As part of a series of articles based on materials from the source “Psychoanalytic Diagnostics” by Nancy McWilliams, we will turn to the manic personality type. The article is addressed to all those who are interested in psychology, as well as those who visit or plan to see a psychologist for professional help.
In this article we will look at the main characteristics and features of the manic personality type; what contributes to its formation; and how manic individuals interact with other people.
Characteristics of manic personalities
In psychology, it is believed that mania is the other side of depression. If we talk about depression, it is neutralized by the defense mechanism of denial. In the external world for a person there are, or he perceives, circumstances that he does not want or cannot recognize as existing. We can say that mania is the polar opposite of the depressive personality type.
A manic personality is cheerful, active, feels guilty due to aggression towards others, and cannot be lonely. They often have grandiose plans. These people can be creative, bursting with many ideas and projects.
From the outside it seems that they are on top and cannot slow down. Some may use alcohol or any psychotropic drugs to relax. When communicating with them, people note their unabating wit, I can admire them.
What does a manic personality look like?
A person in a hypomanic period has a chronically elevated good mood, excess energy, increased mental and physical activity, and generally feels in good shape. He is very talkative and easily establishes contacts with other people, communicates without barriers.
This period of increased activity can also be reflected in a person’s sexual life, which can lead to superficial and reckless sexual relationships, and frequent changes of partners.
The onset of this period comes completely unexpectedly, without any warning signals and, as a rule, is well tolerated by the person.
The manic phase can be described as a period of excessively good mood and noticeably increased activity. A person feels absolute strength in all directions, in the eyes of himself he is invincible and unsurpassed.
As the number of ideas, pace and productivity increases, a person does not want to waste time on the opinions of others. If someone or something interrupts his activities, this increases his irritation, and the slightest irritation ignites his aggressiveness; a person may act inappropriately and dangerously.
Sometimes the manic personality is full of gaiety and tells jokes, often with vulgar or sexual overtones, even in socially unacceptable situations.
A person refutes any social taboos, which makes his behavior irresponsible, inappropriate and risky, endangering not only himself, but also those around him. He immediately implements his ideas and thoughts, without realizing the consequences in the personal, social and financial spheres. For example, you can note frequent excessive expenses when purchasing unnecessary items, entering into unprofitable or even fraudulent contracts.
Serious consequences are fraught with mania with psychotic symptoms (psychomanic syndrome), when a person simultaneously experiences a delusional disorder and hallucinations. These people often have “grand” ideas in which they are pathologically convinced, and they do not doubt their importance and superiority.
Megalomaniacal delusions can affect the mental aspect, which is manifested, for example, by a person’s belief that he speaks all the languages of the world, as well as the physical aspect of the personality. For example, a person considers himself the strongest in the world, immortal, not susceptible to any disease.
Other psychotic symptoms include paranoid symptoms, characterized by pathological resentment, suspicion and morbid thoughts.
Drives, affects
Manic individuals have high arousal and sociability. We can say that they are, as a rule, the “life of the party.” With the help of humor they do not enter into close relationships with others. It looks like they are laughing it off and not talking seriously about something.
In manic individuals, there is a sudden manifestation of hatred. These may be similar to affective reactions.
If we consider the communicative process of manic personalities, then there is an oral non-stop process, they talk a lot, and can attract attention to themselves.
The constant mobility of individuals with manic character characteristics indicates high anxiety, while calm serenity is beyond their experience. This does not mean that they consciously drive themselves into stressful states; they are simply habitual for a manic personality type.
Manic mental states
Difficult to treat due to increased negative perception of everything around. Characterized by the occurrence of delusional states. At the initial stages there is a high level of expansiveness. The patient is characterized by an increased level of irritability. A typical symptom is persistent, goal-directed activity. At the same time, there are moments of heightened euphoria. The mood may become overly joyful, to an abnormal level. Pathology often becomes a factor in the development of psychiatric diagnoses. Therapy requires diagnostics. Often a long period may be diagnosed as schizophrenia or other disorders.
Patients are often overly optimistic about everything that happens in life. Judgments become superficial, and the level of attention decreases. During periods of increased alertness, the patient may not be able to feel tired.
Defense mechanisms and adaptation
The leading mechanisms of psychological defense in a manic personality type are denial and reaction.
Denial - ignoring, or turning into humor. This may be due to the fact that the situations in which these people find themselves can be emotionally difficult for them.
