Loved ones often wonder how long a manic episode can last if it remains untreated. Generally speaking, an episode can last several weeks to several months. A visitor to the Bipolar Blog posted a comment indicating that her husband was experiencing a manic episode that lasted eight months and was still ongoing.

Eight months is certainly over the normal limit. Something usually happens before then to end the episode – the person receives treatment (possibly through a hospital stay), the episode simply ends, or the person becomes physically exhausted.

If an episode lasts more than a few months, it generally indicates that something else could be fueling it, such as the following:

• Drugs 
• Alcohol
• Surreptitious antidepressants (sounds weird I know – but possible)
• Something related to physical illness

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    Last reviewed: 17 Oct 2008