a healthy sleep pattern is one of the early warning signs of oncoming mania, or in my case, the precursor to exhausting depression. I came across this personal account in one of my favorite magazines, The Sun, which publishes original writing without the support of advertisers. Thought I'd share it with you."At the age of twenty-four, after my mood swings and irrational behaviors grew more frequent and I started to hear whispering, I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Seven years later I have learned to live with this disease and have even formed a relationship with it. We meet after dark.
A manic episode can keep me up for days on end. My wild thoughts - which at the time seem rational - will not allow me to sleep. I might believe that the glow of a streetlight outside is an alien spacecraft, or that the shadows are wild animals out to attack me.
I must confess, I love the energy that an episode brings. I can write for hours on end. If I had the means and the knowhow, I could probably build a boat! I have fallen in love with the night, because then there is no doctor to advise me, no family to interrupt; no time to think about the consequences, no time for regrets.
I take my medication because I don't want to be a burden on my loved ones. But if it were up to me, I would forget all about medication and let the night swallow me whole."
Name withheld
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