Good questions. My new pdoc thinks I have been (mildly) hypomanic for months. I don't agree. I've been ALIVE, for g'd''s sake. My music playing and performing have been spectacular. I told him I absolutely will not tolerate any med that takes this away. I'm hoping to get back to my music today -- anyway I am playing with a friend this afternoon, and that will be good. As for hypnotic: I'm glad you introduced that word. What is hypnotic for me is another form of hypomania. I feel I MUST FINISH AND ACCOMPLISH SOLUTIONS to problems. Mainly if some dumb electronic glitch happens. I force, force, force a solution, even if (to anyone else, I guess) the solution must be postponed or never solved. Example: Last night I was trying to watch a DVD. I've lost some hearing, and could not hear the dialogue. I tried to get the subtitles. The "Subtitles" button my DVD remote did not work. I tried "Settings/Subtitles" and that didn't work either. On several occasions for 2 days I tried to get the subtitles, calling Netflix (DVD dept closed early and closed on Sundays, which enraged me), and then the 24/7 number of the DVD player maker. Finally, this wonderful customer svc woman actually KNEW WHAT WAS WRONG!!!!! She said that some DVDs do not have subtitle capability, which is why on some DVDs the Subtitle button works, and on others, it doesn't. I am so grateful to her because then I could stop being angry about it and realize that I just had to not watch that particular DVD. (I am trying to get it free on the computer, through, but probably it would be hard to hear there, too, even if it is available. YouTube has withdrawn many or maybe all full lenghth movies.) Anyway, thanks for this thread idea. Hope you figure out what works for you about the hypnotic effect of hypom.