I'm on the fence as to whether they are true hypomanias, but I sure feel high while it's happening and I'm not nor ever have been a drug user, so not sure that a better description for them exists.

My hypomanic episodes feel pretty great for the most part because I otherwise have excessive daytime sleepiness. It's the only time I ever wake up alert. I feel a constant warm "hum" of energy on my skin, and if I touch my skin with my hand it's very tingly. I sometimes feel mildly dissociated but nothing that impairs me.

I think I have had one manic episode. It was before I saw a psychiatrist but not long before. I didn't realize what it was at the time; nor did my Primary care doctor, because I have a lot of internalized symptoms but not so much "behavioral stuff" as a result. It was scary and longer lasting than my hypomanias. It lasted a week, I was having trouble falling alseep which I rarely do. I would bolt up awake out of a dead sleep at around three or four in the morning. I'd be raring to go, my heart racing. I was having panic attacks during these episodes. I was essentially in constant adrenaline overdrive for a week.... I was getting chest pains even from the panic attacks. We thought that they were panic attacks but again looking back there was a high energy nervousness for that entire week between the panic attacks

I haven't had too many bizarre behaviors during my episodes, though I had some pretty strange thoughts/desires. my sex drive is higher, but I've never looked for, or even considered, looking for partners other than my husband. But I'm very seductive with him during these times. Not a bad thing at all. I punched the fridge once when I was frustrated during a hypomanic episode which hurt especially because it was my bad wrist. but I didn't break it or anything. I WANTED to speed like crazy. I love the idea of just flooring the gas pedal. but I was fortunately able to maintain a state of mind where I put the car on cruise control to decrease the temptation. I recently have developed a passion for painting and drawing, and when I am in an episode I can sit down and paint all night or nearly all night long. that has caused some discord with my husband and I in particular because I've not been keeping up on housework, not arriving at work on time, etc.