Mental Forecast
Aug. 2nd, 2014 03:29 pmHow's the weather?
Austin has a condition known as cyclothymia, which can be understood as a mild form of bipolar disorder characterized by cycling between mild depression and hypomania. Hypomania is a period of increased energy and sociability as well as elevated mood. Hypomanic patients can also experience irritability and impulsiveness. (By contrast, true mania necessarily involves a degree of dysfunction-- the person may be unpleasant to be around, destructive to self and others, or even overtly psychotic.)
I made this mood chart to keep track of Austin's cycling, for the benefit of myself as well as fellow players. I don't want to be all over the place with his symptoms, and I want to capture what is often the randomness of such disorders.
That said, the calendar isn't set in stone, and I may very well change it due to plot-related convenience or emerging in-game circumstances; a traumatic event may send him into depression, for instance.
As a last note I'd just like to say that I personally do not have this disorder so if you know of something I'm overlooking in terms of accuracy please do say something.
KEY:
White = normal mood
Blue = mild depression
Gold = hypomania
Purple = rapid cycling
Gray = major depression
Red = mania
Text denotes specific day-long mood events.
(Note: If gray or red ever gets used, he will have progressed to having an actual bipolar disorder. I have no immediate plans for this to happen, but never say never!)
( Calendar )
Calendar code by![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
glazedmacguffin.
Austin has a condition known as cyclothymia, which can be understood as a mild form of bipolar disorder characterized by cycling between mild depression and hypomania. Hypomania is a period of increased energy and sociability as well as elevated mood. Hypomanic patients can also experience irritability and impulsiveness. (By contrast, true mania necessarily involves a degree of dysfunction-- the person may be unpleasant to be around, destructive to self and others, or even overtly psychotic.)
I made this mood chart to keep track of Austin's cycling, for the benefit of myself as well as fellow players. I don't want to be all over the place with his symptoms, and I want to capture what is often the randomness of such disorders.
That said, the calendar isn't set in stone, and I may very well change it due to plot-related convenience or emerging in-game circumstances; a traumatic event may send him into depression, for instance.
As a last note I'd just like to say that I personally do not have this disorder so if you know of something I'm overlooking in terms of accuracy please do say something.
KEY:
White = normal mood
Blue = mild depression
Gold = hypomania
Purple = rapid cycling
Gray = major depression
Red = mania
Text denotes specific day-long mood events.
(Note: If gray or red ever gets used, he will have progressed to having an actual bipolar disorder. I have no immediate plans for this to happen, but never say never!)
( Calendar )
Calendar code by
glazedmacguffin.
