Hypo?

I read what Voracious Lemon posted in another thread, and it made me think. What is the big difference between Hypo and full blown mania? Like, I'll tell someone "oh, I'm hypo", but I'm almost as manic as usual. Do all Bipolar people experience Hypo-mania? I can't really ever think of a time where I was like "yep, significantly less manic, but still kind of manic!" I'm either full blown mania, bouncing off the walls, screaming at myself (in a positive, delusional way), not doing anything other than sitting in my desk chair or pacing back and forth, with racing thoughts, jitters and the inability to sit still.

The one big thing between what I feel is my hypo and my full blown mania is the screaming at myself. I don't always do that, but everything else is still there. I still have the delusions that I'm the most important person on the planet, and everyone knows who I am (for better or worse), but I don't scream and rave about it.

So like, I don't know where else to go with this. I'm kind of calming down, or maybe swinging towards depression. Who knows? I certainly don't.

I'll say it again, not really sure where the line between hypo and mania is (other than between the "o" and the "m"). I'm sure a majority of bipolar people experience hypomania, but I bet there are a few people, especially the single manic episode-ers, that just open their eyes and are full blown manic or maybe only have a day or less in hypo as they ramp up.

The only concrete thing I've found is mania significantly interferes with functioning, whereas many people in the hypomanic phase have improved functioning. It's really hard to tell though in the moment when you're not thinking rationally and judgement is cloudy at best. I always thought I was good at telling myself when I'm (hypo)manic, but that was pretty much when I was rapid cycling and it was have energy=manic, don't have energy=depressed and that was accurate. Experiencing stability kinda screwed me up there.

Looking back I think I know I've crossed into mania when I've lost insight and my behavior is REALLY screwed. Hypomanic me might strip and run through the woods naked for funsies or maybe a form of self expression, manic me would be in a footchase with the police naked when it's 35F and raining after screaming at my boyfriend about how I know I'm just a part of his alien experiment and I thought an alien vaporized my clothes after I realized I didn't have any. That's probably of the top 3 manic experience I've ever had, so it's a bit extreme, but once you get close to that line I don't know where it is. I just know (in hindsight) I need help. Some people can say they were psychotic and that means they were full blown manic, but I've had psychosis outside of mania/depression so that's not a great indicator for me and you.

Thinking about anxiety levels too. I think during euphoric hypomania I have zero anxiety, but mania can have more anxiety than I've ever experienced outside of mixed episodes.

In my head it doesn't really matter where the line is because if you're close to it regardless of what side I'm on I need some sort of treatment, but for communicating with doctors and to know an accurate history I feel it's useful. Did I have 3 manic episodes all caused by antidepressants or stimulants or 20 and some just popped up after a stressful week and not sleeping well? Will I avoid that level of impairment as long as I stay avoid antidepressants and other substances that or is it something I have to be more weary of?

Trying to predict what's going to happen next with our moods is impossible! It's a good thing I'm adaptable! It's kinda fun to analyze and guess though. Being a doctor's experiment doesn't feel great, but it's kinda cool to be my own. Maybe not the healthiest way of looking at it...hey, it's research not self destruction!

Yeah I think that sums it up... level of functioning. Kind of like the depressive flip side... "I feel down but I'm still at work." Versus "I can barely get out of bed and I don't feel safe at work and I'm paranoid and everyone is watching me," to use my recent experience as example.

I asked the hypo versus manic question of myself for a long time. It comes back to level of functioning or distress. Am I just a bit euphoric, more social, and feel creative? Or am I overly energized, pacing outside my office kicking the walls? I think I feel hypo for a day or two, week at tops, before it escalates into mania of it goes there.

Hypomania: less sleep, eating less, drinking more, spending sprees, confident, sexual, more promiscuous/social/unique or weird ideas/philosophical. I tend to ignore it until it verges on mania because it is somewhat enjoyable.

Mania: can't sleep, paranoid, dangerous, delusional, psychotic, have to go to the hospital