Hypomania and Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar Disorder, also known as Manic Depressive Illness, involves different mood swings. These mood swings do not last just a day. Some of them can last for weeks and months. Unlike normal mood swings that most of us go through, Bipolar mood swings are much more intense and at times can be great cause for concern.

These mood swings can disrupt the lives of the bipolar person and family or friends around them. They can affect energy levels, normal functioning, judgment, behavior and everyday activity levels. A bipolar person may go on a spending spree, quit a job on the spur of a moment, feel energized after just a few hours sleep, or not be able to get out of bed for days.

This disease effects three out of 100 adults everyday. The exact cause has not been pinpointed, but researchers are certain that it could be hereditary. It seems that if one person in a family has it, several others have had or do have it also.

Hypomania is a mood swing where the person has a persistent and elevated mood. It could be an irritated mood, or it could be a flood of ideas and grand thoughts that suddenly present themselves. Hypomania has also been credited to elevated creative and productive energy. Symptoms of Hypomania include a flood of ideas or new thoughts, elevated energy levels, and euphoria accompanied by rapid talking, inflated self esteem and decreased need for sleep.

Hypomania is included in the mood swings of a bipolar person. When this mood is present, many bipolar individuals have been more creative and productive on their jobs, in their home and any outside activities they are involved in. However, Hypomania can also cause a decrease in good judgment, an increase in impulsiveness and obsessive behavior.