I'm a musician. When I am depressed it is often difficult to do the thing I love the most - create music. I try anyway, but it is definitely a struggle.

Sometimes when I get into my head too much it affects my hobbies. It can last anywhere from a few hours to several days or more. Just depends on what I’m stuck on mentally.

Hypomania is often a pleasurable state for creative types. Full blown mania is a different creature and out of control ecstatic behavior. I don't think I've had the former but definitely the latter. Mood stabilizers like lamotrigine, venlafaxine and Abilify that I take have definitely muzzled my creativity and muddled my thinking. I used to be very creative and non stop so. But now, rarely. I miss it but don't miss the reckless behavior that has gotten me into trouble, ruined or badly damaged relationships and disrupted any career path. To me, its a trade off with the devil (as a metaphor). Which is worse? That's a personal choice. Many people miss the creative side so they go off meds. Bad idea. ChatGPT helped inspire me to publish two of my books so all is not lost.

I have when I was hospitalized. Probably maybe when I was hospitalized for a week and a half I became manic and started coloring to the extreme. I actually had a hard time sleeping since I was coloring all night and morning long.

Sometimes I just want to be alone and I set my own boundaries and then I just become more comfortable around people who aren’t family.