Hypomanic Hannah: What Does Hypomania Feel Like?

A major part of living with bipolar 2 disorder is hypomania. Hypomania is a mild form of mania.

It has always been difficult for me to make the distinction between my natural energetic personality and a hypomanic episode. I have learned that there are 3 signs that signify when I am entering into a hypomanic episode.

1. The Lack of Sleep
2. The Paranoia
3. The Unfiltered Attitude Goes from Cool to Me Needing a Muzzle

I describe each of these in the video so you can understand what hypomania feels like to me.

How do you know when you are entering into a hypomanic episode? Please leave your comments below.
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MORE ON HYPOMANIA

[emmasigersen]

The hardest thing about bipolar (in my opinion) is finding out who YOU are. I really can't answer that question anymore. I've spent so much time being depressed and when I thought I got better, I got hypomanic.

When I am hypomanic, I can't see it. Afterwards it's preeetty clear, that I wasn't "myself" - not sleeping, talking (also to myself) so loud, feeling like I was THE BEST at anything, doing weird stuff, drinking, flirting, being irritated, restless and sometimes hallucinating.. But when I'm it in, I'd hate people for telling me, that I was too "high".

About finding yourself..
I got this paper from my therapist with topics like "appetite" "humor" activities" "thoughts about yourself" "-about others" and so on, where I should answer how I am when I'm hypomanic, depressed and just me. That made me think a lot. It's freaking hard to write anything about "me", but it's quite helpfull! :)

Hugs

[jackn]

Hi Hannah. I just got diagnosed with bipolar last week. I'm 34 and for the first time in my life I feel like my life makes sense. Watching your videos has helped me made up my mind about medication, routine and exercise. I can relate to just about everything you talked about so far. Please keep posting.

[Tena]

I have BP2 and for me, my hypomania takes place in the form of aggression- the irritability, the fussing, the rage even sometimes hitting family members. I also have the grandiose ideas, unrealistic projects and so forth. But my biggest struggle is my irritability (I NEED TO GET THIS UNDER CONTROL!)

[bend-k]

thanks dude. I'm in medical school, and it's helpful to have videos of people describing these things in lay-terms. Reading the medical terminology is pretty limiting.

[MarloesvandenBosch]

With me it is the opposite, I find it hard to tell when I am slipping into a depression. I am naturally quite a shy and not really social person.

[jessicamb]

This is so crazy how you described your hypomania—it’s me TO A T

[Ufosdahoes]

You just described me! I am bipolar stage 2. Its a rollercoaster 😔

[chaeeprice]

For me I can’t sleep and I start to pace back and forward with ideas in my head. After that I start having psychosis and I’m usually hospitalized.

[daniellezito]

Hi Hannah, I think that this is a very relatable description of hypomania. Sometimes it's very difficult to differentiate hypomania from something like excitement or an outgoing personality trait. That goes for both the person suffering as well as providers. I think it's a great suggestion for people to keep a log.

[paulflint]

I just usually feel extremely happy to the extent of delusions. I have had mania at it's highest. It's certainly a trip, i hated when it stopped.

[simplyfarmgirl]

This is me to a T!! I also have to use a sleep log. Usually one night of poor sleep is a tell tale sign, and not tired tossing & turning, but laying there wide awake!! I would add rapid, non stop speech to my list too!! ❤

[AdnanSayeed]

I got my diagnosis less than a month ago. Well, actually, I haven't received my final diagnosis yet. It's still unclear whether I'm type I or II bipolar. Like you, I'm normally talkative, energetic, out-going etc etc and I hadn't even realised that I've gone through hypomanic or manic episodes. In hindsight, it's easy to see that I made poor choices, set unrealistic goals, had grandiose ideas, took foolish risks and so on.
Realising that I'm bipolar has been a real eye-opener for and I'm still in the process of learning what the disease means in my case.
But, I can fully relate to everything you said on this video, Hannah. Thanks for uploading it.

[lolalives]

Hi Hannah.. wow!! finally an answer to why I cant stop my brain from analyzing so much that it affects my emotional, and especially my spiritual health. My mouth gets me in trouble more than i can count. Bible studies are a nogo for me. I open my big mouth and start questioning and arguing with both the pastor and members. Thankyou, its so nice not to be alone. p.s. I swear like a sailor when stressed. cant control the mouth😕

[kellydaley]

Nail on the head if I was bipolar, I sleep very well, I also have a desire to make the most of my day. I do feel this “high of energy” to get things done which I have always had. To the point it gets me in trouble, or is it really trouble? I like to push myself towards the good aspects of my life, and this does have me needing little sleep.
Bipolar is common in my family, after learning more about it, I feel I understand myself a little better, which helps me in ways I did not realize before. This first time diagnosis of bipolar in my family has brought me closure from a very long time question.
I don't know if I am bipolar, but I sure know what to look for, and I have to say I consider myself as high energy, deep thinker, over analyze things, and paranoid of what people may think.
I can sure feel what hypomania would be like, with no depression, that has been my life until the point of diagnosis in my family. Then it just all made sense to me.
Hannah gives people great information through her video blog and has given me inspiration through her information for me to improve my situation.
And no... I'm not trying, to be romantic! - This would be an appropriate thing to say about hypomania vs mania.
With no panic, comes a profound, huge gigantic, amount of non panic, to realize it, and bring it down to the ground, would be next to yourself, with panic, so let's all panic, I wish I was hypomanic, cause you'll never stop manic.
I lost two people in my family to bipolar, I believe they were in a state of full mania at the time.
Love what you do
Supporting you
Kelly

[byebyeforever]

thank you for sharing 🤍 awesome to meet others like myself

[ltaya]

My warning sign is less and broken sleep and thoughts racing and feeling like i can't relax feeling like the energizer bunny basically

[Jeremiah.C.J]

0:10 - Hypomania
0:35 - Lack of sleep
1:00 - Paranoia
1:28 - Unfiltered Ness. Saying everything that comes to her mind.

[FleurDeCersier]

I always thought I "just" had depression but as of recently I've been questioning that because I had this really weird episode and I can't tell if I was hypomanic or just really happy. I was sleeping but just not very well and not as much as usual. Usually I sleep around 7-8 hours but this time I slept only around 5 hours for around three weeks and everytime I woke up I felt this euphoric rush going through my body and I immediately felt "wired" despite the fact that I wasn't getting enough sleep. Usually, I can do only 5 hours of sleep for a day or two but after a few days I get incredibly tired. This time I was not tired at all. On top of that I felt extremely overly confident, starting conversation with literally everyone (usually not my character) because I was so sire of myself.
Could that be hypomania?

[joananunez]

It took me 8 years to find the right diagnosis from depresión to bipolar II, bc I never really pay attentions to my hypomanias. For me are periods when I don’t feel the need of rest, made a lot of plans, flirting more, talking too fast and too much even with my self and feeling euphoric. Also having the need to expend money

[Lady_Katie]

Psychomotor agitation, irritability, and lack of sleep are the most uncomfortable part of mania for me.