Bipolar Mania

Bipolar mania is defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders as a "distinct period of unusual and persistent elevated, expansive or irritable mood that lasts at least one week, requires hospitalization, or results in psychosis." Not all people diagnosed with bipolar disorder experience bipolar mania. In fact, only people with Bipolar I experience full-blown mania–people with bipolar II experience a less intense, but still dangerous, form of mania called hypomania.

Criteria for bipolar mania

Inflated self-esteem or grandiosity

Decreased need for sleep (for example, feeling rested after just a few hours’ sleep)

More talkative or sociable than usual, or pressure to keep talking

Flight of ideas or the feeling that thoughts are racing

Easily distracted by unimportant or irrelevant things

Increase in activity levels, either goal-directed (such as taking on new projects or socializing more) or a restless busyness

Plunging into reckless activities like buying sprees, promiscuity or high-risk business deals

Bipolar hypomanic episode

Several elements must be present to diagnose a manic episode. First, there must be a distinct period during which there are marked changes in mood—abnormally elevated (on top of the world), expansive (flamboyant, filters off), or irritable—and goal-directed activity or energy level. Next, the uncharacteristic behavior or mood must last at least a week, or require hospitalization. Third, there must be at least three other symptoms (or four if the abnormal mood is irritability) from the following checklist:Furthermore, symptoms must significantly affect the ability to manage at work or school, pursue usual social activities, or maintain relationships.If manic symptoms last at least four days but less than a week, the episode is deemed hypomanic. Symptoms don’t interfere too much with work, relationships and usual pursuits—in fact, hypomania often brings a sense of feeling energized and able to accomplish more—but changes in sleep and behavior mark a distinct departure from the norm and are noticeable to others. Judgment may be shaky. Hypomania is often a border state leading into or out of mania, and sometimes alternates with depression. For some people, hypomania can induce irritability and agitation (dysphoria) rather than a productive high (euphoria). Here is more information about the signs and symptoms of bipolar mania and bipolar hypomania: