14 replies to this topic

[Animal]

I have experienced different degrees of mania throughout my life, I am not considered Bipolar because I don't present with any degree of severe depression. If anything I'm cyclothymic, although this is debatable.

I have noticed on this forum that many individuals seem to display a hypomanic temperament in response to nootropic/supplement use, although typically the doses and combinations used in these instances are certainly not advisable.

Now, to many people the hypomanic state is either desirable or would appear to be given the descriptions on Wikipedia etc. But the issue is that prolonged Hypomania typically progresses to full mania if it is not treated.

I would classify the variety of manic states I have experienced as thus, in progressive order of intensity/severity, each subsequent classification has characteristics of the previous:

1.Energised Hypomania - Primarily characterised by a significant increase in perceived energy levels. Even with only 4-6 hours sleep individual feels highly energetic and motivated.

2.Functional Hypomania - Motivation, mood, sociability, goal oriented behaviour, creativeness and ambition are increased to a significant degree compared to the euthymic individual.

3.Euphoric/Erratic Hypomania - Mood and energy are elevated to such a degree that productiveness is negatively impacted. It is difficult for the individual to focus on any one task for a prolonged period of time before another task takes precedence.

4.Mildly delusional/grandiose Hypomania - Individual believes themselves to be on the verge of some highly profound and revolutionary discovery/achievement/transformation. This can take the form of something academic or commercial or something more esoteric.

5. Delusional Mania - Individual believes the previous grandiose achievement is occurring or has occurred.

6. Irritated/Agitated Mania - There is an uncharacteristically hostile reaction when the individual's beliefs are questioned, or when something they believe to be irrelevant is requested of them. What is considered irrelevant will typically be anything not directly or indirectly related to previous delusions of grandeur.

7. Psychotic Mania - Individual becomes detached from objective reality to the point that they are acting on beliefs or perceptions that have no rational basis. Behaviour can be threatening and harmful to both the individual and those around them.

In my opinion only 1 and 2 could be considered desirable, even though the other states may be subjectively enjoyable during the experience, they commonly involve highly irresponsible behaviour which is later regretted.

I was wondering what the opinion of others was on this, and whether or not you have experienced a manic state yourself; could you please describe it if so. Would you attempt to induce hypomania using supplements, knowing that it could potentially lead to the state that I have numbered 7?

Supplements that I can directly implicate in the induction of mania are massive SAM-e doses and Massive Phenibut doses, especially when combined. Hence I avoid Phenibut and strictly limit my intake of SAM-e. Do you have any supplements to add to this list?

Personally my experiences with the manic state, while enlightening, have taught me to appreciate sobriety all the more. It is not something I would knowingly try to induce.

I put this in the supplement section since this does relate to supplementation in a way, and it's my favourite forum section.

[Chaos Theory]

Depending on how your life is setup and what your current goals are, I find that a hypomanic state can be very productive and beneficial. Especially if you're trying to become motivated to make some drastic changes.

Hypomanic is better than depressed any day.

[Nootropic Cat]

Your name and avatar make this thread pretty funny. I'm sure everyone would rather feel motivated than lazy but as your list shows, hypomania is a term of convenience for a spectrum of states between 'normal' and pathologically elevated energy levels. From my own experience I would add an item to your list, though it may be kind of off on a lateral axis. I've never found a physically energised state to be anything but productive and desirable, but I sometimes get into a mode of obsessive mental activity that I call 'procrastiplanning' that stops me from getting anything done because I can't decide where to start. Stops me from sleeping as well. So in terms of what I would want from a nootropic I would divide the effects broadly into outward-directed, proactive energy (good) and inward-directed, OCD energy (bad).

[Animal]

Depending on how your life is setup and what your current goals are, I find that a hypomanic state can be very productive and beneficial. Especially if you're trying to become motivated to make some drastic changes.

Hypomanic is better than depressed any day.

I would agree with that, but the difficulty is that Hypomania can be unpredictable. The transition from one hypomanic state to another on my list usually occurs gradually over multiple days, and as such the affected individual rarely recognises that change. Plus, if it is substance induced, simply withdrawing the substance does not always discontinue the manic state or halt it's progression. On the contrary, withdrawal effects can exacerbate the condition.

Also, with regards to life extension I believe that the metabolic and hormonal changes that are associated with mania can put severe stress on the body, I doubt this is conducive towards a long life.

Edited by Animal, 26 January 2010 - 11:50 PM.

[NDM]

My main worry when i'm hypomanic is what is going to happen with my neurons...prolonged hyperexcitable states must be bad for them (so you get short-term gain and long-term damage);

Also, the trick is to find a way to stick to functional hypomania, to prevent slipping into erratic h.


In addition, because i believe in set points, I fear that for every day above average i will soon pay with days below average.

