Quiz for Bipolar Hypomania Episodes

How do you know whether you're hypomanic? Periods of hypomania are possible whether you have bipolar I or bipolar II disorder (although to be diagnosed as bipolar 1, you must have had a full-blown manic episode at some point in your illness).

This quiz will help you determine whether you've ever had hypomania, which is defined as an abnormally revved-up state of mind that affects your mood, thoughts, and behavior. You can use the results when speaking with a health care professional (even if you haven't been diagnosed with bipolar disorder at present).

The quiz is written as if you're currently experiencing an episode, but you can also use it for past periods when you suspect hypomania was happening. If that's the case, consider a period of at least four days when some symptoms from each group were present every day, for most of the day.

Hypomania Self-Test

Keep count of the number of questions where your answer is "yes" in each group.

Group 1

• Have you had an unusual increase in energy and/or activity?
• Do you feel abnormally happy, even though nothing in your life can account for it? The happiness may have begun with something special, but the happiness has lasted longer than normal.
• Is your mood abnormally expansive?
• Are you abnormally irritable for no real reason?

Group 2

These symptoms should represent a noticeable difference from your normal behavior or experience, and observable by others.

• Are you feeling grandiose, or is your self-esteem higher than normal? For example, do you feel you are better at a task or activity than all the others around you (when you normally don't feel that way)?
• Do you feel rested after just a few hours of sleep?
• Are you talking more than usual, or do you frequently feel like you absolutely must keep talking?
• Do you have racing thoughts or are you speaking extremely rapidly, jumping from topic to topic (flight of ideas)?
• Are you very easily distracted?
• Are you physically extremely restless, or are you plunging into projects on impulse (for example, emptying out all your closets at once around 3 a.m., or calling 25 friends to invite them to a barbecue that afternoon)?
• Are you taking foolish risks without giving much thought to possible consequences? Or are you spending money recklessly?

Group 3

• Are your behaviors causing serious difficulties in your life (for example, severe problems in relationships or at work or school, you lose your job because of them, etc.)?
• Are you having hallucinations, or are you delusional?
• Have you had to be hospitalized because of your symptoms?

Note: Any "yes" answer in this group rules out hypomania; consider the Bipolar Mania Quiz instead.

Scoring

In general, 2 points are necessary to be diagnosed as having a hypomanic episode. However, the presence of a number of symptoms in any single group is an indication that you're in need of a mental health evaluation. Your doctor may still conclude that you have bipolar disorder. After you have scored your results, it's essential to read about other important factors (below).

Group 1:
0-1 Yes = 0 points
2+ Yes = 1 point

Group 2:
0-2 Yes = 0 points
3+ Yes = 1 point

Other possibilities:

• You may be experiencing mania rather than hypomania.
• You may be having a mixed episode.
• You may have another psychiatric diagnosis.

Other factors to consider:

• Did your symptoms begin with the use of an illegal drug? If yes, a diagnosis of hypomania can't be clearly confirmed, but you should still seek treatment immediately.
• Did your symptoms begin after the initiation of an antidepressant treatment? If yes, you may still be diagnosed with hypomania and you should also seek treatment immediately.