Anxiety vs Hypomania

I was wondering if anyone could help me.

I've recently been diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome and I relate to it most definatly, but I still have a mood disorder. I've known for a year now that I potentiall have bipolar (cyclotymia) and I'm still convinced I have it.

My pdoc's not ruling bipolar out but he suggested that he thinks it was anxiety (I've recently gone through an episode of hypomania).
I know most definatly, I have social anxiety... I hate being around people and they get me nurvous and tense.. and I get very paranoid that they're tlaking about me and laughing at me... basically whatever people do, I believe it's often directed at me in some way.

Anyway, the point is, I don't think I suffer from a great deal of anxiety, apart from social anxiety and I do feel quite anxious when I'm hypomanic... but never usually when depressed... I feel dead and want to sleep when depressed and my mind is very still.

But it's got me wondering.
what is the difference btween anxiety and hypomana?
My pdoc said anxiety can still have the racing thoughts which I get when hypomanic, and he said anxiety comes on suddenly... well my hypomania takes a few days to kick in.. and I've only ever had this bad once... (where I was no longer able to function because I could not concentrate).

I don't understand how my psychiatrist could say that my hypomania, isn't hypomania but is rather anxiety.

When I'm hypomanic, I become reckless (in thinking and with money)
I have racing thoughts
feel I'm the best person on earth
sleep less
eat more
feel I am in control of everything
irritable and aggressive.
but last week it got so bad that I had so many thoughts, I thought they were controlling me.

Are these symptoms of anxiety?

Thanks for your help!

Charlie

I have a Generalised Anxiety Disorder. I would say that those symptoms arn't really the same completly. For instance I definatly don't think I am the best in the world, quite the opposie in fact. Also I never feel in control, but out of control and panicky.

Some parts are the same, like less sleep, and racing thoughts but definatly not all of them. I get periods of Hyperactivity and I would call the feeling more of a high, whereas with anxiety its more of a tense, worry.

Hope that helps

Thanks for your reply, Lauren!
That makes sense.
I can't remember if I said in this topic or not, but I do suffer from bouts of anxiety, and like you said, it involved worry and a sense of panic, so I'm by no means anxious-free, and I hope to work on that.

But it just doesn't make sense when my pdoc says that my highs = anxiety. I mean, if you relate to the symptoms of racing thoughts and hyperactivity (and I'd say productivity... though when I'm really high, that becomes harder), then I can see why my pdoc thinks that my highs is anxiety... but I don't fit the whole lot really.

Like, my highs are purly episodic... correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't GAD more of an on-going anxiety?
O, I also was wondering, when your thoughts race, what kind of thoughts do you think of? are they negative, or positive? or both?
With mine, they're almost always positive when I'm high.

I guess, I'm just trying to make sense of GAD so I can either correct my pdoc, or relate to it and say 'yea, you're right'... but right now, I feel like I want to correct him! lol

Thanks for your help!

Charlie x

Hypomania is associated with Bipolar disorder and a person usually has to be in that manic state for at least four hours. Bipolar is typically associated with having highs and lows such as the mood that would follow would be depression but not always. Anxiety is a disorder too but it would be more like an episode such as an anxiety attack. Anxiety attacks have many, many symptoms...racing heart beat, feel out of breath, choking feeling, some can feel numb, racing thoughts, etc. There is no way to get a diagnosis on Yahoo answers. It sounds as though you need to go to a Psychiatrist and explain whats been going on, there for you can ease your mind and he/she will know exactly how to treat your symptoms. Good luck.