Mania and Hypomania: Myths and Common Mistakes

Many people experience episodes of unusual elevation — and misread them entirely. Dr. Andris Saulitis identifies several persistent misconceptions that prevent timely recognition of the problem.

Myth 1: "That was an awakening — I need to get back there"

A typical mistake: someone survives a serious illness, barely eats for several days, and upon recovery feels transformed — anxiety gone, self-doubt gone, everything seeming achievable. Two days of euphoria, then everything returns. Asking "how do I recreate that state?" is the wrong question entirely.

Such an episode is not a resource or an insight. It is a symptom. The brain, depleted by illness, temporarily stepped outside its habitual pathological pattern — much like what can happen after certain medical interventions. Trying to "get back" to that state moves in the opposite direction from recovery.

"That mess — it actually has a full name, first and last. It's a mental disorder, by any classification you like."

Myth 2: "It's just a good mood — it'll sort itself out"

A cycle of "enjoyed it for a couple of days" followed by a crash is not simply a mood swing. Such cycling can point to burnout, endogenous depression, or bipolar affective disorder. The doctor's point is clear: every symptom has a cause — just as a high fever during flu is not called "some kind of nonsense" but gets a precise description.

The goal is not to self-diagnose, but to understand which direction to look: organic disorder, depression, panic disorder, or something else. That requires a specialist.

Myth 3: "Alternative methods work just as well"

When it comes to states related to mania or hypomania, methods without proven effectiveness are not merely unhelpful — they are dangerous. The mental disorder worsens, and the window for timely help closes.

"In psychiatry, the nonsense of homeopathy only makes things worse."

The key takeaway

Mania and hypomania are not personality traits, not "high energy," and not a lifestyle. They are states with recognisable clinical features that may be part of a broader disorder, including bipolar disorder. The right starting point is not to chase the high — it is to see a specialist and find out what is actually happening.