Why can we tell

when others are hypo/manic but not when we're?

Maybe because when we're hypo/manic we're entirely in our own heads and our own worlds and when we're not we can see from the outside in. I also think people here truly care and because of this are on the lookout for symptoms of others to make sure they're alright, to make suggestions, etc.

Agreed with Gaby.

I can never tell. When I took Lexapro for the first time, it made me manic. I thought I was a race car driver, and I was going over 100 mph on the highway to "pass the other race cars". lol. I'm surprised I didn't get myself killed... but at the time, I thought it was normal.

I can tell when I'm hypo or manic. My doctor said I have good insight. I feel like I'm pumped up with drugs. It's kinda hard to miss. But just because I'm hypo, doesn't mean I want help or see a need for it. I always feel like I have it under control "this time" and that family and doctors are making mountains out of molehills. I think quicker, I'm smarter than ever and everyone, I make excellent plans that could save humanity from destroying itself. Then things turn and I become aware I need help. Everything turns wrong, ugly, scary. I wish I didn't enjoy being hypo so much, but the reduction in my chronic pain alone is enough to entice me to ride the wave, even though I don't know how to surf. It's all very complicated.

if you're familiar with it its easy to see in others, but when its happening to us insight is one of the first things to go, so we're not aware.

Because this time's different. We could not do the things we do, but we choose to. Not all those other times. But this is different. This is a true revelation.

I have no idea. I only know I'm manic on the days that my brain is filled with head noise. Otherwise, I am just a creative, smart, quick-witted, superhero.

I can usually tell when I'm hypo, but not always. Sometimes I'll feel perfectly fine, but I'll see it in the things I'm doing. I'll be like nope, I'm not manic, but I just cleaned the garage for the third time and tore all the books off the bookshelf and put them back in order of color. Then tore them off again at 3am and reorganized them by size. That sort of thing. Other times I can definitely feel it.

I usually can tell when I'm hypo, because I am hyper-aware of my symptoms. I'm working on trying to let go of controlling my mood swings. I usually fight them really hard because I crave stability and I don't feel right when I'm not. :-/

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I can always tell when I am hypo and " most " of the time when I fall into Mania as mine is almost always a ugly angry mess . I have great self awareness.. Its not 100% ... but I haven't been blindsided in a long time "knocking on all kinds of wood "

I think just waking up and doing a quick 2 minute self check is a very good indicator on how your feeling and is sleep in a okay zone etc

I've never been manic but I can tell when I'm hypo. I'm incredibly self-aware in general though...