Why do people see hypomania as 'harmless'?

Up down around. I'm so happy for you. Just curious what med change / what meds are you on that got you where you are. I know we are all different but that's wonderful news

Gbclimb wrote:Up down around. I'm so happy for you. Just curious what med change / what meds are you on that got you where you are. I know we are all different but that's wonderful news

I am on lamictal, which I think is the key, straterra for focus and low dose saphris for sleep.

But I finally crashed last Friday and I am still in a funk. This one has come with headaches, increased hyperacusis and crying (tearing up and having a couple roll down my cheeks every now and then, not bawling), I am not sure how long it will last, but I want my manic mojo back. I did not descend to the darkest place (at least not yet) but it seems really bad largely because of the disappointment and the tears (I usually don't get that unless I am more depressed). The headaches don't help much either. I am at a point in my job where most of what I do is working alone, which is a mixed blessing. I don't need to prop up the facade as much but it is when I am alone with my thoughts that they turn on me.

That little personal status report is actually relevant to this topic. I have not been stable in about 25 years. I am either up or down. I see far less harm in feeling like I did last week than feeling like I do this week. I am pretty certain this is harder on me physiologically.

I have have been formally diagnosed with BP 2 for nearly 12 months and I am only now just understanding is that the 'good' parts of mania (I.e the love of life, the exhuberance etc) is what I have always thought was 'normal'.

That it was normal to clean your house at 3am some mornings, and other mornings be so HEAVY that you can't even get out of bed to *mod edit*.

Looking back, I think I've been bipolar for a really long time and have just remained diagnosed as 'depressed' - because, honestly, I thought the manic was something to aspire to. And it is, kind of. But the payoff is depression and I'm starting to understand that.

I guess, what I'm saying, is that people WANT the mania over the depression- because with mania, at least with mine, I still want to live while I'm manic and I don't feel nearly so heavy. The money spending, the nutty behaviour; it has taken a long time to understand this payoff and start to prioritise my health.

David1999 wrote:It's not. It's worse than mania in some ways because people can do things and it looks like they're being an a***hole but actually, they're very ill. At least with mania, people recognise that you're ill and won't hold the things you do against you. I've lost so many friends and ruined so many relationships during hypomania. I've also absolutely destroyed my reputation at school, more so than when I was manic, thanks to the awful things I've said and done during hypomanic episodes.
Why are people so naive as to think that hypomania is harmless?
I'd MUCH rather have a full-blown manic episode than a hypomanic one, in terms of damage caused.

This is not the case for me, at all. For me, my bipolar 1 fully blown manic episodes have had disastrous consequences. Fortunately, I haven't had one in a few years. Spent $60,000 on very odd stuff and in huge quantities. 60K is a lot of money to spend and no returns allowed.

I also shoplift impulsively when manic, wtf? That is so unlike me. And I have the money. I just ... have stolen things like lipstick at a drugstore. I risk getting arrested, charged and convicted of theft over a $5 item. Goes against my moral code to steal. This only happens during mania.

I drive like I'm in a NASCAR race...it feels like it, too. Yet, I'm a very safe driver otherwise. Ever even had a ticket. *knocks on wood*

When I landed in the hospital for ten days after the above, I supposedly stabilized. I calmed down...until day 11. I was transferred to mental health residential for three months - I had a BLAST. I was totally manic - I'd rapid-cycled back into fully blown mania. I literally couldn't even physically sit still in my daily private therapy sessions. Nice therapist---but I was so manic, therapy wasn't possible for part of my stay.

I felt like the place was an adult romper room and the world was my personal playground. I literally thought that. This was a place for seriously mentally ill people that needed long-term care. I hate the hospital and any form of it. My bipolar friend visited me there and said she knew I was manic. She asked me how I was doing. I said, "I'm having a great time."

To save my face, I'll stop there. My marriage was very strained from those months. Oh....I forgot something. I also have psychosis that develops during my mania. It's terrible and scary.

My hypomania? My partner and I are more intimate. My agoraphobia temporarily takes a hiatus and I can go on a date with him. I engage in discussion in a lively way, but not extreme. I'm an introvert, a private person, too. I'm an extrovert when I'm hypomanic. Mania? I'm a loose cannon.

