what does being manic feel like to you?

adrenaline rush or too much albuterol?

anika explained it pretty good, No need for food, extreem energy, no need to sleep, thoughts racing so fast you can't keep up, speech is sped up very fast and you can't seem to shut up, Spending lots of money, rapid heart rate, inflated self esteem or grandiosity, sexual indiscretions or foolish business investments. Hope this helped. <----example

I am talkative. I code-switch between Czech and English, without even realizing it. I am thoughtful... well, I am always but in manicky states it is like a very dada stream of conscious... I raid Oriflame store. I look up tickets to various places (never bought one so far. I am too restrained). No need to sleep too much. I argue with dead political theorists when studying... In classes I present my existentialist stances (which I normally try to downplay because the profs don't appreciate "economy tells us nothing of human nature or the world" and "nations are BUNK, it's all social construct and I see no reason why to adhere to that").

I sometimes talk to strangers.

I have dreams of becoming this world known human rights activist.

and i feel alive. I feel the world turning. I feel wind in my hair and it makes me thankful for every moment, bad and good.

I zone out, astral project even. My thoughts are sometimes too fast and too absurd. I feel like my whole body was full of electrical current and touching metal would create sparkles. I sometimes halucinated midly... object are distorted and moving, I see shadows and flashes of light or color.

Hypo-mania feels great. Feel creative, funny, intelligent, strong/energetic, lose weight, everything is faster- speech, thought, work ability, ect. but controlled somewhat. Usually I start shopping also.

However, if it escalates to true mania, then I'm done for.... thoughts become disorganized and confused, I'm irritable and agitated, this past episode I couldn't function and couldn't go to work, cry/anxiety attacks and possible hospitalization.

I think for me it's a combination of effects similar to the descriptions of others, although my delusions and psychosis are milder, and have, in the past taken on several "formats".
I am a physician, and basically all my waking life is dedicated to academic pursuits, therefore when my hypomania starts it usually does so with unbridled creativity and cognition. My memory improves, I'm the center of attention of conversations, I'm better at problem solving and pattern recognition. It feels like my IQ actually goes up.
But it doesn't stay that way.
Hypomania de-volves into mania. With delusional thinking that I see a hidden order and conspiracy in the world around me, with believing I'm the most intelligent being on the planet, racing thoughts, smoking pot (I don't have access to other more destructive drugs), and very hypersexual with risk taking behaviors that would end my marriage should my wife find out.

So far I've kept it together with my meds, but occasionally I hit a bump in the road that throws me into a depression or hypomania/mania and it's all I can do to keep the boat from sinking. I have a lot to lose if it does and my pdoc warns me of that b/c insight is the first thing to go with an acute state.
In my past I've been psychotic, thought satan and God were trying to recruit me for agent/double agent status to work in heaven and hell, but I remained high functioning so I wasn't institutionalized. That was my early 20's, although my first major depression landed me in one twice when I was in my mid teens.

I'm basically together, and ticking as best as a clock with a faulty mainspring can be expected to.

Abilify 10
Lamictal 100 BID
Lithium 1200
wellbutrin 300
prozac 20
Propranolol 160SR
primadone 50

I just joined this forum due to my skepticism regarding a BP diagnosis (or, many) but the more I read the more familiar it all feels. If am indeed bipolar, this is what it feels like for me:

Caffeinated euphoria - filled with excitement, confidence, love - brain is on speed - in awe of the world (and myself...) - feel significant affinity with, for example, an author (like we have a 'special connection' when I read) - often tearful; tears of being overwhelmed by beauty/poignancy all around - very irritable and agitated at the same time; can't stand people getting in my way, talking too slowly, disturbing my plans - I become very inflexible because of this and will fly off the handle if I can't have my time/space - desire to connect with others, resulting often in making contact with previous lovers, family members, and even famous people I don't know...I still sleep but need much less and often wake up with anxious butterflies in my stomach...I've also noticed that during these times I get a very sore jaw/teeth from clenching them all day/night (as if on a ton of cocaine) - drink more booze and more coffee - feel sexually adventurous (which usually becomes temporary 'bi-curiosity' - resulting last time in group sex I would otherwise never have had) - eventually the thought-train is moving too fast, everything feels awful and uncomfortable and overwhelming...now is when I either calm down or completely crash in a heap next the even bigger heap of "amazing genius ideas" I've spent the last days obsessively working on or compiling.

I will also do impulsive things like buy a plane ticket (even though I'm way too afraid to fly...) or a cheap used car, a motorcycle off ebay, or a musical instrument etc. etc. When I was a teenager I would concoct elaborate money-making and escapist schemes too (well, not elaborate at all in retrospect!) such as selling drugs, becoming a sexy decoy/private detective (I actually advertized this online once), a stripper (it all seems like a totally different person!)...the list goes on in like fashion.

Mania for me (I think anyways) is extreme aggitation & aggression. A lot of times idk why I even feel that way or its triggered by something stupid. I feel like I hate everything. Its so frustrating!

And then sometimes I feel fantastic, I'm extremely happy & get very talkative & talk fast & jump from subject to subject, or even get off topic somehow (I kinda feel like that happens all the time though). I'm not sure if that's mania or me being in a good mood (which happens few & far between) combined with caffeine

I hope this helped...

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When I was manic I felt like i was on top of the world, I could do anything..I was so happy and smart and nothing could stop me....wasnt so fun after the cop car ride to the mental facility and they had to give me shots in the butt to calm me down...it stopped being fun then! ive only been manic twice and both times were sorta different..

I get hypomania apparently, and because my schizophrenia makes it hard to focus most of the time, the hypomania makes me HYPERFOCUS on details and completing things. I don't really get the "distractibility" thing, but I do feel like I want to do a lot of things at once. I just balance them. I get talkative and silly. I once was assigned a 2 page history report and presentation, which became a 21 page report and a presentation which included custom shirts and a rendition of the Haitian national anthem. Good times.

I get extreme attention to detail and am able to complete elaborate projects. I taught myself German over the summer-- from knowing literally a couple words to speaking well enough that I won a national German competition and a free trip to Germany. OVER THE SUMMER. I also went from being an F student in biology to tying for first place in a biology competition against some very good schools. That took maybe a month or two?

I make elaborate pieces of art or costumes (interestingly enough, I am also creative when I'm depressed, but in a different way.) I spend way more money than is reasonable on my projects.

I buy stupid things that I don't need. I spent a couple hundred dollars on a yukata (a casual kimono), a Mexican puebla dress, etc. and almost bought 2 saris and some hijabs, but my mom talked me out of it...

Oh, and I always have good self-esteem (even when depressed, I feel like more misunderstood than worthless) but when I'm hypomanic I become narcissistic. I am better than everyone else, they are little ants and I can do what I want with them. Very cocky. Very show-offy. Smug.

I stay up much later than I should even though I have to get up early. And after taking a shower and getting through the morning haze, I feel fine and ready to stay up late all over again. I've only stayed up the whole night on a few occasions.

Along with the hyperfocusing, I once got extremely sensitive to sensory input and had some synesthesia (mixed senses). That was really cool.