Mania Versus Hypomania
Hypomania is often considered mania's lesser cousin. While many symptoms associated with mania are present in hypomanic states, they are generally less severe in intensity and/or duration. Yet it only requires a single manic episode in one's life to meet the criteria for Manic Depression, or Bipolar Disorder.
So, what is mania like for you? What challenges and consequences have you been faced with? How do you cope?
@blitheSun94 Thanks for this post on mania and hypomania. This sounds like what I face with a friend of mine. They mood cycle so it is like a roller coaster you are on for the first time where you do not know if the next hill is gentle slope or a vertical drop. It is difficult to know if the hypomania high is about to go into a manic episode. It is just difficult to know.
The difficulties I see when it gets to mania is there is no editing of one's thoughts, they just come out like a stream of consciousness. There may be no connection to reality as every thought seems to be true to the person in mania even if others around them start to fear a psychotic episode which as the post said, usually ends up with hospitalization.
Mania is the wild end of bipolar. Depression is the ice ages where nothing is moving and the person may not get out of bed. Mania can be exciting but uncontrollable. Depression can be so unenergetic and unchanging.
Hopefully with the right combination of meds, it is possible to avoid the extremes and find a very safe gentle roller coaster. I will take that any day over a wild and hairy ride like Space Mountain at Disney World. 
@soulsings
"....a gentle slope or a vertical drop." I could not have said this better myself. You are a wonderful strong friend to be so supportive during such difficulty. It's not something many people understand. Thank you for sharing. ♡ One of my favorite quotes on the topic goes something like, "Mania is a nightmare in an orange grove."
@blitheSun94 hi there. Thanks for your kind words. Can you explain this quote "Mania is a nightmare in an orange grove." I agree with the nightmare, but the orange grove is that a peaceful nurturing place that we cannot see because of the nightmare?
@soulsings
Many people describe feelings of euphoria. In this way, mania can appear to feel very pleasant to many. I, however, am not one of them and have a dysphoric experience.
@blitheSun94 yes I see great irritation, anger, sadness all mixed up emotions in a friend with mania. There are times the seem floating on sunshine but they are compelled by their inner racing thoughts that they cannot relax. It is uncomfortable at best.
there are some great resources I have picked up for coping with bipolar that may be available on the web. There are several workbooks I have seen that have good ideas for coping with bipolar and mania. If interested, let me know and I will share links
@soulsings
Mhm, everyone is so different. It's something that is really tough to generalize I think.
That's a great idea! I've done a couple of work books myself. :)
@blitheSun94 Glad to hear that you have found resources that work for you.
Bump
I am a little disconcerted by the table in the original post. It makes it seem like hypomania is not serious, and even fun. While it may be less debilitating than mania, it is not easier to deal with. It may not "require" hospitalization, but it can cause as much damage in one's life as mania can. Friendships are lost, health is disrupted, bank accounts are drained, and your life can go utterly off track.
I don't dispute that manias are horrible and extreme. I just would like to be clear that hypomania, whether ot not it turns into full-blown mania, is a life-damaging experience as well.
@ladylazarus1971 I agree that hypomania is a serious condition that represents brain impairment of critical decision making skills. All of the conditions you mentioned can happen and be very disruptive. Charts always oversimplify things. Even words do. Hope you find the support you are looking for here at 7cups.
@ladylazarus1971
I appreciate that you expressed yourself with tact and kindness, thank you! I would have to agree. I think this is an important grey area because it can be difficult the differentiate between a naturally elevated good mood, and identifying the cross over of when it becomes problematic. Is this something you live with personally?
<3
I experience hypomanias and mixed manias (depression and hypomanic symptoms)
For me an episode causes me to be more talkitive than normal, pressured speech, (I butt in when others are talking a lot...I can't help it) I am more social and like to go do things more than normal. I also tend to spend more during these times on things I wouldn't normally buy. I deal with anxiety, trouble sleeping and lack of appetite. I can be in an extremely good mood or irritated very easily. During these episodes I tend to get very preoccupied with my art projects...so much so that I may do nothing else for days but work on them.
@TeenyTinyAppy I hear you. You seem to have a good awareness of your episodes and how they work. Finding ways to manage them is not always easy. I find that some of these mindfulness exercises at 7cups help me to refocus my awareness and cope with mood swings.
