Mania vs. Hypomania question

Avatar for tallyn75
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Registered: 06-22-2003
Mania vs. Hypomania question
5
Fri, 05-04-2007 - 1:48pm

Can anyone tell me at what point hypomania becomes mania? How do you know when you're full-blown manic? Do you have to have hallucinations? How does mania manifest itself differently than hypomania?

Sorry for all the questions, it's just that ever since the doctor changed my diagnosis from II to I, I've been a bit worried.

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Registered: 04-07-2002
Fri, 05-04-2007 - 2:40pm

IMHO, hypomania becomes mania when your brain is racing so much that you can no longer function, you can no longer keep up with your thoughts. In my experience, this would probably happen before the hallucinations set in.

Express!
Beth "Petrouchka" (who is also BP I, but who has not had a major manic episode in a long time.)

Avatar for kdvaleski
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Registered: 04-10-2004
Fri, 05-04-2007 - 3:19pm

The line between hypomania and mania is pretty fuzzy. But by definition, psychotic symptoms are not present in hypomania. If you have any of those it's either mania or depression with psychotic features.

Kristen

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Registered: 09-01-2004
Sat, 05-05-2007 - 2:43pm

Definitely a fuzzy line, different for everybody and I'm not sure even the "experts" agree.


For me, hypomania tends to be more benign--even though my concentration levels are sometimes affected I can still get stuff accomplished, especially stuff I tend to put off, like housecleaning.


Mania is either all out horrid-mind completely racing, jumping out of my own skin, can't sleep although I'm desperately tired or the "lighter" side of it, where I go on lovely spending sprees that are quite enjoyable during, but inevitably disastrous because of what it does to my finances.


I'm in one of my "researchy" moods, maybe later I'll do some digging to see if I can find the "official" difference.


Hugs,




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Registered: 05-06-2007
Sun, 05-06-2007 - 4:01pm

For me when I'm in hypomania, everthing is going my way. I'm happy but not over-the-top happy. Nobody notices my hypomania, because they assume that's just me being normal (since usually I'm stuck in depression)

When I slip into mania is when the credit card comes out and I start spending like there's no tomorrow! I feel unbelievably good at that point. At one time in the middle of mania I was convinced that God was talking to me. So yeah I guess that's a form of hallucination.

Then, towards the end of Mania, if I haven't done anything to treat it, I get angry and confrontational toward others. I'm like a mean drunk except I don't drink. I swear a lot and I don't smile. Basically I'm no fun to be around. Slowly I slip back into another round of depression.

Dunno if this helps any.

By the way I'm a 2 but I'm a rapid cycler, so what I just described all happens in the span of a week or less lol.

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-18-2003
Tue, 05-08-2007 - 11:22am

I'm afraid I can't help you much on this one. I think one of the core differences is that you have more manic/hypomanic episodes than you do depressive ones. At least that's what I've been told by the "professionals." But even they can be proven wrong. The line, as been stated before, is definitely a fuzzy one. I haven't had a full blown manic episode in years and it's hard for me to remember what it was like. But one of the symptoms I recall vivdly is that I couldn't be still. I was always pacing or my legs would constantly "bounce" if I was forced to sit down like in high school where you are confined to a desk. Even my tdoc noticed when I had my last episode that I couldn't keep my legs still. I haven't gone on many major shopping sprees in about 4 years. But the last one I went on was a doozy! I bought a camper, a jeep, a new computer, new furniture for my basement, and loads of other stuff. My saving grace was my father's inheritance. It made it possible to buy all these things and not go into debt over them. But I think that was my last full blown manic state. Even now, when I'm hypomanic I can tell when I'm on the verge of becoming full blown manic. It's when I notice that I can't sit still and feel like I'm coming out of skin. That's when I call the pdoc.


I hope this helps somewhat. I know it's not much, but it's all I've got at the moment. Hopefully Marci was able to find some more info for you.


Hugs,
Traci