I know my baseline well, as I only get episodes about every 2 years. It helps me to recognize as soon as I'm heading in the wrong direction, mostly starting with not being able to sleep, despite my medication.

When at baseline, I'm basically content with my life, even if it may seem relatively boring to others (when I used to get hypomanic with more frequency, life was anything but boring!). I'm hopeful about my present and future. I have good, positive relationships with co-workers, family and friends, entirely free of paranoia.

At baseline, I need klonopin to help me sleep, but it works, unlike when I'm not at baseline. However, it means that I need a LOT of sleep in order to function optimally, so I go to bed very early.

At baseline, I can suffer from a lot of anxiety, however my therapist has given me very good tools for my toolbox and it, generally, though occasionally, does not get overwhelming.

Because of euphoric hypomania having taken the ugly turn to mania in the past, I really appreciate my baseline even if it may seem, as I mentioned before, boring to some. When I was young, before I was diagnosed and put on medication, I cycled more rapidly and my life was chaotic. I now appreciate the peace.