Firstly, just what is hypomania? It is a state of mind falling short of full mania. A person with bipolar disorder is placed in danger in several ways whilst experiencing hypomania. Left untreated, the afflicted person often move into a more dangerous mood disorder. Also, the symptoms of hypomania can expose someone in that state of mind to actions which place themselves or their relationships in danger.

Bipolar disorder is a cyclical mood disorder. For someone so afflicted hypomania is a dangerous part of the disorder to be in. Generally speaking it leads onto the next mood disorder in a particular person’s cyclical pattern. For bipolar, type 1 most often this is full-blown mania. For bipolar, type 2 this is most likely to be a period of depression. For cyclothiaymiacs disorder mild depression is the next likely state of mind. Whichever way it goes hypomania is normally a warning that the next problem is not far away.

Let’s take a look at the symptoms of hypomania. These are what a person with bipolar disorder faces while experiencing hypomania. The symptoms include:

• feeling extremely joyful, happy, and excited

• an inability to sit still, increased energy and greater than normal activity

• talking more, faster than normal and frequently louder than normal

• an increased sexual drive

• recklessness combined with poor decision-making and

• Increased risk of problems with alcohol and drugs.

Combined, these symptoms put a person with bipolar disorder at a high risk to themselves and others. Financial contracts can be entered into which have no chance of being met. Poor decision making can lead to inappropriate sexual relationships. Excess use of drugs and/or alcohol can create severe problems for the afflicted person and their friends and loved ones. The actions of someone with bipolar disorder whilst in a hypomanic state can lead to the breakdown of important relationships with friends and loved ones. Following on from this is breakdown of vital support networks.

There are further potential dangers for a person with bipolar disorder experiencing a hypomanic state of mind. Often the increased activity makes them feel great about themselves. They will attack life with a new vigor. In their mind this creates a state of pleasure they do not want to have finish. As a result they refuse to seek any treatment for the hypomania. Some deny that a problem even exists. Life is just how it should be in their mind.

So, just what are the dangers of the hypomanic state of mind to a person afflicted with bipolar disorder? One is that that state is often a very good indicator that the next episode in the particular person’s cycle is not far away. This is normally even more dangerous than hypomania. The next is that the person can engage in reckless behavior which can lead to break up of important relationships with friends and loved ones. Finally, dangers exist that the afflicted person will deny the existence of a problem or refuse to seek assistance for it. The irony of all this is that many think the best time to treat bipolar disorder is during a hypomanic episode.