LOL - buying for other people does count! When I'm manic, most of the crazy stuff I buy is for other people (a dozen emergency blankets that everyone needs, one year it was cell phone boosters that everyone "had to have"). It all just seems like a really good idea at the time - how can these people live without this stuff?

But mania is more than just buying sprees for me. The world seems full of potential and everything is possible. Everything is terribly interesting to me and I have loads of "brilliant" ideas that must be acted on immediately - until the next brilliant idea comes up a few minutes later. I start project after project and volunteer for everything under the sun. I can always tell when I'm getting manic because I start cleaning and organizing my house like crazy. Everything must be put in order, immediately. I'm normally a very introverted person, but when I'm manic I talk to people - a lot. I call everyone I know.

Before the mania gets out of control, it's great. I can focus really well and all my senses are heightened. Everything seems to make sense and I feel like I understand things immediately. I do some of my best work right before things get bad.

I have unlimited energy and I don't sleep more than an hour or two a night - but I'm never tired and have no interest in sleeping. Sleeping pills have virtually no effect. Interestingly, I also have insomnia when I'm depressed, but it's infuriating then because I'm so tired and want desparately to sleep.

When I'm having a mixed episode (which I only recently learned to identify), I'm just as wired but it takes the form more of restlessness. I get bored, but instead of moving from great idea to great idea, I don't know what to do with myself. I get extremely irritable. The world seems to be filled with stupid people whose only purpose is to get in my way.

I say and do stupid things that make me really embarrassed after the fact. I've said before on these forums, that there should be a bipolar med that renders you mute as soon as you get manic. One that disconnects your phone and email and keeps you from sticking your foot in your mouth. I snap at everyone. I feel miserable, but with enough restlessness to be really aware of it and do stupid things to try and get it to go away. I usually end up self-medicating with alcohol or anything else that happens to be around.

Didn't mean to ramble on for so long, but that's my take on how mania and mixed episodes feel for me. It's different for everyone, of course. I think the real indicator for each individual is anything that steps outside of what "normal" feelings and behaviors are for you personally.

Getting a proper dx can take a long time. Finding something to keep you regulated can take even longer, but in the end, it's worth it. It helps to have good docs who can help you track things and figure out what's going on. Of course, if you're irritable, they will probably all seem like flakes anyway. Good luck....