[monochromatic]

I've been feeling so awful for as long as I can remember. Depression, mixed state, resurfacing for maybe a few hours to a day and then sinking back down again. It's been months.

Yesterday and today I am feeling better. Comparatively, I'm feeling great. Just being released from depression's hold is such a relief. But I can't tell if I'm feeling normal-good, or hypo-good. I'm so early into my diagnosis, I still can't tell.

How can you tell if you're feeling hypo, or if you're just feeling happy because you're not depressed anymore? Also, does it matter? If I am starting to get hypo, do i need to do anything to keep it from getting too bad so that I don't crash so hard this time? Or do I just need to enjoy it, relax, and not worry about defining it?

I don't want to overthink things, but I don't want to be careless if this is something that I need to reign in?

[cocoabeans]

Sometimes when I start to feel too good and it's really an undeniable jittery euphoria, I lock myself up in bed and rest. It's annoying as hell but never turns out badly. Except I get crumbs in the bed and those make me itchy.

Really though, unless it is uncomfortable or some other person who is trustworthy comments or you piss off your boss, it isn't to worry about. It's the crash not the euphoria you fear right?

[BladeBiersack]

You just described exactly how I felt earlier and I ended up crashing hard...Lying on my bedroom floor, bawling my eyes out and almost had a panic attack...

-Blade Biersack

[medicalfox]

You could be entering remission (becoming stable). You can start a mood chart so if you notice any negative changes you could possibly prevent from escalating it by addressing it to your pdoc.

[BlueInanna]

I wonder too when I start feeling good. I got pretty mad at pdoc other day she said something and I said so I'm not allowed to be happy ever?! She said, No you can be happy just not too happy, like if you start having several boyfriends again, we might want to look at adjusting meds. Lol... Ok she's right. I don't want to make those mistakes again.
So I say enjoy for now. And no it doesnt matter why you feel hPpy right now. You really could just be levelling out from the depression.
Maybe don't do like me and skip appointment & dump meds cuz you feel so good, if it gets to the point where you're doing some of the hypo/manic risky behaviors. It is so hard to stop it once it feels so great, after all the depression & torturous sorrow. Just watch for the signs if it gets too good.

[Phoenix_1]

In 2009 and early 2010 I was extremely depressed. I had just left my abusive husband and was trying to get over it.
In May 2010 I got a very good job. It was a temp job for 6 months. The manager and supervisor were very pleased with my work, and told me so, and I became very happy. It was so great to be around positive happy people.
One Friday afternoon the executive director showed up looking for the manager. She'd left early to go for a massage. I made a joke about how she left because she knew he was coming. As soon as the words were out of my mouth I felt awful. I was afraid I'd be fired. This was the big boss I was talking to and I was a temp.
I went to see my T and told her I was too happy. I was very worried that I was in trouble at work for being too happy - perhaps I was even hypo. I told her what happened and she laughed and said it was good to see me happy. She wasn't worried at all. And nothing did happen at work. So I learned that I can be very happy without being hypo.

[middlepath]

I still wonder where the line is, so i have come up with a short list of "warning signs". My list is 1)obsessive new hobby, 2)feeling reaaaaallly chatty, 3)wanting to shop without paying attention to how much disposable income i have, 4) wanting to drink more.

When more than one of these signs show up, I try to forget about and put aside my new "hobby", I eat healthier foods, and (most importantly), I force myself into bed by 10pm and don't get out of bed until at least 6am, even if I have to take a PRN med to make it happen. I continue that pattern until the chattiness, obsession, spendiness and drinking desires subside and then I know I am clear to resume regular life activities without ampping up my hypo into something bigger.

[monochromatic]

This helps a lot. I like the idea of warning signs, and think mine might be the same as you, middle path.

cocoa, yes, it's the crash I'm afraid of. My hypo doesn't really get me into trouble, but I know the higher I fly the harder I fall.

And I like the idea of tracking also. Thank you all for your suggestions, nice to know I'm not the only one who has trouble identifying.

Unfortunately, I'm right back down again today. So either I'm still cycling (I'm ultraradian at the moment) or still in a mixed state. Sigh, I thought I was done with this. Remission sounds like a dream.