I find it interesting that on this board people talk about hypomania all the time. I think people often confuse hypomania with mania, especially if you're going by the strict definitions.

Per Wikipedia:

Mania:
Mania is a state of abnormally elevated arousal, affect, and energy level, or "a state of heightened overall activation with enhanced affective expression together with lability of affect.

The symptoms of mania are the following: heightened mood (either euphoric or irritable); flight of ideas and pressure of speech; and increased energy, decreased need for sleep, and hyperactivity

Hypomania:
Hypomania (literally "under mania" or "less than mania") is a mood state characterized by persistent disinhibition and pervasive elevated (euphoric) with or without irritable mood but generally less severe than full mania.

I think a lot of what people on here discuss as being hypo is actually more symptomatic of mania. Granted, there is a fine line between the two, but my psychiatrist hardly ever talks about hypomania. He wants to know if I'm depressed or showing manic symptoms.

Anyway, I guess this post is merely a PSA. It would be interesting to hear what you think, though. Do you feel there is any confusion between the two?

I'd say a decent amount of what I see people describing as hypo would more appropriately described as manic. For me, it feels somewhat "safer" to describe how I'm feeling as hypo, but when I get right down to it I experience manic symptoms more often than hypo.

One thing I'm really glad about is that my manic symptoms seem to be under much better control by the use of meds. Unfortunately, that allows more of what I experience to be depressive symptoms. Does anyone else feel their doctor's are more interested in controlling mania vs. depression? I know my wife would rather have my baseline in the depressive side instead of in the manic side. She says that when I'm depressed I just don't do anything, but if I'm manic that she never knows what's going to happen.

I'll have to agree that I get into more trouble when I'm manic vs. depressed, but I do wish my doctor would help tweak my meds so I'm not always below the line and mildly depressed. My previous psychiatrist also expressed that he would rather have me on the depressive side vs the manic side. It does drive me nuts sometimes though, when I want to "feel better" and get told that I'm being kept on the down side intentionally.

I guess I don't really know where I'm going with this post, it's more stream of consciousness than anything else. In the end however, I am curious about these two things - 1) like the title alludes, do you think some things in this board are better described as manic vs. hypo, and 2) do you feel your doctor and support team would prefer to keep you on the "down" side of the spectrum?

Glad to hear anyone's thoughts on these two items.