The key difference between hypomania and hypermania is that hypomania is a milder version of mania that typically lasts for a shorter period. In contrast, hypermania is an extreme version of mania that typically lasts longer.
Mania is a state of extreme and elevated mood. It is typically a symptom of bipolar disorder. Bipolar syndrome is characterized by periods of mania known as manic episodes. There are three types of mania: hypomania, acute mania, and hypermania. Hypomania is a mild form of mania. People with acute mania may experience increased impulsivity that causes them to act inappropriately. On the other hand, hypermania is the most severe type of mania.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Hypomania
3. What is Hypermania
4. Similarities – Hypomania and Hypermania
5. Hypomania vs Hypermania in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Hypomania vs. Hypermania
What is Hypomania?
Hypomania is a mild form of mania. There are less significant symptoms in this condition. Therefore, people around the affected person may recognize them as normal. However, hypomania affects sleep and daily activities. This may ultimately lead to increased impulsivity. Hypomania does not need hospitalization. It even does not cause psychosis. Hypomania can be triggered by a stimulating environment like lots of noise, bright lights, large crowds, a significant life change (divorce, marriage, and losing a job), lack of sleep, and substance use (recreational drugs and alcohol).
The symptoms of hypomania may include having an abnormally high level of energy, feeling extremely happy, not sleeping, having inflated self-esteem, racing thoughts, being distracted by unimportant things, being obsessive, showing purposeless movements, and showing impulsive behaviour. Moreover, this condition can be caused by family history, a chemical imbalance of the brain, side effects of medications or drugs, a significant change in life (divorce or death of a loved one), difficult life situations like trauma, abuse, problems with money, loneliness, high-stress level, lack of sleep and other mental health problems which including cyclothymia, seasonal affective disorder, postpartum psychosis, schizoaffective disorder, etc.
Hypomania can be diagnosed through family history, medical history, and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). Furthermore, treatment options for hypomania may include psychotherapy, medications like antipsychotic medications like aripiprazole, lurasidone, olanzapine, quetiapine, risperidone, mood stabilizers like lithium, valproate, carbamazepine, and antidepressants.
What is Hypermania?
Hypermania is also called delirious mania. It is the most severe type of mania. This condition has symptoms very similar to acute mania, such as experiencing increased impulsivity that causes people to act inappropriately, increased energy, little to no sleep, talking very quickly, jumping from topic to topic, and psychosis. In addition to the above, people with hypermania may also have delirium. Delirium is a temporary confusion state and inability to connect with reality. People who suffer from a condition need to be hospitalized immediately. Moreover, hypermania is caused by dopamine imbalance, sensitization and low levels of dopamine transporters, and prevailing neurological and physiological conditions (autoimmune conditions, metabolic derangements, and neurologic disorders).
Hypermania can be diagnosed through physical examination and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV. Furthermore, medications like benzodiazepines, lorazepam, antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).
What are the Similarities Between Hypomania and Hypermania?
- Hypomania and hypermania are two different types of mania.
- Both conditions are characterized by experiencing increased impulsivity that causes them to act inappropriately and have increased energy.
- Both conditions can be diagnosed through the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.
- They are treated through specific medications.
What is the Difference Between Hypomania and Hypermania?
Hypomania is a milder version of mania that typically lasts for a shorter period, while hypermania is an extreme version that typically lasts longer. Thus, this is the key difference between hypomania and hypermania. Furthermore, hypomania does not cause psychosis, while hypermania causes psychosis.
The infographic below presents the differences between hypomania and hypermania in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.
Summary – Hypomania vs. Hypermania
Mania is a condition where people display an extreme level of activity or energy, mood, or behaviour. This highly energized level of physical and mental activity differs from the usual self. There are three types of mania: hypomania, acute mania, and hypermania. Hypomania is a less severe form of mania, while hypermania is a more severe form. So, this summarizes the difference between hypomania and hypermania.
Reference:
1. “Hypomania: What Is It, Comparison vs Mania, Symptoms & Treatment.” Cleveland Clinic.
2. Arsan, Cybele, et al. “Delirious Mania: An Approach to Diagnosis and Treatment.” Psychiatrist.Com.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Bipolar mood shifts” By Osmosis – Derived from screenshots of the video File:Bipolar disorder.webm (at times 3:30 and 3:51) (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Woman suffering from chronic mania; c. 1869 Wellcome L0019060” By Welcome Image Gallery (CC BY 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia