Episodes Of Hypomania
Episodes of hypomania may warrant a diagnosis of bipolar II disorder if the person is also having episodes of depression. Hypomania causes symptoms of mania that are not severe enough to be considered a manic episode.
Another psychiatric condition that causes hypomanic episodes is cyclothymic disorder. In cyclothymic disorder, the person must have numerous hypomanic episodes for at least two years.
The symptoms of hypomania include an abnormally irritable or elevated mood that lasts for at least four days. The mood disturbance and other symptoms of mania must last for at least a week or be severe enough to require hospitalization for the symptoms to be considered evidence of a manic episode.
The person must experience at least three additional symptoms of mania during this period of an abnormally elevated mood or four or more for an irritable mood for it to be considered a hypomanic episode. Inflated self-esteem or grandiosity and distractibility are two of the possible symptoms of mania that someone may experience during a hypomanic episode.
Increased talkativeness and racing thoughts are two possible symptoms of mania. The person may not feel a need for sleep during a hypomanic episode. The person may sleep as little as two or three hours a day and not feel tired.
An episode of hypomania can cause the person to become preoccupied with goal-oriented behavior. During a hypomanic episode, a considerable amount of time and energy may be spent in pursuit of social, work-related, or personal goals.
People experiencing a hypomanic episode may become excessively involved in pleasureable activities without regard to the consequences. The person may be more inconsiderate and less responsible than usual regarding people including themselves who may be hurt by these activities.
The symptoms of a hypomanic episode must be severe enough to cause a change in functioning that is observable. However, the change in functioning must not cause a significant impairment in social or occupational functioning.
If the symptoms persist for at least a week and become severe enough to cause an impairment in occupational or social functioning, the hypomanic episode may be considered a manic episode. In these cases, the person's diagnosis may change from bipolar II disorder or cyclothymic disorder to bipolar I disorder since the presence of manic episodes is the defining trait of bipolar I disorder.
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