[redbandit]

I don't think I've ever been actually manic, although a couple of times when on the wrong meds, I've had some psychotic moments. I usually get hypomanic a few times a year, and it normally lasts about a week. It's like the best feeling ever, until I get sick of feeling so good. But it's amazing how much stuff I can get done! I've actually been waiting for the mood to strike, because I love cleaning when I'm hypomanic.
What I'm confused about, is why it's "dangerous"? I can see being completely manic, or psychotic. But for me, I'm much more a danger to myself when I'm depressed. If I'm feeling great, I don't want to mess with that!
Just wondered if I'm missing something, because I see a lot on here about it being dangerous.
thx

[Twigs92]

Originally Posted by redbandit

I don't think I've ever been actually manic, although a couple of times when on the wrong meds, I've had some psychotic moments. I usually get hypomanic a few times a year, and it normally lasts about a week. It's like the best feeling ever, until I get sick of feeling so good. But it's amazing how much stuff I can get done! I've actually been waiting for the mood to strike, because I love cleaning when I'm hypomanic.
What I'm confused about, is why it's "dangerous"? I can see being completely manic, or psychotic. But for me, I'm much more a danger to myself when I'm depressed. If I'm feeling great, I don't want to mess with that!
Just wondered if I'm missing something, because I see a lot on here about it being dangerous.
thx

Though the depression is horrendous, and the happy side of hypomania is fantastic, for me anyway, it can be bad in numerous ways. I also get dysphoric hypomania where I could really easily cause myself serious harm and I have the will to do it as I'm not too depressed to move. I can get psychotic and not realise it, half the time I don't notice that I'm barely sleeping etc I just know I have to keep going and physically have to keep going even though I'm exhausted. Even when the hypominia is good I can believe I can fly etc. (resulting in me almost jumping off a bridge), although normally I'm just in a really good mood, and or psychotic.
That said depression is awful too, the not being able to do anything, being on the verge of tears, the lack of energy. I tend to bounce between frantic hysteria (interally at least) and like a complete zombie.

Personally I prefer hypomania as I get to do stuff, however the risk factors of it can make it pretty awful as well.

[sui generis]

I don't think hypomania is considered worse than depression. But yeah it can have it's negative points. I can get quite irritable and angry when hypomanic and also act really silly so afterwards I feel really embarrassed at my behaviour. Also I tend to spend loads of money on things I don't need. But it also feels good too sometimes. I get lots done, I get loads of ideas, my self esteem is high, I'm very confident and chatty. I never really experience the decreased sleep though... I guess because I'm almost chronically tired all the time anyway haha.

[Trippin2.0]

As far as I know its not. Not at all.

If my memory serves me right the DSM actually mentions that hypomania doesn't affect daily life in a detrimental fashion...

Its mania that has an acute effect on functioning, mania that comes with delusions and or psychosis, and gets lots of people into troubling and or dangerous situations.

Whereas hypomania, at its worst is probably more like an annoying aggravated itch you just can't even scratch. Sure you may spend too much, or all of your money, you may have sex with someone who you didn't find attractive yesterday, or didn't know yesterday? and your concentration span may be non-existant, and it can definitly drive us nuts.

Buuut... there's no fear of losing touch with reality. You can put safe guards up against hypo, whereas mania in all its glory will not be prevented, and only stopped if you're lucky enough to come across a poacher who mistakes you for a rhino and knocks you out for a few days with his tranq darts.

And even then, tranq don't bring everyone back to Earth like magic either... Sometimes it works, sometimes you just have to wait it out.

IMO, I think people warn against hypo because for some of us, yes it can and does get dysphoric, but mostly its the crash into the abyss that worries people the most.

[Lobster Hands]

I don't think it feels worse than depression. But, it can be bad in its own way. For example , today I wanted to do the monkeybars under a bridge that crossed a river about ten stories below. I want to do it but I have to convince myself not to. I think this is the still being in control part of hypomania. The point is, your thoughts can be darn persuasive, and that can be dangerous. It's the euphoria feeling that comes in and makes you feel invincible that I think is the problem.

