Posted by Tony P on December 22, 2008, at 3:29:10
In reply to Re: what's the purpose of hypo-/ mania?, posted by Optimist on December 20, 2008, at 10:23:49
I'm no expert on evolution, so I won't comment ont the "purpose" issue, but since I have developed a relatively mild BP/cyclothymic spectrum I have been much more productive artistically -- I had essentially given up writing music and had a very low self-image. In the past year I have had several new pieces of music and arrangements performed publicly, written quite a few more, and had tremendous satisfaction from revising some of my early juvenalia.
The most recent was an arrangement of a medley from "A Charlie Brown Christmas" for choir, jazz piano & brass quintet (!!) I can't post the live performance due to union musician regs., but if anyone is interested, a computer-synthesized version is currently playing on my website on MySpace.com (nickname Tonitru):
http://myspace.com/httpwwwmyspacecomtonitruSometimes I think that what *I* think is hypomania is just what "normal" people experience as feeling good with high energy -- it just seems strange to me by contrast with being depressed, "been down so long it seems like up to me". My friends comment on my good spirits and don't seem to think I'm wildly hyper -- I rely on them to tell me if if I cross over into really crazy, out-of-touch-with reality behaviour.
Tony
poster:Tony P
thread:869216
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20081214/msgs/870211.html