[niner]

I've experienced a Functional Hypomania. It was induced by prednisone that I was taking for an inflammatory condition. I have to say, hypomania is great. It would be wonderful to be that way all the time. I'm not convinced that it's unhealthy; it didn't strike me that way. While it was active, I cleaned eight barrels of crap out of my garage. I started getting up early and going to bed early, the opposite of my normal state. I was by all accounts a lot of fun to be around and I didn't do anything that I regretted later. It occurred to me while I was hypomanic that there are some people who seem to be that way naturally. That would sure be great. After tapering off the drug, the hypomania subsided over the course of a few days. Inducing one has crossed my mind. I've heard that people who are susceptible to hypomania can induce them with a large dose of an SSRI. That would be preferable to prednisone, but SAM-e or phenibut might be better, I don't know. I don't know of any other supplements that would do the trick, although there probably are some.

[kenj]

>>> I have to say, hypomania is great <<<

I've always thought it was a combination of certain nutrients (no idea which though 8-)), and social/environmental factors that would induce a hypomania. Looking back, I may have experienced it 3 times.. and, boy, talk about having the time of your life! 1st time (2001) I'm suspecting DHEA was involved (I don't take that anymore), 2nd round (2005, IIRC) I can't pinpoint anything specific, and 3rd round (2007) maybe ubiquinol. (Although I take SAM-e daily, I haven't noticed anything crazy from it.)

>>> While it was active, I cleaned eight barrels of crap out of my garage <<<

LOL, yeah , THAT my friend takes more than methamphetamine, an antidepressant, and cocaine combined to even consider. What I found fascinating was during a 'hypomania' I would literally sleep 30 mins-120 mins each night, and wake up "refreshed", and ready to embrace the world. Also, I would be very productive. IIRC it usually lasted for a week.

(I don't advocate dosing any supplements for inducing hypoemania, - I don't think it's the sole factor, and I wouldn't be able to restore the mania anyway using the supps)

[Cappa]

I've been to 7) Psychotic Mania. It is an "enlightening" experience and it might be fun (at least most of the time) but it can't be good for you.

[Logan]

You don't have to have severe depressive episodes to be bipolar. There is a fairly wide spectrum of different types of bipolar. If a doctor told you that you are not bipolar just because you don't have severe depressive episodes, he is wrong.

[Cappa]

You don't have to have severe depressive episodes to be bipolar. There is a fairly wide spectrum of different types of bipolar. If a doctor told you that you are not bipolar just because you don't have severe depressive episodes, he is wrong.

Yup. Unipolar mania does exist, although it seems to be pretty rare.

It could be underdiagnosed because those experiencing it might not get high enough to require hospitalization or other psychiatric care (or they do and don't seek out help because they just feel good), and since they also don't get depressed, it becomes less of an issue in terms of overall functioning. Just a theory.

Edited by Cappa, 28 January 2010 - 07:24 AM.

[stephen_b]

The bad side of hypomania is the poor judgment that goes along with it. In full blown mania, bad ideas seem like good ideas and disastrous ideas seem not so bad.

Too much SAM-E can induce mild hypomania. I don't find it a particularly useful state. For me, that would be two of the Doctor's Best capsules. One on the other hand seems fine.

A double dose of Rhodiola isn't quite the same thing as a double dose of SAM-E in terms of effect (or affect), for me at least.

StephenB

[Chaos Theory]

Mixing wellbutrin with selegiline definitely made me hypomanic.. I still remember the first night I combined the two. Coming back to the states I got flagged to be searched, questioned, etc.. at a border crossing. When they let me go I saw my car torn apart and hit the ceiling. I went back into the office and started bitching, telling them I wanted to file a complaint. It was funny because they treat you like a criminal when you're getting questioned and I completely turned it around. The guy in charge had to take pictures, make a report, and profusely apologized to me over it. If I wasn't on those chemicals I probably would have just accepted it like 99% of people who have it happen to them during a routine crossing.

[NDM]

I've searched for this thread for a while: I'm glad to have rediscovered it. The classification of manic states Animal provided in the first posting seems to me very useful. Any other substances you are suspecting to induce hypomanic states? Other experiences of manic states?

[kurdishfella]

most people are hypo maniac in America they think everything is funny and laugh at the simplest thing. And when they can't find anything that entertains them they go crazy.

Edited by kurdishfella, 14 August 2020 - 05:08 PM.

[Mr Serendipity]

The only time I recognized my experience with hypomania, was after coming off sarcosine. It felt quite embaressing tbh, I couldn’t shut the fudge up at the hairdressers, going from one topic to another. And while my motivation was through the roof, I would work all day on a new proposal, only to just change my mind the next day and write a brand new one.

 

Hypomania is sort of what I experience now with highs and lows, I get really talkative and can’t shut up on my high. 

 

As for motivation, I’ve been in a normal state and had high motivation due to self hypnosis. I deweeded my entire garden (it was a complete jungle), and was going crazy on the exercise. I’d rather be in a normal state with high motivation that’s for sure.

 

Then again I’m pretty sure I’ve experienced functional mania a good period of last year, I was getting a lot of proposals and work done. I wasn’t on the sarcosine then, so not sure what triggered that, just remember smoking a lot.