Hypersensitivity - David Hamilton

Posted by See Me, 7 October 2020

The second instalment of David Hamilton's personal story. Author of 'Mind Over! Whats the Matter?' David shares his experiences of bipolar disorder.

David's Story

I was diagnosed with bipolar at the age of 16 on the 4th February 2002. This moment of my life was one of the hardest things that I have ever went through. However, with that experience, I feel that I am a stronger person for going through it. 

Years after sustaining good routines and just driving through life I decided to park up and look back on my journey. I decided to write a book after years of mulling over it. 

My initial reason for writing the book was to make sure nobody has to go through what I went through. 

To give a good account of myself I managed to collect all of my doctors notes through months of trying to obtain them. I began to piece through them to get a good timeline of events and others views on my actions and behaviours. 

Throughout the book I have mentioned that it’s not the typical person you see in films that get sectioned into psychiatric wards. The many people I met are in everyday jobs and every walk of life. Anyone can go through a bad time. 

I released my book 18 years after my diagnosis on the 4th February 2020.

This is the second excerpt from the book that I will be sharing over the coming weeks.

Hypersensitivity

Coming out of hospital after being institutionalised was difficult at the best of times. After hospital all my senses seemed to be heightened. The smallest sound around me would explode like a firework set off in my ears. My environment seemed new. It was like being born again and opening my eyes to this huge world in front of me.

I had always loved the buzz of the town at peak times during the day and night. However, seeing so many people at once after very little contact was frightening. I would normally skip through the crowds, managing not to bump into anyone.

During that time, I just seemed to get in everyone’s way, which would just add to my feelings of worthlessness and deepened my low mood.

Meeting my friends socially in the city centre’s pubs and clubs was so difficult. I couldn’t have face to face conversations with my friends. This was due to the fact I couldn’t tune into their words. I was being drawn away by background noise around me. I could start to hear ringing sounds and at those points I would need to leave the situation.