Do you regret your bipolar episodes?

As far as I can see, there is nothing to regret about having bipolar depressive episodes. You may annoy people around you because you cannot participate in daily living, but that doesn’t mean you regret being depressed.

On the other hand, mania is full of regrets. I know from experience that I would go red in the face if I had to admit to some of the things I have done when manic. No, I will not tell you! But joking aside, mania causes a great deal of havoc in your life and the lives of those around you.

Many things are said and done in mania. Most things are done on the spur of the moment and are not planned. Mania is about risk-taking and impulsiveness so often no thought goes into the things that take place.

After the mania subsides, it is usually the case that the bipolar person has to go to people they have upset and offended and apologize. I can tell you from personal experience this does not work, or at least it doesn’t work for me. I have apologized to countless people, but not once has my apology been accepted and I have lost lots of friends and family members because of this.

I can assure you that other people with mania will have similar stories to tell as it is universally true that people regret what takes place during mania.

And it is difficult to blame the people who have been wronged. How would you feel if money had been stolen from you, your partner spent your life savings, they had spurts of road rage and were unfaithful with a multitude of partners without even stopping to ask their names?

I doubt if you would be the forgiving type then. So yes, people with bipolar regret their manic episodes, all of them.

Sally