Mania for me was when I stopped sleeping, had grandiose beliefs about myself (thought I had special spiritual knowledge) and others (thought someone was in love with me), started contacting people I barely knew and telling them inappropriate things, and eventually hallucinations and delusions. That's when I was put in the hospital for two weeks. Twice. I had episodes of depression for many years but it was only when I found out what mania was that I realized I was bipolar. By that time I was already on an anti-psychotic with an anti-depressant and my Dr said the medications I was on (that were working well) could be used for bipolar disorder. I had been diagnosed in the hospital with major depressive disorder with psychotic symptoms, but they didn't know about the mania then.