Welcome Pete,
I'm bipolar but it's pretty mild, very I suspose, it actually the least of my troubles. The depression did get bad in the past, very bad. And I recnetly had more problems with it, but seem to have recovered. Are you on an anti-depressant as well?
Lithium is a mineral that should be in your brain. In those with bipolar disorder it is missing. My first thought is there shoudl be a blood test, but it doesn't work that way. The lithium is not normally in the blood. IN order to get the mineral in the brain, they saturate the blood, getting it to a theraputic level. I don't recall what those levels are. I'm sure DD does, but you're doctor will keep up with that. Usually you start with a small dose and have your blood tested, this goes on several times until they get you to a dose that is theraputic for you.
This is what it is used for: Acute manic episodes in patients with bipolar affective disorders. Maintenance therapy has been found useful in preventing or diminishing the frequency of subsequent relapses in bipolar manic-depressive patients (with a history of mania).
Mania might seem like a good thing but it is not. Yes I enjoy going without sleep too, get more done but mania is not a good thing. It can lead to some very bad behavior, behavior that can cause you significant damage through the rest of your life. You don't want to be manic, you might not know it now and I hope you'll take your meds and take it from experience, you don't want to be manic.
How old are you? Do you work, in school? Those racing thoughts are heck for both work and school and my mania is much milder than many of those I met while in the hospital. It can leave you psychotic and hurting people. I do undestand what you're saying. It's nice to think you can do anything, to feel great about yourself and you're not alone in liking that feeling. I even like it, but with that said, you don't want to go there because nothing good will come of it. Much harm will.