Differentiating symptoms of bipolar disorder: mania and hypomania

Bipolar disorder or bipolar disorder is a mental illness characterized by extreme mood swings. People who experience this condition have difficulty carrying out daily activities, including in relationships. The main symptoms include mania, hypomania and depression. At first glance hypomania and mania sound the same, but they are different symptoms of bipolar disorder. What are mania and hypomania? What is the difference between the two? Continue to listen to the answer here.

Recognize the symptoms of bipolar disorder, namely mania and hypomania

Most people experience emotional ups and downs or mood swings from time to time. However, a person who has bipolar disorder can have a very drastic change in mood very quickly. Sometimes he can feel very excited or full of energy. Other times, he felt depressed. Any mood changes that occur in people with bipolar disorder are called episodes because they occur alternately. Each episode shows three main symptoms, namely mania, hypomania, and depression.

Mania is a mood disorder that makes a person feel physically and mentally excited. People with bipolar disorder who experience this episode will make irrational decisions. For example, spending large amounts of money to buy something that is very expensive. Patients are also prone to commit acts of violence or sexual harassment.

Meanwhile, hypomania is a form of mania that is mild or less extreme of mood swings. While it's not too extreme, the person experiencing this episode will do something different than usual. This condition is difficult to identify, but people around the patient are able to recognize the changes. Changes that are influenced by drugs or alcohol are not episodes of hypomania.

Difference between mania and hypomania

1. Accompanying symptoms

The symptoms of mania and hypomania are almost the same, but the degree of severity is different. Quoted by Medicine Net, the symptoms of mania can be grouped, such as:

Symptoms of mania

• There is a feeling of unwarranted exaggeration
• Think fast so that judgment and decision making are bad
• No need for sleep or rest
• Looks very restless
• Tangential speech, which is repeatedly repeating inappropriate conversation topics

If the condition is severe, the symptoms include:

• Seeing or seeing something that doesn't exist but feels real (hallucinations)
• Cannot distinguish between imagination or reality (delusions)
• Feeling in danger

Symptoms of hypomania

• Feel yourself so excited that you are more active than usual
  
• Talk more than usual
• Talk quickly, but don't continue
• It's hard to focus and concentrate
  

2. Shows a different type of bipolar

There are four basic types of bipolar disorder, namely bipolar 1, bipolar 2, cyclothymic, and mixed bipolar disorder among the three. Manic episodes often appear in people with type 1 bipolar disorder. These symptoms usually alternate with depressive episodes.

While people who have bipolar 2 will not experience episodes of mania, but hypomania. Often times people with bipolar 2 are diagnosed as depressed when they are not.

3. The length of time the episode lasts

It's not just the level of severity, the length of the episode lasts is also different. Manic episodes in people with bipolar 1 will last up to a week or more. Meanwhile, episodes of hypomania in people with bipolar 2 will last up to 4 days at most.

4. Care provided

During a manic or hypomanic episode, daily activities can be severely disrupted. However, it can be difficult to divert someone experiencing a manic episode into a calmer, more sensible state. Moreover, manic episodes will last for weeks.

That is why people who have severe episodes of mania should receive care and supervision from the hospital.

Unlike hypomania, the symptoms that are not too severe can still be treated with medicines and the people around them at home.

If you experience symptoms of bipolar disorder, such as mania, hypomania, or depression alternating very quickly, you should immediately consult your doctor or psychologist. That way, you can get the right diagnosis and treatment.

Remember, bipolar disorder cannot be cured. However, doing therapy to change lifestyle, follow medication, and avoid triggers can help patients reduce the severity of symptoms.