Aids HIV FAQ

memory lose during manic

Question:

i dont know… apparently i did things that i dont remember. both when up and when down. and when asked about it, i really didnt know what to say.. i literally grilled my friends about what happened (very eerie, even coming from someone with a bad memory)…i asked a lot of different people from different parts of my life because things can be skewed.. also, some people are pretty dense and dont notice anything at all even if it’s right in front of them..but, if they’ve talked about it together, it’s not going to work. it was through my friends that i learned more about myself alexia one trochee short of a something – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Hello >My ex spouse and I have a pretty good friendship.  Lately (due to my asking) >he has been telling me about some of the things I did while manic–and >during the huge manic episode which I ended the marriage over during.  The >scary thing for me is that he tells me some of the things I did and said I >have absolutely NO idea what he is talking about.  I do not even remember >the night I told him I wanted a divorce. >I was just wondering if anybody has experienced such severe gaps in memory >during manic times. >Thanks >Sarah > Hi Sarah, > When my BP daughter-in-law consistently couldn’t remember only the > worst things she did while manic (while remembering things that > happened before and after), being BP myself, and having had episodes > of memory loss myself, I decided to give her the benefit of the doubt. > Later, I found she had discussed her "lost memories" with other > people. I’d say, go with your gut. If you really don’t believe you are > capable of doing what he describes, you probably aren’t, and probably > didn’t. I would ask for corroboration, too. If he can’t dig up at > least one other person who saw you do what he says you did, and it > ALWAYS occurred when it was just you and him, I would suspect he is > engaging in some form of emotional "payback."

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Theresa > Wow I never thought about that but it makes perfect sense. What little I do > remember is like in a fog but I do remember feeling VERY HAPPY.  I am so > careful to monitor my moods now thanks to a journal I got from my support > group..it was printed just for bipolar people.  It is perfect and my doctor > loves it because I have a tendency to forget (NO NOT ME!! *lol*) things in > between visits so if I write them down every night before bed and have a > routine then he has a better view of what is going on! > Thanks again maybe if I eat more carrots it will help > Sarah > Hi Sarah/ >     I have a theory.  Just something to think about, something I think > about. >      Could it be that when really manic that your thoughts are going so > fast and all that info/stimuli is first processed in your short term > memory .  Because the thoughts are going so fast they dont cross over to > your long term memory and thus are forgotten. >    Short term memory only last about 60 seconds to 3 min. tops.  I dont > know about you but I can have 20 to 30 thoughts in a minute when really > manic. >     Also when manic , can your mind realistically process all that > info/stimuli, even all of your activities of daily living? > This is just something that I wonder about > -Treacha > Where ever you go, there You are!

  Mania is chemically related to schizophrenia to this extent, that in schizophrenia an excess of dopamine lowers the memory threshold so severely as to produce hallucination, while in mania the dopamine produces norepinephrine, which lowers the memory threshold to produce really fast recall — and hallucination only in severe cases.  The effect may be mimicked with mescaline; all three compounds are beta-aromatic monoamines.   Treatment of mania necessarily raises the memory threshold along with that of all the neurons generally, with the result that the subject feels anything from "having his artistic reach shortened" (my own claim) through mental or mnemonic sluggishness (which is really only in comparison with his perfectly-good memory of his manic state, as you describe but do not identify) to downright stupor (in overdose).  The last is obviously not the case here.   Long-term memory may actually be improved, as it takes ten minutes of attention, or at least noninterruption, to fix the short-term memory as long-term, and severe mania is simply not very friendly to attention span.  Much depends on the original /degree/ of mania, however, for norepinephrine aids in fixing memory as it aids all other neural activities; in mildly manic doses it /increases/ attention, including allowing multiple objects of attention simultaneously.  Loss of this sort of acuity with treatment is generally disgusting. — dmh http://blitz.org/fishhook/

Response:

Theresa Wow I never thought about that but it makes perfect sense. What little I do remember is like in a fog but I do remember feeling VERY HAPPY.  I am so careful to monitor my moods now thanks to a journal I got from my support group..it was printed just for bipolar people.  It is perfect and my doctor loves it because I have a tendency to forget (NO NOT ME!! *lol*) things in between visits so if I write them down every night before bed and have a routine then he has a better view of what is going on! Thanks again maybe if I eat more carrots it will help Sarah

Hi Sarah/     I have a theory.  Just something to think about, something I think about.      Could it be that when really manic that your thoughts are going so fast and all that info/stimuli is first processed in your short term memory .  Because the thoughts are going so fast they dont cross over to your long term memory and thus are forgotten.    Short term memory only last about 60 seconds to 3 min. tops.  I dont know about you but I can have 20 to 30 thoughts in a minute when really manic.     Also when manic , can your mind realistically process all that info/stimuli, even all of your activities of daily living? This is just something that I wonder about -Treacha Where ever you go, there You are!

