I have dysphoric mania, also. I also have the paranoia problem. It's horrible.

What I find is that I think I'm totally fine and rational. But, then when it's over I can turn around and see the path of distruction in my wake. Like a tornado. It depends on the episode. Some are more distructive than others.

I've been tracking my moods and triggers. Trying to figure out when I'm more manic and when I'm less manic. It's hard for me since I'm mixed so much and cycle very fast.

Things I'm learning to watch out for is if I'm getting annoyed and irritable, that's a sign I'm heading toward and explosion.

If I'm thinking people are out to get me, that's a sign to stop and reality check.

If I'm feeling powerful, that's a sign.

Learning to stop and reality check and all of that is not very easy. I'm still learning it myself. Blueianna taught me this method I think it's called A B C something something... I can't remember exactly but it is helpful.

Anyway, first you identify your trigger which is A for activating event.

Then B is the part where you stop, and consider the event and if you may be overreacting or being illogical (paranoid.) Like for part B I have questions set up that I ask myself. Such as "is there any proof?" and "I've thought this before, and it was a false beliefe. Why would it be different this time?"

Then C is for "change your behavior/reaction." So, one thing in this area I worked really hard on changing, and it's working. I had to change my reaction/behavior of having a panic attack whenever my husband would hang out with a particular friend. I had to really work on this to realize that, even if I don't like this friend, it isn't my place to choose my husband's friends. And, it's okay for him to hang out with this person, and that this friend (who is a male by the way,) is not a threat to me or him or our marriage or our children. (My paranoia for this person was going in all directions.) Instead of it triggering a panic attack and then a full blown explosive episode, I now am actually quite calm and relaxed 90% of the time when I know they are hanging out. I still get twinges of paranoia and anxiety, but it is so much better than it was even six months ago.

So, uhm... Blueianna does a better job explaining it than me, but that's basicall how it works.