Welcome to PsychCentral, Traveler. I'm bipolar II and know I'm tipping over into hypomania when I get really irritable really fast over pretty much anything. Road rage starts pretty much when I get to the car: I will have forgotten to bring something and I have to go back for it, or my neighbor stops me and wants me to do something--grr!!

Then I get on the road and of course there are only bad drivers out today except for me. Every traffic signal is set wrong. I could improve traffic flow 100%! Hypomania gives me greater insight and knowledge, and I'm more willing to get out there--get involved. Yes, I might even call the City Manager about delaying the red light at that intersection. I don't, but I think about it.

When I get to work I'm more sociable with my coworkers. More talkative. I work in a library and have lots of public contact, and when I'm hypomanic I'm inclined to think I know things--don't really need to look it up. I do, because I know now it's the hypomania that's so smart and not me .

I'm an alcoholic, and if I was still drinking I would probably be drinking more in hypomania. Some people's sex drive will go up. Others have so much an increase of energy that they don't/can't sleep--often for days on end. You hear of artists like this, but it's more common in bipolar I & full mania. I don't experience those.

I went offline and replied to your initial post so this doesn't fully answer, but VM or PM me if you have any specific questions, Traveler. Take care.