wildcat, Great to hear that you had a good holiday. It's a normal behaviour to want to help and comfort someone in a time of need. If you feel as though you are crossing some line, create some barriers that may prevent that from happening. Maybe you want to limit your support to telephone calls or emails. Sylvie, Bilingual Health Educator

exactly... :)

Hi wildcat I'm glad to hear you had a fun holiday and that you're feeling more rested! Mine was quiet -- I'm cocooning again somewhat, and feel a little guilty for not getting my daughters out of the house to play in all this sunshine. Though I do realize that it's my mother's voice telling me we should be outside when the sun shines, and am pleased that I at least played with them indoors and didn't cocoon as completely as I have done in the past :confuse: What I'm hearing you say, I think, is that you know what the normal/appropriate range of behaviour is, and that your extremes can be frightening, inappropriate and difficult to manage -- is that right? I don't know much about the manic side, but I can certainly empathize with being triggered by other people's emotions. I suppose that it comes from a desire to help and make the other person feel better -- is that a fear of or discomfort with strong emotions? It's not my sexual energy that gets activated, but a compelling need to smooth things out -- to comfort, reassure, rebuild. I was speaking with a friend on the phone a few years ago who was in an extreme panic about losing her apartment because she'd had an accident at work and didn't have any money coming in. Before I knew what I was doing, I was telling her not to worry, that she and her daughter could move into my house! Not necessarily a bad idea, but not one you'd go into on a spur-of-the-moment impulse just to calm someone's panic! I don't know if this is anything like what you experience, but for me, the first part of managing it was becoming aware that I did it. Now I'm learning how to feel strong emotions, stay with them and express them productively, rather than suppress them and fuel the inner pressure cooker. I'm finding it tough, and I don't know if it's even possible to do in a manic state? For awhile, I erected a 10 foot thick wall around most of my emotions so that I wouldn't have to feel or deal with feelings, and I still throw that up sometimes when a doubt slips in about my ability to manage effectively. The tools that I'm developing, though, are mindfulness, meditation, diverting... and CBT, I suppose, to deal with the anxiety-ridden thoughts that come into my head at the time.

hi gang. I hope that those who celebrated the holiday had lots of fun... I think I did. Imagine that - fun, pleasure. I feel well rested for the first time - in a long time. I am still "tired" but mainly from only 7 to 9 hour nites (I am hypersomnolant and 10 hours is what I regularly need). So the winter / darkness aspect of this depressed feeling is lightening a bit... I thank the the creator that I repress most of my emotions and my spontainity... otherwise I would be in so much trouble. My husband's brother is in the process of a marriage break-up due to his wife. and he is filled with pain and loneliness. And that triggers something deep in me; needs to comfort and reassure (most is acceptable and a bit goes way PAST acceptable). I have a problem regulating the intensity of most emotions and a simple pat on the back and a good listen can turn to a lot of mixed things in me... Strange how I seem empty most of the time. Somewhat distant from reality and sad that my existance will have very little impact. And the moment I encounter a strong emotion/energy in another that stimulates me... One of the people in my support group is happily in love like an adolecent... and that fires up my desires and passions (unlike the first few weeks when I was leaving angry and frustrated and very depressed). This brother-in-law's pain... Afew years ago it was the confusion and helplessness of another that burned me... It is not that I am looking for adventures. I am not "normally" attracted to these people, not as friends and definately as mates. I am happy and really good in my relationship with my chouette. There is just a button that activtes the whole need to comfort, reaasure, rebuild, and because the depressed moods are lifting a bit... the energy gets skewed towards sexuality/desire. What is the Normal Range? How do I know that I am in that target zone? How do I keep controle - not fall from negative thinking and yet not go hypo-manic and ride the feel-good boat? In the past I would have a glass of wine or two each night and be miserable with everyone till I was back to the distance the slightly depressed mood that is "safe". But that is no solution. How do I untangle the bit knot of energy and keep the intensity reasonable?