Usually my full-blown manias gradually build up from hypomania. My typical first signs of hypomania are usually subtle, such as getting louder, maybe motormouth, a bit of impulsivity/disinhibition, and also increase in projects and general physical speed. For me, any grandiosity builds from there. Irritability is also common for me, and I can fly off the handle in a millisecond.

The line between severe hypomania and full-blown mania is often hazy, for me. Certainly once I develop psychotic symptoms the line has surely been crossed. Even without psychosis, once I become "scary" to people or notably dangerous to myself (which could mean a lot of things), I've probably already made the leap.