Back Mania and Hypomania
What are mania and hypomania?
Mania and hypomania are periods where a person feels elated, very active, and full of energy. Hypomania is a milder form of mania.
Mania and hypomania both involve periods when the individual feels excited or experiences an energized mood. They differ in how severe these mood changes are:
Bipolar disorder is a mental health disorder where a person experiences changes in their mood, energy, activity levels, and thought patterns.
People who have bipolar I disorder experience mania, while people with bipolar II disorder will experience hypomania.
Symptoms of mania
Mania goes beyond normal mood and energy changes. The symptoms of mania are so intense that they can affect a person’s relationships, job, or well-being.
Having mania does not always mean that the person feels happy. While mania can cause a feeling of euphoria, it can also cause extreme irritability.
Symptoms of mania can include:
Symptoms of hypomania
Hypomania is a milder form of mania. People who have bipolar 2 disorder have hypomania. If a full manic episode occurs, a diagnosis of bipolar 1 is usually more appropriate.
Symptoms of hypomania can include:
Contact therapists & counselors now.
Source: Bipolar disorder, https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/bipolar-disorder/index.shtml. 2016; Bostock, E. C. S., et al., Comparison of precipitating factors for mania and partial seizures: Indicative of shared pathophysiology?. 2015; Debadatta, M., et al., Acute onset mania with cycling between excitement and stupor. 2016; Fletcher, K., et al., High-risk behaviour in hypomanic states. 2013; Fountoulakis, K. N., Bipolar disorder: An evidence-based guide to manic depression. 2015; Proudfoot, J., et al., Triggers of mania and depression in young adults with bipolar disorder. 2012; Rolls, E. T., A non-reward attractor theory of depression. 2016
Mania and hypomania are periods where a person feels elated, very active, and full of energy. Hypomania is a milder form of mania.
Mania and hypomania both involve periods when the individual feels excited or experiences an energized mood. They differ in how severe these mood changes are:
- Mania is a severe episode that may last for a week or more. A person may feel uncontrollably elated and very high in energy. These symptoms interfere with daily life, and in severe cases, a person may need to go to the hospital.
- Hypomania is an episode that lasts for a few days. People may feel very good and function well. Family or friends may notice mood or activity changes, while the person with the hypomania may not.
Bipolar disorder is a mental health disorder where a person experiences changes in their mood, energy, activity levels, and thought patterns.
People who have bipolar I disorder experience mania, while people with bipolar II disorder will experience hypomania.
Symptoms of mania
Mania goes beyond normal mood and energy changes. The symptoms of mania are so intense that they can affect a person’s relationships, job, or well-being.
Having mania does not always mean that the person feels happy. While mania can cause a feeling of euphoria, it can also cause extreme irritability.
Symptoms of mania can include:
- uncontrollable excitement
- feeling very happy or elated
- feeling irritable or very agitated
- high energy levels that the person finds hard to control
- high activity levels, such as excessive running, fidgeting, or moving around
- difficulty paying attention or focusing
- unrealistic and very high self-esteem, feeling overconfident
- a lack of social inhibitions
- racing thoughts
- less need for sleep or not sleeping at all
- taking risks or reckless activities
- thoughts of suicide or self-harm
- hallucinations, or seeing or hearing things that are not there
- grandiose delusions, or believing that they are invincible, very powerful, or famous
Symptoms of hypomania
Hypomania is a milder form of mania. People who have bipolar 2 disorder have hypomania. If a full manic episode occurs, a diagnosis of bipolar 1 is usually more appropriate.
Symptoms of hypomania can include:
- having a higher, happier mood than usual
- higher irritability or rude behavior
- feeling overconfident
- higher activity or energy levels than usual without a clear cause
- a powerful feeling of physical and mental wellbeing
- being much more social and talkative than usual
- having a stronger desire for sex than usual
- feeling the need to sleep less than usual
Contact therapists & counselors now.
Source: Bipolar disorder, https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/bipolar-disorder/index.shtml. 2016; Bostock, E. C. S., et al., Comparison of precipitating factors for mania and partial seizures: Indicative of shared pathophysiology?. 2015; Debadatta, M., et al., Acute onset mania with cycling between excitement and stupor. 2016; Fletcher, K., et al., High-risk behaviour in hypomanic states. 2013; Fountoulakis, K. N., Bipolar disorder: An evidence-based guide to manic depression. 2015; Proudfoot, J., et al., Triggers of mania and depression in young adults with bipolar disorder. 2012; Rolls, E. T., A non-reward attractor theory of depression. 2016