[Nightside of Eden]

My hypomanias aren't bad at all. I just get very creative. I've never done anything dangerous. I get no specific treatment for them either; the treatments I've taken are for the depression, anxiety, and mixed episodes, all of which are vastly unpleasant. Unfortunately the drugs that prevent mixed episodes and anxiety tend to prevent hypomania as well.

[BipolaRNurse]

I love my hypomania, and if it stopped there, life would be a dream (sha-boom, sha-boom ). Unfortunately, hypomania usually progresses to full-on mania, and that's when all hell breaks loose. My family and my pdoc all agree that mania is much worse for me than the depression (which is what I hate most) so I get medicated more aggressively for the mania.

Hypomania doesn't feel worse than depression to me. The problem with h-m is that the ecstasy feeling often develops into irritability, then self-righteous anger, and even into rage. I end up being inappropriately angry (enraged) at people. That was typical hypomania for me when I was younger. Now, in my 50's, the h-m tends to be "negative"...skip the ecstasy part - I feel agitated, extremely anxious, on edge...and the mixed states are worse. Eventually it all crashes down into a horrible, frightening anxious depression.

[outlaw sammy]

HYPOMANIA IS A TYPE A PERSONALITY'S DREAM COME TRUE. It's like a turbocharged engine compared to the standard stock variety. I agree with BPNurse - it's a highly desirable state of mind.

[Theseus]

My (hypo)mania is other people's "normal". That is, I get energized to do things, I get things done, I love life and people (really sickening, huh? ). The downside is that I tend to run off at the mouth. I'm not dxed, but I may have Asperger's. Sometimes when I'm energized, my actions are best described as this:

Abnormalities include verbosity, abrupt transitions, literal interpretations and miscomprehension of nuance, use of metaphor meaningful only to the speaker, auditory perception deficits, unusually pedantic, formal or idiosyncratic speech, and oddities in loudness, pitch, intonation, prosody, and rhythm. Asperger syndrome - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Then I think that the things I've just said make me look like a total idiot, I feel embarrassed, and I take a nosedive.

[4andone]

My depression can be pretty bad.My hypomania is great, get lots of things done,people are happy that I am moving around.The bad part happens next if I go manic.I take bad risks,do bad things,spend lots of money,go from happy to angry in a moments time.I become a full blown a.....Manic is not good,can wind up in jail or worst,been there done that,not good at all

[liamellie]

Hi red bandit, it is dangerous because you tend to act on impulse & not think about consequences..no matter what you have in your mind, it will seem a great fantastic idea "at the time" 8/10 times it will be Something totally off the wall..but when your on a high "manic break"you don't see or regard the danger or the consequences.. "That is from my experience" different people react different ways, it's so unpredictable nobody actually knows until it's to mate..hope that helps :-)

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[liamellie]

Late sorry not mate

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[Curiosity77]

For me hypomania can feel great, but I tend to do things that have terrible consequences when I'm like that because I don't think clearly, and I take risks and do anything that feels good. I am still dealing with some really bad repercussions from my last hypomania, and it was a long time ago. Plus for me, there is usually at least some element of mixed and/or high anxiety. So even though I feel elated, there is always an evil feeling lying just beneath the surface. My most self destructive moments have been during hypomania turned mixed... really poor judgement. But I do miss it. I miss the euphoria and the feeling that anything is possible. I hope to feel that again someday, but right now it's killed by meds. I wish there was a way to feel it without all the drawbacks.

[Marshellette]

Heightened excitation, bodily activity, not giving yourself the chance to rest while not being fully manic. Dangerous because you have the energy to carry out suicide in, a mixed state of mania and depression.

