Holidays and Parties

The Fourth of July is approaching, and my social calendar is filling up. I love to celebrate holidays, and life in general, but celebrations are also times that I have to monitor myself carefully. Too little sleep can lead to mania, as can drinking alcohol and too many caffeinated drinks. Even too much excitement can lead to trouble.

If I am depressed, I have to decide if I even want to go to a party, and that can be especially hard if the invitation comes weeks in advance and requires a prompt response. People who are depressed are advised not to isolate themselves. I believe that is good advice, but if I am depressed I do better socializing one-on-one or in small groups. If I do go to a party when I am depressed, I make sure it is given by a good friend, and that I will know most of the people there. I struggle with speaking when I am depressed, so being surrounded by strangers can be intimidating. My good friends are happy just to have me around and will let me be.

Thankfully, I am feeling balanced today, and foresee having a great weekend, free of both mania and depression, but I will be watching myself. I will be avoiding alcohol and making sure I drink only a modest amount of caffeine (I can handle the equivalent of two cups of coffee a day). I will also make sure not to become overly excited about anything, because excitement alone can trigger mania at times. In addition, I will be in bed by 2 a.m. at the latest. Amazingly, I have gotten used to taking all of these precautions and I have learned that I can still have a good time.