Now I think about it, I think I had a period of hypomania a few years ago for less than a year, in a way. I probably didn't think about it as such because it turned into a mild mixed state, mild depression and eventually a manic period. That caused depression and eventually a longer, more severe period of mania.

But still it was different because while I slept 4–5 hours a night and I could sleep, I had these very short intense manic mood changes a few times during the day, ecstatic, delusional and everything manic, forced. It felt more like a mixed state. That's not the hypomania I'm talking about.

The difference, to me, is that between being able to and being (or feeling one is) forced to do things that are challenging, interesting or (emotionally) rewarding. Freedom or pressure. Being able to do more or less.

So I might move down a gear after a long, severe period of mania and gear up after a mild depression, so to speak. But not entirely.