I am bipolar 2. Your assumption that hypomania cannot cause serious problems is just not true. I get in a lot more trouble in a hypomanic state, because of course with depression I don’t do much. In hypomania I have distorted judgement . you mentioned starting a knitting shop. If you can harness that energy and actually do a business plan including the COSTS for a knitting shop, fine. It takes a year to get most businesses going. But what would you do when you get depressive and lose your energy level? You have to factor that in. I’m just using this as as an example. When I get hypomanic,I have no filter and sayastonishngly wrong things to people and offtend them. That is why I like to work behind the scenes.I overshare and tell too much about myself in the wrong contexts.
Your brother sounds amazing. Loving family is so important . Obviously he loves you very much, but ask him to read this.