[almondjoy]

Originally Posted by sui generis

I don't think hypomania is considered worse than depression. But yeah it can have it's negative points. I can get quite irritable and angry when hypomanic and also act really silly so afterwards I feel really embarrassed at my behaviour. Also I tend to spend loads of money on things I don't need. But it also feels good too sometimes. I get lots done, I get loads of ideas, my self esteem is high, I'm very confident and chatty. I never really experience the decreased sleep though... I guess because I'm almost chronically tired all the time anyway haha.

sui generis, I am the same. I just wrote my first post (waiting for a moderator to approve it) looking to see if other people deal with irritability/anger during hypomania, and it has really helped realising that I'm not the only one! I have the good-feeling hypomania, but moreso irritable/angry, which I think would be another answer to this question - when I'm irritable/angry, I can do some craaazy things..... I used to experience the decreased sleep, but now I'm chronically tired all the time too, haha.

[redbandit]

wow, thanks for all the replies! I'm just really missing the hypomania right now, but wonder, maybe I'm actually better? It's really hard to know what a "normal" mood is lol

[Sad&Bipolar]

redbandit, for me hypomania is dangerous when I am in a mixed state - depressed and manic at the same time. If I have si thoughts at this time, I have the energy to make an attempt. It has happened in the past. So I have to really work hard on controlling my behavior.

I agree that feeling good and energized during hypomanic phases is definitely welcome. It is a relief to have some reprieve from depression.

[redbandit]

[quote=Trippin2.0;3734205
IMO, I think people warn against hypo because for some of us, yes it can and does get dysphoric, but mostly its the crash into the abyss that worries people the most.[/quote]

You may be right, I know that's the worst part for me! And the crash is inevitable

[4andone]

I love hypermania.Depression sucks and so does my full blown mania.When I am manic do stupid things,unmentionable things,sometimes end up in jail.If I stay in hypermania everything would be fine!

[liamellie]

Manic behaviour has just split me and my fiancé up. I can't take it anymore. She's put of control to the point she don't care about herself let alone me. It's killing me to do this but I had to tell her it's over today. I love her & always will, but she isn't the girl I fell in love with anymore.

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[BlackSheep79]

I deal with the manic stage more often than depression. I just came out of a manic stage that lasted for 4 months. I personally hate being in a manic stage. I feel like it is worse than my depressive states that only last 2-3 days about every other month. I get irritable really quick, can't sleep, can't concentrate, jump from subject to subject without anyone having a clue, and restlessness. The worst part, and this is the only way I can describe it is I feel like electricity is running thru my body, I hate that feeling. Back to your question though, I don't understand why mania is worse than depression because in both states you can be suicidal and make terrible choices. I'm confused as well.

[outlaw sammy]

Originally Posted by BlackSheep79

I deal with the manic stage more often than depression. I just came out of a manic stage that lasted for 4 months. I personally hate being in a manic stage. I feel like it is worse than my depressive states that only last 2-3 days about every other month. I get irritable really quick, can't sleep, can't concentrate, jump from subject to subject without anyone having a clue, and restlessness. The worst part, and this is the only way I can describe it is I feel like electricity is running thru my body, I hate that feeling. Back to your question though, I don't understand why mania is worse than depression because in both states you can be suicidal and make terrible choices. I'm confused as well.

Strange - I never felt suicidal in a manic, mixed, or manic-psychotic state of mind. In fact, when I once suffered from an elevated state of manic-psychosis with sporatic halucinations, I actually became homocidal (towards sexual predators). Whereas my depressions are life threatening.

[MagicsMom]

I spent most of my life in a hypomanic state with depression occasionally mixed in - I was a super successful Type A personality and it worked to my advantage (except for excessive spending). Then when I crashed into the blackest depression of my life - taking my life became all I thought about. Now my hypomania is mostly extreme irritation to rage, the racing thoughts and other pieces are mostly controlled by medication. The mixed state is bad for me as well especially because in hypo or mixed I rapid cycle.

I'd rather be in a depressed state which I am now but fear that the black depression will come back. Hopefully my meds keep that at bay.