Bipolar II means low lows, and only moderate manias (so, no worries of me thinking I'm the second coming, etc).

But manias still manifest for me in getting so wrapped up in projects that I forget to do things like eat, leave the house, sleep. And that goes doubly so when preoccupied by the world.

So, from one nutjob to any others here:

Don't forget to move the soft animal of your body.

Feed it.

Water it. (But not after midnight.)

Then tell it to get its tea kettle offline and back to work.

@MLClark The hyperfocus with Bipolar II can be intense. Almost manic but .. not... quite. Don't you hate the "Where did the day go?" feeling?

@Graci

Day, two days, week... 🙃

Hope you're keeping your vibes right, and/or creating brilliant things in the interim. 🤗

@MLClark @Graci

Huh.
I've not heard of Bipolar II.

Researching.
Pretty sure it's not me, but it's one more thing that has significant overlap with ADHD as I experience it.

I actually have structured my life to avoid hyperfocus, which puts a HUGE cramp in my creativity, because flow states almost always tilt that direction. I've jeopardized a couple of jobs because of hyperfocus.

@tyghebright @Graci

In my father's day it was all just manic depression.

These days there's more nuance. Bipolar I has stronger manias than depressions, while Bipolar II is the opposite - and has one of the highest rates for suicidal actuation of all mood disorders.

I'm pretty cautious about how I employ labels these days; it was necessary to get me off depression meds, which were just jacking me into manias, but otherwise it just provides me with a way of understanding my highs and lows.

@tyghebright @Graci

Amusingly, of the four kids in my family, two have Bipolar I, I have Bipolar II, and the only one to escape that diagnosis... has ADHD!

These labels are always works in progress, as humans keep trying to find the right vocabulary for treatment protocols that will help best, but there's *definitely* something a bit wonky in my parents' contributions to the world. 🙃

Maybe not a "bad" batch, but definitely a screwy one!

@MLClark @Graci

There's so much overlap with ADHD, Autism, and several mental health conditions.... I feel like they're related and we just don't understand any of it well yet.

I recently found out about visual snow, which I definitely have (mild) and didn't realize was NOT the way everyone sees the world. AND it's associated with migraines and tinnitus. It's suspected to be caused by "excessive excitability of neurons in the visual cortex".