Hypomania: An Elated Frenzy

Is Hypomania a Dreadful Condition?

Hypomania is a condition of an unusually intense elevated mood accompanied by emotions, energy, and behavior accordingly. In simple terms, hypomania is an egged-on kind of state of mind. It comes under mania, though. It lasts for only a short span. Hypomania is a disorder itself or elicits as a sign of specific conditions like bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or seasonal affective disorder. Hence, it is not a severe condition to worry about but a condition to be concerned for. This is because peers around one could notice the state and come up with it. As hypomania is a subtler form of mania, it is requisite to be aware of the mania and bipolar disorder before knowing hypomania in detail.

What Is Mania?

Mania is a hyperexcitability state. Mania has elevated mood, behavior, emotions, and energy levels lasting for several weeks and requiring hospitalization. It is a chronic and severe form of hypomania. Subsequently, bipolar disorder is the condition of fluctuations in mood ranging from depression to a high state called mania.

What Is the Difference Between Hypomania and Mania?

As hypomania is the mildest form, it lasts only about four days, while mania takes a long. A person encountering manic episodes has difficulties with academics, job, and socialization. A manic person requires hospitalization and care while a hypomanic person does not. Psychotic signs like hallucination and delusion are typical among people with mania and bipolar disorder. Besides, hypomania possesses subtler signs and symptoms.

What Are the Causes of Hypomania?

There is no such precise cause or causative agent for hypomania. Besides, several factors are attributable to the incidence of a hypomanic episode.

• Substances, drugs, and alcohol can cause hypomania or depression.

• A heightened level of stress.

• Researchers have identified that hypomania can be inherited from parents. So, a family history of hypomania is more likely to have the condition.

• The brain incorporates neurotransmitters for sustaining chemical balance. Therefore, any modification in those messengers could lead to psychotic illness.

• Major life-change events such as demise, divorce, or others could broadly impact a person.

• Depression can coincide with hypomania, as in bipolar disorder.

• Adverse effects of anti-depressant medications might result in a hypomanic state. This particular condition is known as antidepressant-associated hypomania.

• Insomnia and allied sleep disorders.

• Additional supplements.

What Are the Signs and Symptoms That Occur in a Person With Hypomania?

• A euphoric yet delighted state.

• Goes through the theme of great excitement or pleasure, even on the essential elements.

• Feels a higher level of energy than before.

• Easily gets preoccupied with irrational thoughts.

• Agitation.

• Irritability.

• Seldom with aggression.

• Sleep deprivation results in an utter lack of sleep.

• Heightened self-esteem.

• Speaks a lot at a fast pace.

• Being much more active than normal with restlessness.

• Obsession about self or other self-allied stuff.

• Fidgeting around.

• Experience unreliable thoughts that would seldom precipitate distorted behavior.

In addition, the person exhibits upraised interest in pleasurable and social acts, eventually bringing negative consequences.

• Reckless driving.

• Hypersexual urge.

• Conflicts with peers either physically or verbally.

• Spend money immoderately on which you are less likely to afford.

• Failure business investments.

• Engages in unconfined sprees.

What Is the Duration of a Hypomanic Episode?

The standards for hypomania include that the condition must endure for a minimum of four days. However, it may continue for a few months.

What Occurs Following a Hypomanic Episode?

Following a hypomanic episode, individuals may feel glad or ashamed of their behavior, feel stressed because of the tasks they have committed to finish, may possess little memory about the events that took place during the episode, feel exhausted, and require sleep.

What Are the Diagnosis and Interpretations of Hypomania?

So, tell the doctor if there is an encounter with abnormal signs or engage in unreliable activities for quite some days. They will aid in the examination by enquiring about the medical history, family history, and the medications the patient is used to. They endure specific tests if required and then suggest a mental health specialist after the proper clinical examination. As hypomania seems easily misinterpreted with disorders like mania and bipolar disorder, the psychologist ascertains whether the condition meets the diagnostic criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, DSM-5.

• Experience an elevated mood and emotion for at least four successive days.

• Bear three or more of the symptoms that end in contrary conduct than before.

• The theme of hypomania neither intrudes on academic and social functioning nor requires hospitalization.

• Hypomania cannot occur due to drugs, alcohol, or other medical conditions.

What Are the Treatment Options for Hypomania?

The following are the medications used in hypomania:

Antipsychotics:

These also referred to as neuroleptic drugs, manage psychotic symptoms.

• Clozapine.

• Aripiprazole.

• Olanzapine.

• Haloperidol.

• Paliperidone.

• Risperidone.

Benzodiazepines:

This is for anxiety and insomnia. Also, it handles the person’s abnormal excitement.

• Lorazepam.

• Clonazepam.

Anti-Convulsant Drugs:

This serves as a second-line treatment for bipolar disorder and an adjuvant medication for schizophrenia. They are utilized to stabilize the mood.

• Carbamazepine.

• Oxcarbazepine.

• Valproic acid.

Lithium is a mood stabilizer. Other drugs for manic episodes include:

• Lamotrigine.

• Gabapentin.

• Levetiracetam.

Psychotherapy:

It is often known as talk intervention, where cognitive health professionals help one to recognize the symptoms and stressors. Then, through sessions, they will educate the individual on alleviating the symptoms of a hypomanic episode. Psychotreatment constitutes a variety of therapies such as:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy, CBT, helps one with the identification and changing of such distorted thoughts.

• Interpersonal psychotherapy is for relieving social and interpersonal conflicts.

• Family-focused therapy to help relieve mood symptoms and relapses explicitly organized for bipolar disorder.

• Group therapy comprises several members organized in a group to share the experience, which all aids in diminishing the effects of hypomania.

Health Regimen:

• Get down to bed early with adequate hours of sleep.

• Ingest a healthy, well-balanced diet.

• Aid in physical exercises at a minimum of three to four days a week.

• Also, engage in leisures like yoga and meditation.

• Stay away from triggering factors like caffeine, tea, sugar, bright lights, noise, and crowd circumstances.

• Avoid substances, drugs, and alcohol.

What Is the Prognosis of Hypomania?

The prognosis of the condition is favorable only when the hypomanic episodes and their consequences are apprehended at the earliest. Then, one can get rid of the symptoms by applying the prescribed medications along with certain coping strategies.

Conclusion:

Fortunately, hypomania is not one of the serious global health issues requiring hospitalization and palliative care. It is one of the most successfully treatable forms of the condition as long as it is detected early. It can be managed effectively with antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, therapies, and hostile approaches.