Hypomania: what it is, symptoms, and relationship with bipolarity.
A concept linked to a state of exaltation, motivation and desire to move.
Hypomania is a mood state characterized by an excitement or euphoria that is milder than in mania. In other words, it is the moderate case of the latter; it does not usually seriously affect the person's functionality.
Beginning by explaining what "mania" is, in this article we will see how hypomania is defined and under what circumstances it can occur. and in what circumstances it can present itself.
What is hypomania?
The word mania comes from ancient Greek; it means "frenzy" or "exalted, furious state". We use it both in colloquial and specialized language to refer to different situations related to the latter. For example, to speak of a fixed preoccupation with something; a strange habit; an aversion felt by one person towards another; or also to speak of a clinical criterion of psychopathology characterized by a state of exaltation.
On the other hand, the prefix "hypo", which derives from the Greek "hypo", means "below". In this sense, and in the context of psychopathology, hypomania is defined as a state of exaltation characterized by a decreased need for sleep, a high level of energy, accelerated metabolism, hyperactivity and/or irritability and increased psychomotor activity.
The difference between "mania" and "hypomania" (and the reason why the prefix "hypo" is added) is that the former does not significantly impact the person's functionality and does not include psychotic symptoms. In this sense, hypomania can also be defined as a type of mania but less extreme.
Main diagnostic criteria
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders in its fifth version (DSM-V), includes "increased energy or goal-oriented activity with respect to what is usual for the subject", as a clinical criterion for detecting hypomania.
For its part, the World Health Organization's International Classification of Diseases also includes increased energy as a diagnostic criterion. The latter together with elevation of mood.
Likewise, if a person has presented manifestations of hypomania, but not enough to diagnose it, or not with the necessary duration to consider it as a disorder, it may be a "hypomanic episode".
The above is included in the DSM-V category of "Other specific bipolar disorders and related conditions".
Hypomanic episode
A hypomanic episode is not in itself a clinical category or a disorder, but one of the manifestations of others.but one of the manifestations of others. Specifically, it occurs in the condition known as bipolar disorder type II.
The hypomanic episode is characterized by a mood that is usually not severe enough to be is not severe enough to cause the person clinically significant distress (that which prevents him or her from performing effectively). (one that prevents him or her from effectively carrying out daily activities and responsibilities). For example, the hypomanic episode does not prevent the person from working; if anything, the opposite is true: the person does not need to take time off.
It is also an episode that does not require hospitalization and does not present symptoms of psychosis. The above (clinically significant distress, need for hospitalization or psychotic symptoms) are characteristics of a manic episode, and usually occur in bipolar type I disorder. Hypomanic episodes may also occur in cyclothymia or cyclothymic disorder.
Symptoms
The hypomanic episode usually lasts all day and for at least 4 days. In the latter a mood different from that of the usual depression can be distinguished and includes some symptoms of mania.
This may even be functional or adaptive for some people, as the increased energy also enhances creativity, security and self-confidence. In others, hypomania may manifest itself more as irritability and easy distractibility..
The main symptoms of the hypomanic episode are the following:
- High self-esteem and grandiloquence..
- Decreased need for sleep (feeling of rest after only 3 hours of sleep).
- Increased need to talk and even pressure to continue talking.
- Leakage of ideas or subjective or subjective experiences of thoughts going too fast.
- Ease of distraction.
- Increased goal-oriented activity, for example at work, at school, in sexuality or in daily socialization.
- Excessive involvement in activities that have a high risk of undesirable or painful consequences. of undesirable or painful consequences, e.g., gambling or uncontrolled shopping.
For diagnosis and treatment it must be ruled out that the above symptoms are caused by the effects of a substance (such as drugs or medications), or by a general medical condition (e.g. hyperthyroidism). In many occasions, people who present hypomanic episodes are diagnosed with bipolar disorder. are diagnosed with bipolar disorder type IIThis requires a more specific approach.
On other occasions it may occur as an effect of taking antidepressants, in this case it also requires a specific approach and control, which does not require a diagnosis of bipolarity.
Bibliographic references:
- Bressert, S. (2018). Hypomanic Episode Symptoms. Retrieved July 27, 2018. Available at https://psychcentral.com/disorders/hypomanic-episode-symptoms/.
- Coryell, W. (2018). Bipolar disorders. Retrieved July 27, 2018. Available at https://www.msdmanuals.com/es/professional/trastornos-psiquiátricos/trastornos-del-estado-de-ánimo/trastornos-bipolares.
- De Dios, C., Goikolea, J.M., Colom, F., et al. (2014). Bipolar disorders in the new classifications: DSM-5 and ICD-11. Journal of Psychiatry and Mental Health, 7: 179-185.
- Wordreference (2005). Mania. Dictionary of the Spanish language. Retrieved 27 July 2018. Available at http://www.wordreference.com/definicion/man%C3%ADa.
(Updated at Apr 14 / 2024)