Why do people see hypomania as 'harmless'?

UpDownAround wrote:I probably also drank when hypomanic, but that was only about 10-12 days a year. The rest of the time I was depressed, Sometimes only slightly, but depressed. The last couple of months have been amazing!

Glad to hear things are turning up for you.
I've been stuck in a depression for over a year, and my med trials were.... bad...
So I'm just back to being depressed. Not a lot else that anyone can do if the meds just make everything worse. Lol. #BleakReality

Jellybeanery wrote:I guess the severity varies from person to person. But hypomania is a "mild" form of mania, therefor is is not as severe. According to textbooks and such. I have never been hypo, so I wouldn't know. But my mania has caused me to use cocaine, have an affair with a married man, run across speeding traffic, get drunk at work, and spend ALL of my life savings. So your mania is not as bad as mine. I have, however, had safer manias- being more productive, taking up nice hobbies, etc. But they always involve me spending every penny I have, so that in itself is sort of destructive, I guess.

I find it interesting how people evaluate their hypomanic episodes. I think several of those evaluations are based on (beyond evaluated against ones own normal behavior ) cultural/contextual differences. For example you talk about using cocaine and having an affair with a married man.

I think that in some contexts and countries it is quite liberal with drugs and people go off smoking and taking cocaine when partying (I am not referring to contexts full of drug-addicts). Where use of substance is just part of party-life. To run off with a married man - I am not sure where you live but I think in individualistic societies where the divorce-rates are high it is not so unusual that infidelity happens. If someone tell me that they have been either unfaithful or been with a married man (I have been both myself) I do not really evaluate such things in relation to my hypomania.

I think life is complex in many different ways and that many things that are happening in ones life may have an influence on ones behavior. I rejected my diagnosis basically until I became a member here a month or so ago. I never evaluated my behavior primarily in the light of bipolarity. I always reflected around other reasons. I guess one can also do the opposite and try to find explanations for all that happens in ones life in different mood states... It might be worth taking more things than one into consideration when making such evaluations...?

But the other things you mention..speeding traffic, drunk at work spending all savings.. that seems more like hypomania to me. A cultural perspective is interesting to consider but I guess that by the end of the day it is only oneself that can be used as a benchmark.

^I have Bipolar I, not II, so I never had a hypomania. And as far as the drug use and affair go, these are things I would NEVER do if I were stable, so it is uncharacteristic of me and only happened because of my mania. After the manic episode was over, I felt tremendous guilt for what I had done and how I was acting towards both of these situations. So don't try to downplay it as if it's "normal", because these are things that you have done. What may be normal to you is not normal for me. And for the record, I am asexual (as in, I don't have sex and it repulses me), but when I'm manic, I pursue sex. So again- not characteristic of me.

I have been having the "good" hypomania the last couple of days. Cranking out code that works well and arranging my schedule so I am mostly emailing. But some of my emails aren't clear and there are still a few conversations. Last night at a DBSA meeting I got a few snickers and knowing smiles from people who knew I was hypomanic. the feedback I got dissected a few things I said and pointed out some things I had not noticed. Like I was looking around and enjoying the sunshine while my teenager with a learner's permit was driving (I was describing to someone who asked how I knew it was happening and talked about some thoughts and sensations I got). So I kinda see how there is more danger than I realize. He had to ask me about turns and I should have been watching like a hawk.

Jellybeanery wrote:^I have Bipolar I, not II, so I never had a hypomania.

Please forgive my ignorance, but this is something I'm trying to wrap my brain around. I'm fairly certain get both hypomania and mania. Perhaps I don't see some of my what seem to be manic highs as more than hypomania, which is entirely possible. I know I've been full on manic before. I'm simply wondering if Bipolar I ever gets "only hypomanic from time to time" or whatever.

Holodeck wrote:

Jellybeanery wrote:^I have Bipolar I, not II, so I never had a hypomania.

Please forgive my ignorance, but this is something I'm trying to wrap my brain around. I'm fairly certain get both hypomania and mania. Perhaps I don't see some of my what seem to be manic highs as more than hypomania, which is entirely possible. I know I've been full on manic before. I'm simply wondering if Bipolar I ever gets "only hypomanic from time to time" or whatever.

As far as I know a BP1, like myself, can definitely hit a hypomanic state. We might even cycle with them on occassion. What makes us different is that a BP2 does not hit psychotic full blow mania.
The only time I think I was "just" (not to downplay it or anything) hypomanic was when I've been medicated. I found it... like what I imagine chasing a heroin high is like. I was kind of up, but not up enough to feel my usual up. If it had been drugs, I'd have all of them. I wanted it to be so much more, and my want quickly spiraled me out into a deep depression, and I abruptly quit that medication.
I'm addicted to the mania...

I just don't get hypo, it just goes straight to mania. Everyone is different. Same as how I don't just get "a little sad"- it is full-blown depression. My episodes are severe and long-lasting. This is why I have been hospitalized so many times.

Thank you both for the clarification.

@Jellybeanery I'm so sorry you have to go through it like that.

My type 2 diagnosis is because there are seat belts on my roller coaster. I go up and down on the whims of brain chemicals or whatever is causing this but never really have mania that is all that severe. I get the occasional delusion, but even then I realize that other people wouldn't believe it even though I am sure it is true. So I sometimes have a loose grip on reality but a grip none the less. I go pretty deep in the cave of depression, but I have a survival instinct and the awareness that it gets better. Sometimes better is just less depressed, but that used to be my center (I am claiming slightly elevate mood as my new center; I hope I am right). I am not a substantial risk to myself or others and I always know who I am and what's going on around me. Anything else is fair game...

Of course, this is all subject to change at any time. I had experiences decades ago that may have been mania. I also have the fog that won't clear and I have some social awkwardness. Those may be related or totally separate issues.

My episodes are always a danger to myself. I have an extensive history of self harming and suicide attempts. And a tendency to not care about traffic and think I am invincible.