@soulsings
Thank you so much for the link. :) I will be spending some time reading there and seeing how well I can incorporate some of those things into my own self care plan. I really do appreciate your help.
I am recently (very recently... like this month) diagnosed with Bipolar II after an SSRI induced manic episode. I do find it annoying that the way hypomania in comparison to mania often comes off like it is no big deal, just a pleasant period of high energy or something. I am fairly sure my episode was not full blown mania (no hospitalization, extreme/serious risk taking behaviour, or psychosis) but it has completely overturned my life. The daytimes were like being on a mega-dose of ecstacy (energy, euphoria, racing thoughts, spiritual/magical thinking, huge over-inflated confidence) and the nighttimes were 6-8 hours of no sleep and complete terror - the most all encompassing, long-lasting panic I've ever felt.
Now I'm in the 'down', the crash after the high. Not sure if my slow brain and trouble concentrating and such is side effect of medication or is just part of this whole mental health episode. Also depressed, and anxiety is creeping up again to haunt me through the daytime and nighttime hours both. Had a full blown panic attack that had the most outwardly physical effects I have ever had a few days ago; hyperventilating, crying, complete decision paralysis, couldn't talk or think.
So, yeah - hypomania, Bipolar II, but man oh man is this not fun. I can't work, my whole life is upside down.
I keep thinking of the Prince of Bel-Air song - "My life got twist-turned upside down..."
@Serenity3000
@Serenity3000 NOT to say that Mania is not more extreme or life disrupting or dangerous - fully recognize that it is! Feel deeply for anyone dealing with Mania or Hypomania.
@Serenity3000 Mania can be disruptive of financial life, relationships, family, job and other aspects of our life. It is like a switch goes off inside. No editing function.
@soulsings so absolutely spot on!
Thanks @ingeniousWillow26 i appreciate your vote of confidence.
@Serenity3000 wow it's so refreshing to here the bluntness in your desription of your latest experience. I'm so happy you shared it here. I've been there myself too many times and it's really tough. It's almost scary how much of your struggles and experiences I can relate to, the sleepplessness and so on. Being bullied for dealing with bipolar and manio depressive hasn't really helped, some poeple are just cruel. For years I received no hugs nor b day wishes, my family literally chose to pretend I was invisible and talked nasty behind my back which contributed to being even more depresed and bipolar. I cannot thank you enough for you contribution here. I wish you all the best for the future. :) :)
@blitheSun94 I don't think this chart is all-encompassing for bipolar people. I've found that my mania can be a myriad of different things. Once, I got my nipples pierced on a whim. Another time, I put $500 on my credit card and went out on the town. Another time, I cut myself and thought about suicide. Sometimes mania is like that, but sometimes it's a lot quieter than that, at least outwardly.
@Opalthea
I agree! I don't believe anything in mental health is all-encompassing but rather more spectrum in nature. This goes for mood disorders too! This is more a cut and dry explanation for those who may be just beginning to learn about this disorder and hope to grasp the concepts quickly. Certainly, more research is needed to have a full-hearted understanding of this disorder. I live with it myself, and while I consider myself an educated mental health advocate, I had never even heard of my own diagnosis! Mixed Bipolar Disorder. In this manifestion of the disorder BOTH symptoms of depression and mania can exist in the same space simultaneously. This sounds incredibly stressful, because it is. I think many people get lost in the labels, axis-1, axis-2, Type 1, Type 2...so on and so forth. But I believe this is only as useful as the symptom management that results from this information. I think it's more important to understand your own experience profoundly and avoid clinging to textbooks. <3
@blitheSun94 i have a question. I have been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder and i experience symptoms very similar to hypomania sometimes so is that normal do you think or is it something mostly only people with bipolar disorder get this?
@Mucc I cannot say specifically as a peer supporter, but the symptoms of mental health disorders overlap in many places. They all share symptoms.
@Mucc
Mania is not present in Borderline Personality Disorder, but I can see why this is familiar to you! These two diagnoses specifically overlap and many of us go misdiagnosed or undiagnosed for years. I believe what you might be describing is the mood instablity and impulsivity present in Borderline. Also, the anger associated with this disorder can certainly mirror mania in a real and extreme way.
A helpful snapshot from Medical Daily: Bipolar vs. Borderline Personality Disorder: The Differences Between The Two And How To Avoid Misdiagnosis