Question for those with bipolar 1

For bipolar 1 folks....is there a point where you notice you've gone from hypomania to full-blown mania? Any signs or behaviors you pick up on?

For me, I can usually tell when I'm hypomanic and it's manageable (for me).

Fully-blown mania....I've had five major episodes in my life, often lasting several months. On a surface level, I think I realize my mood is heightening past hypomania...but I lose insight and judgment, big time.

What are your experiences like. Fully blown mania is bad news for me but I'm on top of the world for awhile and then it's no bueno and I'm clueless.

I wish I could tell.you, but by the point I go from hypomanic to manic , I lose insight...

I lose insight as well, so it's hard to say. One thing I know, though, is that suspiciousness turns into full-blown paranoia. Also, I'm so agitated that I feel like bugs are crawling around inside of me and sounds are extremely amplified (as is light) which makes me very jumpy and irritable. Thoughts become jumbled and I obsess over those thoughts. From there it goes downhill and I have less and less awareness of what's going on with me.

I know I'm what is considered manic when I begin to lose lots of sleep. It's just not normal for me to not sleep and be so energetic. Plus, I know there is a chance I'm not thinking straight since my past episodes were similar delusional thinking. But all the evidence and puzzle pieces add up to make me think "this time I'm seeing the real truth". I guess my insight is limited and good at the same time. I know when others might judge me as manic, whether or not I believe they are right can be tricky. Like I will trust my husband when he says "you are manic" one second, and the next he becomes "one of them, or a robot who is collecting data on me to send to a secret organization which is stalking me". Then it will ease up and I will accept what he says a little, only for the cycle to repeat until I'm confused and in tears or hiding in fear of everyone and everything.

I trust no one including myself if I have a sense, awareness, of self. I believe my body will fail me and that others fail me or it's no use talking, listening, interacting, because I'm aware of everything (anyway). People would only distract me.

But the self-transcending, completely selfless mania, appearing completely self-absorbed, eventually transforming into the fearing of losing oneself, body and mind, is the only full, pure mania.

I usually get myself into trouble, like buying 2 cars in 3 weeks. or 350 bottles of nail polish. full blown psychosis is terrible and and I can't get out of it with out much effort. Hubby has called the cops on me one time/first time.
I was catatonic once that was awful. Paranoia is rampant, white cars good red cars bad....I am not able to recognize full blown psychosis while in it. hubby helps to a point...when I am really bad. last time was when I was put on trazadone and signs were jumping out at me while driving. I knew something was off but waited three weeks to take myself off of it. I wish I had more energy/motivation like others. My house needs a really really good cleaning!
bizi

There is little left to say. I've never being to any hospital, but i should have been.
For instance, I was sure I was going to sell GM, Ford, Chrysler and Toyota billions of dollars in lithium ion batteries. I ended up taking lithium instead of selling it.

Yeah, I start hallucinating. I mostly hear voices talking to me, but sometimes I have visual hallucinations. That's usually the turning point for me, as hypomania does not have psychosis

When I cross over into manic territory, I lose pretty much all insight and become irritable and hostile. I also have auditory hallucinations and become paranoid or have religious delusions. Manic blackouts are common and I end up remembering only parts of the episode. By contrast, hypomania is fun and I'm dancing on the moon. I think all who have euphoric hypomania wish we could stay in that state forever.

When I'm full blown manic, I can't sleep or think straight. The thoughts race so much that I can't seem to keep up. Also, they tend to become confusing and negative in content, often leading to paranoia. I have some strange ideas when manic. I start feeling "disconnected" from everyone since they can't keep up with me or understand me during mania. Sometimes this leads to fights with family members, and I have bad judgment, but there's no reasoning with me during mania. Sometimes during mania, I become preoccupied with a certain goal, where it becomes extreme....but I become too "all over the place" to accomplish it. Then, I crash.