The differences are several fold; for one thing, mania can be drive and motivation, but it gets out of control. You get too driven, like a type A personality run amok. You aren't always rational about the need to do something NOW and finish it, (with no real deadlines, just this internal urge). You do things that are harmful in your urges, like spending too much money because you have got to have this (insert expensive item here), even tho it isn't truly needed. A lot of people with mania have spending spree issues. Many of us are on disability and will still spend like crazy when manic or hypo-manic, leaving ourselves with no money to pay bills or buy necessities. No rational person would spend grocery money on a new DVD set, but I'll be my West Wing collection I'm not the only one to have survived the last few days of the month on peanut butter and jelly, or macaroni and cheese, because I did just that.

Mania is also shown as an anger or rage problem, an over reaction to a situation, irritability, frustration, and other negative emotions in the extreme. Extreme being the key word. We all have those times when we get ticked off at someone and blow up at them. But a manic will go way over board and instead of just getting annoyed and snapping at someone, they will scream, yell, and put their fist thru the wall. (I'm giving you the high end of the spectrum, so that you can see the severe differences).

You worry about being BP, as your sibling is. It's a possibility, but unless others you can trust are telling you your behavior or emotions are going overboard, you're moving too fast, you need to calm down, or you're obsessed, or spending money for no reason, and telling you on a regular basis, you probably don't qualify as a serious manic.

Then, too, there is the flip side of mania. Are you going from feeling really good to feeling really depressed? Crying a lot? Do you hide in bed, stay home and avoid social situations you would ordinarily attend? Are you dropping from highs to lows for reasons you can't explain? Self-harming or becoming suicidal during your lows? Losing your energy to do just about anything, or feeling like you have fallen into a black hole and just can't see a way out? Neglecting to take care of yourself?

Everyone lives on a line with highs and lows. No one is in the exact same mood all the time. We have ups and downs, and that's a part of being normal. But with bipolar, the highs and lows are extreme. They can be long periods of lows or highs, or they can be rapid changes, high today, deep depression tomorrow.

Now, if all of this is sounding just like you, or you see these high/low patterns in the history of your life, then you do need to see a professional. An evaluation wouldn't hurt and might give you more answers than we can give you here. If this isn't sounding much like your life or history, and you are just worried that because your sibling is, you are too, you can relax. BP can run in families, but it can also be an isolated case of one sibling has it and another doesn't.

Take care.