Ignoring – sexualization, intoxication, theft, etc. Prone to depreciation. This happens automatically. Bringing these processes to the level of awareness is one of the leading tasks of a psychologist when working with manic individuals.
Such clients prefer everything that distracts them from emotional suffering. It is also important to note omnipotent control. And, for the most part, authoritarian. Trying to control everything around them reduces their anxiety level.
Manic individuals are usually convinced of the success of their own plans.
You can often notice quite a lot of criticism towards other people.
The manic personality type is characterized by the presence of emotional violence and neglect towards other people.
How do you become maniacs?
Surely, everyone is interested in the question of what motivates these people and how they came to such a life. Experts have found that the most common reasons for the development of manic tendencies are severe childhood traumas and complexes, as well as genetic predisposition. In some cases, people become maniacs after brain damage as a result of injury.
Such disorders are aggravated by the use of alcohol and drugs. But there is no need to confuse immoral behavior with manic syndrome. In other words, you should not suspect every drug addict or immoral person. The percentage of potential maniacs is very small, and even fewer people realize their unhealthy fantasies.
Usually the victims of maniacs are physically weak people - children, young girls, old people. A maniac will not attack a strong and self-confident person. The exception may be a situation in which he can dominate this person.
Manic self
The “I” of manic personalities is like a children’s toy top. Such a high speed makes it possible not to come into contact with painful experiences or conditions.
They are at risk of experiencing disintegration of their own “I”, that is, they are “afraid of falling apart.”
In a manic personality type, avoidance of pain occurs in exchange for the light of high spirits. As a rule, they are extraordinary and witty.
If we talk about extreme manifestations of character, bordering on borderline, then suicidal intentions are possible.
Application of the diagnosis "mania"
One of the leading tasks of a psychologist when working with a manic personality type is early and unjustified prevention of interruption of sessions. It can be quite difficult for these clients to hold on to their experiences that occur during the setting. They feel the impulse to run away.
You can say to such a client: “I noticed that many important life situations were interrupted on your initiative. This is also possible in a session. Pay attention to this!” If you do not follow the impulse, but try to explore it, especially in terms of when and how it arises, then you can control it.
During a psychological session, a confrontation occurs with the usual way of ending a relationship. This is done in the mode of experimentation and the client’s awareness of his reactions.
If there is an intolerance to something, it is important to explore this in a safe environment in a psychological session. Such clients often complain of frequent allergies.
During sessions, working through one's own unmourned losses often comes up. If you constantly avoid these experiences, they will “fade out”, appearing in other situations similar to the traumatic one.
It is important to teach the client to love. First of all, yourself. To get closer to another person, you must be aware of any reactions you have. In particular, note the negative. Emphasize the affects that lead to clarification. For example, you can return his message to the client by pointing out the feelings that arose here and now in the psychological session.
Demonstrating how to live in the world of feelings is very important for these clients. This is a development zone for them, and we can say that this is an unknown world. They tend to prefer to talk instead of feel.
Differential diagnosis
Manic vs. Hysterical: Both tend to be charming and can attract attention. The hysterical personality feels insufficiently supported. Manic can lead to devaluation of the psychologist. There is no preoccupation with gender, unlike the hysterical one. A psychologist, especially in the Gestalt approach, focuses on working with feelings, which can be a rather painful process.
Manic versus Narcissistic Personality: Both types exhibit grandiosity. Narcissists do not have intense worries like manic individuals. Denial, as a psychological defense mechanism of the individual, is mainly present in the manic. Narcissists, in most cases, are not inclined to end relationships with other people.
Manic versus Compulsive Personality: Both types are ambitious and demanding of themselves and others. Compulsive individuals are capable of deep relationships, long-term intimacy, and are modest. And manic people are pompous and incapable of getting close to others. And compulsive people are more moral. Manic individuals ridicule authorities and can be immoral.
Next in the series of articles we will look at the schizoid personality type.
Treatment of manic states
In the treatment of pathology, the cause of the start is taken into account. Depending on it, a course of therapy is developed. It is based on the possible prescription of sedatives. This can equally be either a pharmacological agent or herbal preparations. A combination in therapy is recommended. Additionally, psychotherapeutic treatment is provided. It can be either group or individual.
Manic state symptoms
Symptoms of mania manifest themselves in an atypical attitude towards standard actions. Currently, doctors identify 142 manic episodes, which differ in the reasons that cause the disturbance. For example:
- graphomania, as an obsession with writing;
- addiction to games; gambling addiction;
- increased need for reading bibliomania;
- drug addiction, which is a craving for drugs and others.