Response:

Is there anything that can be done about memory loss? Sometimes I just can’t handle it, and it’s so discouraging. I’ve also had to call people to ask for my phone number or what year it was. I’ve been like this for so long that my friends don’t even credit it to me being bipolar, and frankly I never have either. I have this one friend who used to call me _every day_ to remind me of what homework or specific obligations I had. I hated her for it, but mostly because I knew it was something I couldn’t do myself. Remembering to eat is another difficult task. *sigh* -Emma-

Response:

hi emma– im in the memory not working group too… it’s quite embarrassing and makes me look foolish. i try to make light of it, but people just sort of look at me like im loopy. my brother also has a bad memory. perhaps part of the reason for having a bad memory has to do with the way your brain wired itself when you were very young. some of this is environmental, some genetic. the way the brain is stimulated during this period probably effects memory in some way or another. my brother has a really lousy memory too (thought not as bad as mine) and actually asked my uncle about it (he’s an m.d.).. my uncle said some people have lousy memories. theres nothing to do and nothing to take.. just write things down.. i think being bp and taking meds doesn’t really help matters any.. and as i do the depersonalization/derealization thing–i dont think that helps either. maybe in mania certain parts of the brain are flooded and some places are more active while others sort of get stuck out of the loop. anyway–this is all b.s. bleh bleh… :a – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Is there anything that can be done about memory loss? Sometimes I just can’t > handle it, and it’s so discouraging. I’ve also had to call people to ask for my > phone number or what year it was. I’ve been like this for so long that my > friends don’t even credit it to me being bipolar, and frankly I never have > either. I have this one friend who used to call me _every day_ to remind me of > what homework or specific obligations I had. I hated her for it, but mostly > because I knew it was something I couldn’t do myself. Remembering to eat is > another difficult task. *sigh* > -Emma-

Response:

Hi Sarah/     I have a theory.  Just something to think about, something I think about.      Could it be that when really manic that your thoughts are going so fast and all that info/stimuli is first processed in your short term memory .  Because the thoughts are going so fast they dont cross over to your long term memory and thus are forgotten.    Short term memory only last about 60 seconds to 3 min. tops.  I dont know about you but I can have 20 to 30 thoughts in a minute when really manic.     Also when manic , can your mind realistically process all that info/stimuli, even all of your activities of daily living? This is just something that I wonder about -Treacha Where ever you go, there You are!

Response:

leader) writes: >I had a very sharp memory just prior the the episode that >got me diagnosed.. now my memory is gone and it’s not just >the meds

Ring Leader, I understand exactly what you’re talking about because my memory has deteriorated after two serious episodes, the last of which got me diagnosed and permanently on medication.  I used to have the kind of mind where I could compose and keep mental lists of everything, even shopping lists.  I miss that kind of mental sharpness. LilySue

Response:

I can’t say HUGE gaps, cause I rapid cycle so much I’m not manic long enough to forget too much, but yes, when I am manic i remember almost nothing….then is when my palm 3 gets its biggest workout (like right now). Kevo > Hello > My ex spouse and I have a pretty good friendship.  Lately (due to my asking) > he has been telling me about some of the things I did while manic–and > during the huge manic episode which I ended the marriage over during.  The > scary thing for me is that he tells me some of the things I did and said I > have absolutely NO idea what he is talking about.  I do not even remember > the night I told him I wanted a divorce. > I was just wondering if anybody has experienced such severe gaps in memory > during manic times. > Thanks > Sarah

– Kevin D. Martin Dell Certified Technician http://fly.to/~Kevo Remember:  Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a plum!  :)

Response:

Yes, and he was trying to put a ‘QUILT’ trip on me to take the blame off better, as he is a pathalogical liar.  I have said things in anger though that I truly didn’t mean. Your situation depends upon you and if you truly did say/do the things as accused AND how must you trust him and can beleive him.          CF

Response:

hey sarah, oh god, memory loss? i havthe worst memory. i actually had to ask people what i did and the way that i was acting in order to really believe that something was going on. also might have to do with the fact that when up, i thought i was *normal* for the hypos. but honestly, i am missing bits all over. it’s odd, huh, to hear what you said and did and have no recollection of it. alexia the more i learn the less i know until i know everything about nothing – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Hello > My ex spouse and I have a pretty good friendship.  Lately (due to my asking) > he has been telling me about some of the things I did while manic–and > during the huge manic episode which I ended the marriage over during.  The > scary thing for me is that he tells me some of the things I did and said I > have absolutely NO idea what he is talking about.  I do not even remember > the night I told him I wanted a divorce. > I was just wondering if anybody has experienced such severe gaps in memory > during manic times. > Thanks > Sarah

Response:

alexia I have had to call friends and ask them for my phone number etc etc..what day it was. Sarah – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – >hey sarah, >oh god, memory loss? i havthe worst memory. i actually had to ask people >what i did and the way that i was acting in order to really believe that >something was going on. also might have to do with the fact that when >up, i thought i was *normal* for the hypos. but honestly, i am missing >bits all over. it’s odd, huh, to hear what you said and did and have no >recollection of it. >alexia >the more i learn the less i know until i know everything about nothing > Hello > My ex spouse and I have a pretty good friendship.  Lately (due to my asking) > he has been telling me about some of the things I did while manic–and > during the huge manic episode which I ended the marriage over during. The > scary thing for me is that he tells me some of the things I did and said I > have absolutely NO idea what he is talking about.  I do not even remember > the night I told him I wanted a divorce. > I was just wondering if anybody has experienced such severe gaps in memory > during manic times. > Thanks > Sarah

Response:

Hello My ex spouse and I have a pretty good friendship.  Lately (due to my asking) he has been telling me about some of the things I did while manic–and during the huge manic episode which I ended the marriage over during.  The scary thing for me is that he tells me some of the things I did and said I have absolutely NO idea what he is talking about.  I do not even remember the night I told him I wanted a divorce. I was just wondering if anybody has experienced such severe gaps in memory during manic times. Thanks Sarah

Response:

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