Bipolar sucks! *group hug because I'm hypomanic right now, lol*

^ Ha! I felt the same way when I was in the hospital with mania. I thought it was great. I had so much fun and was talking to everybody. I was very expressive in groups. All the other times I went to the hospital was for depression or a med change, and I hated it. I don't talk to anyone and spend all of the "free time" in my room and try to avoid as many groups as possible.

Hi,
I just thought I'd share an outsider's opinion; I am not bipolar, but I shared an apartment in college with someone who had BP 2. When she was hypomanic she was happy, more outgoing, had more energy, and in what seemed the best part to me was she was WAY more productive. Myself, as someone who is dx'ed with depression and almost always experiencing depressive symptoms, I looked at her and sometimes wished I had BP II so that I could experience hypomania and not always have to see life just from the negative side. Granted she did get the depressive episodes in between the hypomanic ones, but at least she would get a break from the lows. Also she was never promiscuous or had problems managing money so to me it just didn't seem to affect her negatively.

**In the interest of full disclosure she was good about taking her meds, keeping a regular sleep schedule (as much as you can in college) and exercised almost daily which likely all helped to moderate her highs/lows.

-S

Shattered Mind wrote:Hi,
I just thought I'd share an outsider's opinion; I am not bipolar, but I shared an apartment in college with someone who had BP 2. When she was hypomanic she was happy, more outgoing, had more energy, and in what seemed the best part to me was she was WAY more productive. Myself, as someone who is dx'ed with depression and almost always experiencing depressive symptoms, I looked at her and sometimes wished I had BP II so that I could experience hypomania and not always have to see life just from the negative side. Granted she did get the depressive episodes in between the hypomanic ones, but at least she would get a break from the lows. Also she was never promiscuous or had problems managing money so to me it just didn't seem to affect her negatively.

**In the interest of full disclosure she was good about taking her meds, keeping a regular sleep schedule (as much as you can in college) and exercised almost daily which likely all helped to moderate her highs/lows.

-S

I'm sure the meds and sleep schedule help. Bipolar II as I understand it doesn't go into full blown mania. I think that is where the risk tends to be. I have bipolar I, and if I'm a bit hypo, I have to watch myself so as I don't go "too far." I don't always go too far and slide into mania, but it's a warning sign that though everything is enjoyable for the moment I still need to do my best to stay grounded. The second I get too into how nice it is, next thing I know I've already done something I'll regret later.

Yeah, hypomania is a very diluted form of mania, thus not as reckless and requires no hospitalization and no psychotic features. I have a BPII friend who is fully able to function while hypomanic, as where I, having BPI, do very destructive things and compromise my job(s). Although it feels nice, my actions are far from nice. For a long time, I wanted to get manic and tried to trigger it (which didn't work). But now that I have reflected on my actions, it's something I don't want.

for me hypomania seems to be very destructive. my most recent episode which lasted about 3 months got so bad I was partying, spending all my money, having a ton of wild sex, sleeping less, racing thoughts.

i was able to make it to work... but all i could do was pace around the outside of the building. for three days. and kick things. i felt like i was going to explode inside.

I wasn't hospitalized so I guess then, by text book definition, it was "only" hypomania. It doesn't matter that it nearly destroyed my life and that I'm still paying for it.

Son wrote:for me hypomania seems to be very destructive. my most recent episode which lasted about 3 months got so bad I was partying, spending all my money, having a ton of wild sex, sleeping less, racing thoughts.

i was able to make it to work... but all i could do was pace around the outside of the building. for three days. and kick things. i felt like i was going to explode inside.

I wasn't hospitalized so I guess then, by text book definition, it was "only" hypomania. It doesn't matter that it nearly destroyed my life and that I'm still paying for it.

Um that sounds more like full on mania to me...

Hypo is elation and hyperactivity, whereas mania is is generally when the person does more irresponsible things like you mentioned. I've never been hospitalized. I don't believe you need to be for it to constitute as mania.