[Samanthagreene]

So bipolar is mood swings from mania (or hypomania) to depression but depression can also be its own separate diagnosis. Can just mania be its own mental illness? Does that exist?
-Sam

[tealBumblebee]

I tried to find some research for this but couldn't find anything! I was originally diagnosed manic/depressive (as a tween) but as an adult it read MDD, and hypomania. I've read that you can not be bipolar and have MDD but the term bipolar was never used with me, only hypomanic. Also, my hypomanic episodes aren't followed by depression, and my depression isn't lifted with hypomania. So... I really have no clue the mechanics of it all but it's a really good question!

[Sometimes psychotic]

http://www.cqaimh.org/pdf/tool_assist_bdcdc.pdf

It's still called bipolar even if you just have mania...mania is actually the key diagnostic feature of bipolar....

[Samanthagreene]

Thanks! This is all really helpful!

[Restin]

I went through a stage of severe mania as my unconscious problems about child abuse were coming to the surface. I got manic to keep running ahead of my problems and not have a chance to think or feel about them. I stayed up for 72 hours sometimes, would keep going until I couldn't put one foot in front of the other. I was silly as a fool at work. Blood pressure was high from being hyper 24-7. Was lso was cruel to my own health...cut my hair one time like a whack job... Didn't drink water. Manic phase is so hard on the body. But I didn't go into depression.

I started taking Lithium and that settled my mind enough to start thinking my way through the abuse reactions and such. I've only had mania very mildly in 15 yrs now, but haven't been on Lithium all that time.

I agree with above post, that it's called Bi-Polar as a category, but can be either way, or both. Probably should be called uni-polar when it's just mania, but I don't make the rules.

[Perna]

Good answer by a psychiatrist from 5-6 years ago: Bipolar Disorder Q&A: Can someone have bipolar without depression? | Bipolar Beat