Hypomania is a
sense of increased well-being that lasts for several days or more and is
related to bipolar disorder but is less intense and disruptive.
The word hypomania
combines hypo, which is a familiar prefix when used in hypochondria
and hypodermic but is perhaps puzzling attached to mania. Moreover, hypo
can be confused with the prefix hyper, which means overly (as in hyperactive),
the opposite of hypo, which means under or less than as in
hypoallergenic (less likely to trigger allergies than a non-hypoallergenic
item).
On the positive
side, hypomanic people may enjoy a sense of well-being and competence and may
be more creative and energetic than usual. On the other hand, they can be
irritable and easily annoyed. They also can be more competitive, which may or
may not be a good thing depending on whether they are in a situation generally
accepted as competitive or are, for instance, competing aggressively with their
coworkers or boss. Another risk with hypomania may be that it lowers
inhibitions and sometimes triggers risky behaviors involving drugs, sex, and
even shopping.
For bipolar
people, hypomania can devolve into mania or depression. A therapist may be able
to suggest strategies for dealing most effectively with hypomania in bipolar
patients. Some patients, however, enjoy hypomania and do not want any treatment
that will bring them down.
The disadvantages
and risks of hypomania seem to be offset for some creative people by the boost
it gives to their talents. Stephen Fry, who is bipolar, asked numerous bipolar
people if they would give up being bipolar if offered the opportunity. None
said they would. This may be in part because of hypomanic periods of enhanced
accomplishment.
Hypomania does
not necessarily occur naturally. It may a side effect of pharmaceutical drugs
or steroid therapy, for example. It may also be triggered by stress or
exhaustion. And in teenagers, hypomania may be the first indication of bipolar
disorder.
In his book The
Hypomanic Edge, John Gartner claims that hypomania is a quality of
temperament rather than a mental illness. He sees it as a benefit to
civilization that has given us some of our most productive people, from
Christopher Columbus to Bill Clinton. His theory does not appear to have won
converts in the community of mental health experts, and he focuses only on men to
illustrate his theory, which may raise question in some minds about his own
mental state.
Ideally, the
first time anyone experiences hypomania, she or he will see a psychotherapist
for diagnosis and advice.
