Mania triggers

Kodeureum said:

"By the way BPG, have you ever investigated the instigating effect of political upheaval on your manic episodes?"

Good point. Looking back I can see that there were definitely political events involved in the majority of my psychoses:

• 1984 - first and worst psychosis. Serving 2 years compulsory army duty for a government I did not agree with. In fairness though - this one's triggering had more to do with a marijuana trip gone wrong.
• 1987 - "Black Monday". This day in October was the biggest one day fall of Wall street in over 50 years. People were jumping out of New York office windows (and there were no islamists incolved). BPG had all his money in stocks at that point and was also writing his fianl economics exam in 3 days (pole-vaulter style). OK so this wasn't so much of a political as a financial event but it was definitely a major international occurance.
• 1989 - The first Gulf war. BPG glued to CNN 24/7 for about a week. Once again final exams that same week with a godalmighty cram effort required to pass.
  
• 1992 - This one was VERY political. South Africa's last Apartheid referendum where the white population had to vote YES or NO to holding fully inclusive democratic elections. The YES vote prevailed but it was a very tense period with disgruntled right-wing extremist whites blowing up bridges and things. I felt VERY strongly about this referendum. This country HAD TO HAVE democracy in my view, and had a NO vote prevailed Mandela would still be in jail, and fck knows where BPG would be. The day after the referendum I was admitted to hospital. As I mentioned a few days ago, I arrived in the bustling voting hall that day with my old army helmet on, a great big "Y" painted on the front, and after voting stood outside the hall and screamed "Good Morning South Africa" at the top of my lungs.
• 2005 - my little flirtation with psychosis in June last year didn't involve any political triggers, rather - religious triggers.
  

It is obvious (in my case anyway) that stress is a huge trigger for mania. And when it's group stress like a political event on a national or international level, the group panic fuels individual agitation like Iranian Oil on a catholic fire. When you're really unstable yourself, teetering on reality's cliff face, its damn reassuring that the rest of the world is for most parts "stable". But when everyone around you is unstable, sheesh man it's easy to topple on that cliff.

3rd world war? I reckon I'll definitley up (or restart more likely) my anti-psychotics. When the storm clouds are rolling in - put yer raincoat on.

What about you guys? How would your moods withstand the outbreak of a full-blown nuclear war?