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tmg4me
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Default Feb 07, 2019 at 07:40 PM
  #1
Hi everyone,

I'm newly diagnosed with BP II and I guess I'm not really sure when I know that I'm hypomanic. I know the mania in BP 2 isn't as intense as BP 1.

When I'm happy and in a good mood and want to accomplish things and make some risky decision and feel confident about myself, is that the hypomania that I'm experiencing? I thought that's what we want to feel in life. Don't we want to feel happy, confident and get things accomplished during the day. To me being hypomanic doesn't seem too bad of a thing. It's the major depression that affects me negatively.

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Default Feb 07, 2019 at 07:51 PM
  #2
I agree. Being hypomanic doesn't seem too bad of a thing. Some things, however, can lead to embarrassment. I know from experience.

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Default Feb 07, 2019 at 09:42 PM
  #3
I get beautiful euphoric hypomanias. I enjoy them. It's like i get all my good feelings at once and then all the bad when i'm depressed. I can feel that people find me charming when hypomanic. I know this because of stuff like a man i was interested in didn't accept my Facebook friend request for ages until we'd talked and had a good time when i was hypomanic and then he accepted it right away.

I have such a sense of MOMENTUM like i am really powering thru life and it doesn't bother me if things are not perfect. I really love life when i'm hypomanic which is such a foreign concept to the depressed me cause then i hate life.

There's been some negative stuff to do with spending tho. Once i bought a brand new car tho i hate driving and had to return it once i came back down to earth and pay a hefty penalty. Also i planned a massive and foolish renovation of my condo but fortunately it took so long to arrange the financing that i had come down to earth by then and cancelled it.

Sometimes i get unrealistic thoughts like i thought i would get everyone in my condo building to take the bus and then we could use the parking garage for a skating rink, bowling alley, etc. Luckily i abandoned the idea before i discussed it with anyone.


But in general my hypomanias are quite fun and it gives me the courage to do stuff i wouldn't consider when depressed, like in my most recent episode when i went away for a weekend to a Scrabble tournament and had the time of my life and made so many memories to treasure.

I do find switching from high to low mood is quite unpleasant tho. It's because when i'm hypomanic i think that i'm finally well and will feel terrific to the end of my days. But then after ten weeks or so it starts unraveling and i'm crushed to realize that it was just temporary once again and that i'll be stuck down a dark hole for a while yet again. Switching usually takes about a week. Once i'm fully switched over to depression it's easier, it's just changing gears that is so hard.

I almost always get hypomanic in the early Spring so it's not long off now. I'm looking forward to it! I'm getting some signs even now that it's been warming up for a week like the fact that i am getting a big bang from writing this post!
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Default Feb 08, 2019 at 12:32 AM
  #4
Being happy and confident and productive is great! Even taking risks is not a bad thing. There is a limit though. I do get full mania and that is a nasty state for me but when I am hypomanic it is really nice at first.

It is almost always euphoric hypomania. Super productive and life is so beautiful. I dont have an issue at the beginning. For me that phase ends quickly though and I go into only caring about myself and feeling pleasure. I ignore my responsibilities, get angry at my family, barely sleep or eat and exercise far too much. Libido goes sky high, I go out in the middle of the night and walk around for hours, in the winter this is bad because I will realize how far I went once I am frozen and have to walk a long way home still. Then I start to see myself as evil. After that I will either crash if Im lucky or head into mania.

What basis did they diagnose you on? I would never have thought I was bipolar a few years ago but looking back I can see a few big projects I took on but werent realistic, periods of getting a lot done though I wouldnt say I was euphoric back then. In that time the only reason I would have wanted to stop hypomania would be to avoid the deep depression afterwards and the only reason I started seeing Drs about it was because I thought I had just depression.

If you look at what the Drs are diagnosing you on and what you see as changes from your "regular" self you will eventually see a pattern. Its taken me 2years of intense episodes to see mine and Im still unsure if I could catch on early enough to stop it before I lose reality so it might take time to figure out. After that you just have to ask yourself what you want most. If you want to be free from depression you will most likely have to give up hypomania as well.

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Default Feb 08, 2019 at 02:22 AM
  #5
There are levels of hypomania. From what you have described you are on a lower level, which is great because you will most likely have fun, accomplish more than usual, be more sociable and not do yourself or others harm. The only downside is the depression that follows, and even with a mild hypomania the depression can get real bad and last a long time if untreated.

On the other hand hypomanic can become more destructive; you become very irritable which leads to arguments, road rage, recklessness etc; you can overspend in sometimes grand ways and place yourself in huge debt; you talk so fast others cannot understand you and/or cannot stand being in your presence; you become grandiose as you head into mania and begin to think you are indestructible, invincible and even a special person. This of course leads to many problems.

I am sure I have missed things but after that list you tend to be heading into mania and need immediate intervention. One error a lot of people make is that hypomania is harmless. Getting yourself in massive debt, losing friends, possibly getting a police record for drugs etc can be lasting and damaging. So the best thing to do is that when you feel even mildly hypomanic put into place a plan to do your best to prevent it from escalating. If you don't have a plan ask you psychiatrist or therapist. This has saved many times.

Again, even mild hypomania can lead to crippling depression so try to get on top of it ASAP.

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Default Feb 08, 2019 at 05:49 AM
  #6
These are great responses everyone. I do notice that when I'm hypomanic I like to gamble alot and spend money. I'm also very sociable and very personable to everyone i see. I also start making irrational plans that I know I won't or can't carry out. Recently I told my cousin I was moving from Florida to Colorado to live with her and she got excited and after I went out there to talk about I went into a tailspin of anxiety and came home and fell into such a deep depression it was really bad. My Doctor recently changed my medication and I'm starting to get out of the depression but those are the things I do when I'm hypomanic. During my hypomanic I feel so good I want to do so many things and I have these great ideas that I start but never accomplish because I crash into a depression. It's a horrible way to live life.
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Default Feb 08, 2019 at 07:10 AM
  #7
I'm so sorry, tmg4me It must be very hard for you. Please don't give up. I think it's great that you're taking risks and making plans, but try to be careful. Risk is fine if it's in moderation. I'd suggest to ask a friend, a family member or someone you trust to check out on you once in a while. But from what you wrote, you should be fine. Enjoy those moments of happiness when they come. Hopefully those meds will help you to make you feel more stable. Feel free to PM me anytime. Let me know if I can do something to help you. Wish you good luck! Let us know how it goes. Sending many hugs to you
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Default Feb 08, 2019 at 07:48 PM
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“ I do find switching from high to low mood is quite unpleasant tho. It's because when i'm hypomanic i think that i'm finally well and will feel terrific to the end of my days. But then after ten weeks or so it starts unraveling and i'm crushed to realize that it was just temporary once again and that i'll be stuck down a dark hole for a while yet again. Switching usually takes about a week. Once i'm fully switched over to depression it's easier, it's just changing gears that is so hard.”

Thats EXACTLY how feel each time
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Default Feb 08, 2019 at 08:01 PM
  #9
Quote:
Originally Posted by jaysmotogp View Post
“ I do find switching from high to low mood is quite unpleasant tho. It's because when i'm hypomanic i think that i'm finally well and will feel terrific to the end of my days. But then after ten weeks or so it starts unraveling and i'm crushed to realize that it was just temporary once again and that i'll be stuck down a dark hole for a while yet again. Switching usually takes about a week. Once i'm fully switched over to depression it's easier, it's just changing gears that is so hard.”

Thats EXACTLY how feel each time

what is awful is I can go through those moods in one day. It's horrible. I can feel good part of the day then slip into depression later on in the day. I never know what each day will bring
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